Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1895-08-03
Entered at the Postoffice at Accomac
@. H, Va, as second-class matter.

John B. Minor, Ii. D., professor of
common and statute law in the Uni
versity of Virginia, died at his home
at that institution last Monday, in
the S3rd year of his age. He was de-
scended from ancient and honorable
Virginia families and was educated
at Kenyon College, Ohio, and the
University of Virginia. When he
was only thirtytwo years old he was
called to the professorship of law in
the University of Virginia, succeed
ing Henry st. George Tucker. For
fifty years Mr.. Minor held this posi-
tion and discharged its duties with
an ability and fidelity never sur
passed in the annals of American ed
ucation. He was without doubt the
greatest teacher we have ever known.
He excelled in analysis and explana-
ton, going always to the fountains
of justice and tracing the streams
down the centuries to their CONVEX
gence in our own country and time.
The completion of the half century
of Mr. Minors distinguished services
in the University of Virginia was
fifty celebrated at the final exercises
of that institution last June, when a
marble bust of the great teacher, the
work of Valentine, Virginia's gifted
sculptor, was unveiled with imposing
ceremonies This work is a gift to
the University from Mr.. Minors
students. Senator Daniel, the orator
of the occasion, among other things,
said:
Il do not believe that his superior
as law teacher ever existed. The
character and minds of thousands
of students have felt his moulding
and enlightening power; and they
have gone from his lecture room into
the stormy masses of humanity i'll
well-drilled annual detachmentS as
fresh recruits to the cause OF justice.
The leaven of his instruction upon
the most important topics that con-
Germ society, from the domestic rela-
tions to the greatest questions OF
constitutional law, has permeated,
through his discipline and his COM
positions. into every Commonwealth
of the Union, to every department
of municipal, State, and Federal
affairs. and has been felt in every
council chamber, court room, and
legislative hall. Like Blackstone
and Kent and Story and Cooley, he
has been teacher Of teachers. law
maker TO legislators, and supreme
court to judges.
THAT remarkable work, Minors
Institutes cannot be surpassed as
wade 1necum of the law. 1t is like a
statue-solid, compact, clean cut.
Minors Institutes contain more law
in fewer words than any work in
legal literature with wich [ am &C
ouainted. The Roman forum had
an empty place lacking Cato's figure;
and LAWYERS library without this
book has one also.
NO improvement in explosives or
firearms will ever rule Caesar or
Napoleon Bonaparte out of con-
sideration to him who studies the art
of war. No difference of language or
lapse of time will ever dethrone the
ascendency of Homer and Shakes
peare to him who studies the art OF
poetry. No new fashions will ever
antiouate Demosthenes or Cicero to
him who studies the art of speech,
and no revolutions of government or
reyisions of the statutes will ever
displace Coke and Blackstone and
hn CT NJ
him who seeks himself to master the
! jurisprudence of the English-speak-
ing family.
But great as Mr.. Minor was a
teacher of the law he was still great
err as an inspirer of the young men
who sat at his feet. He was above
al high christian gentleman. From
early youth he had been communi-
cant of the Episcopal Church, and
while he was always loyal church
man his christianity was as broad as
it was noble and lofty. Who that
has ever seen his manly form, his
good grayhead, and his noble face,
can ever forget the man? His work
is finished, and he has gone to his
rest and reward, but his influence
and his example will remain as
treasured possession of the great
University in which he was so long a
distinguished teacher, and far longer
than the marble effigy erected in
his honor shall retain its whiteness,
will endure his chaste and noble
fame
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