The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-08


ored by his state and beloved by host
of friends.
lie Bar.
Having never been personally upon the
bench, | may seem TO have forgotten IN
these "reminiscences that | was not. and
10 have forgotten to descend from the
bench to the bar. But IS il descent?
Quaere dc hoe ! shall speak tor my
order.
How many opinions Of Judges, which
pass as such 10 other generations, are
made up by Judicial scissors from the
briefs of the bar, which the reporter
never publishes and judges give no credit
FOR. In all ages the obligation OF the
bench As the receiver as Well as inventor
of thoughts, 10 the fertile suggestions
Of the bar has been fully acknowledged.
though sometimes by inadvertonce and
sometimes it may be of purpose. the
judicial plagidriSt YauntS them as II
mis- own.
II was the excellent habit OF the oidcr
reporters 10 give the points made ana
authorities cited at the bar. as well as
the opinions Of the court This was Just
to each. and the best mode Of reporting
for IL IS well FOR the understanding OF
the Judgment TO know what the court
considered. what il rejected as unsound
and what IT accepted as good law ana
why. And while no lawyer should WORK
as an aspirant for fame, yet II IS natural
that one should dislike TO be set down
as zero in the report of "A judicial pro-
cedure. when his genius has found and
wrought and set the jewels which SHINE
upon the brow 81 the dull pated Judge.
70 tho new reporter this hint is given.
V.rbum salts sapen ii MARITIME.
After this digrcssive episode, | come 10
sneak OF the Bar Of Virginia, as | appre-
bend its character from tradition, e@-
r-rioncc aud observation.
When 1 came 10 Richmond as a boy, IN
1875 ( attended the then new academy
tu a due building At the southeast corner
Of Marshall and Tenth streets. The build
ing is gone. And oh. how many OF my
school mates have left me almost alone
I'D speak OF those days 50 fast fading
from my memory. Ny heart shrnks from
calling the roll Of that loved band. most
Of whom have found 1.-The grave TO sleep
forever there
JOHN wTCkHAm.
ON the square on Marshall street op-
posite the academy there We then but
Two residences, now compactly built up
with numerous homes. one or these resi-
dcnces. at the southwest corner OF clay
and Eleventh streets. vas the spacious
mansion Of the celebrated John WICK
ham. one Of the first in time. as OF hrat
In fame. Of the great lawyers OF virginia.
My old friend, Beverly r. Johnston OF
Abingdon. has told me that when young
man ne asked John Randolph which was
the greatest mind he had ever known.
To the inqulsItye youth the then dying
statesman replied, John Wickham.' Ana
| have heard my father say, Mr.. WICK
ham would have been a great lawyer had
no law books ever been written
tie was the leading counsel. except his
wonderful client (as my father Tod me-
for he attended the trial In pdrD, IN de-
fence of Aaron Burr. tried for treason
in this city Luther Martin, Of Maryland
Bauiamin Bolts and others were daso-
ciated i'm the defence, with George Hay
prosecuting. aided by the famous VIII
liam Writ, a passage OF whose speech, be
ginning with who was Benuerhassetlf'
was detained by the boys IN my DAY
II is a pleasant Renaissance 10 have
seen this remarkable man strolllng in
his garden. at a ripe, ana SIN intellecludl'
| old age. tall and not cOrpulent' win q
countenance marked by strong features.
a large Roman nose, large mouth ana
bright gray eyes. ! think his gray hair
was bound in a queue Il very picture OF
| the majestic simplicity and unconscious
dignity OF an Intellectual gentleman and
| a noble type Of the ancient b." of Viz
ginla.
| | remember too. his contemporary. the
eminent lawyer and old reporter. Daniel
Call. as h. was In his iuiirm age, walk
| INK the streets dressed IN the shorts
Of the period.
uTrLEToS WALLER TAzEwELr.
Rut NVtckbam's great rival was, per-
haps. the gifted, powerful aud eloquent
LittIeton Waller Tazewen or Norfolk,
| I'm the front rank OF advocates, az the
time In the Senate OF the United states
a member of the Convention OF Giants I'm
| 1879 30 and was elected Governor or the
State In 1894. and resigned In PSI
In the Supreme Court he was the peer
81 ~ Who adorned that forum. He
was about TO meet the almost unrvalled
William Pinkney, OF Maryland. IN the
| Santissima Trinidad, who, Tradition says,
| died from too intense study OF the case
| I'm preparatlon 10 meet the great virginia
LAWYER Mr.. TaZeweii nobiy denied tue
,radition saving the case involved no
very dIricult points. and that Pinkney
feared the face of no man living
Al the bar OF the fourt OF Appeals Al
that early period. besides those Jus'
naned we're Bushr0d Washing -on, after
wards i'm the Supreme Court OF the Unitei
states. Campbell. Warden. Ronald. Nc
rrae and many others. among whom
must name one. John Marshall. then IN
the fourth decade OF his iife
Reading their arguments In the reports
NJ Washington. can. HeninS ana Nun
FORD and diicounting our tendeacy 10
revere the men OF the past, 1 think v"
can hardly claim. even IN our dey, 10
rival "a bar composed OF Marshal, WICK
TO- all
The yeterans had passed away when. In