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

nish or fail In his cause. All the powers
OF the advocate were called torth' ana
ms victory depended, not on the com
parative weight OF conflicting authorities
but In the preponderance OF reason ana
| the arbitrament OF truth and justice.
IL was my fortune 10 start tlle at
time when the full force OF these training
gymnasia had developed the Bar OF VIZ
GINA TO It's highest powers. and the eNl-
gencies OF my life have given me oppoif
tunity and experience to see the results
THE sPEAKER's PRACTICE.
In my native town / was at the centre
Of a field OF practice which embraced
| eight counties, where / went and mingled
with the local bar in each OF them.
Winchester had been the seat OF the
Chaneery District Court. The bar there
had always been able. Judge Hugh
Holmes was an admirable type OF the
| class Quick OF apprehension, ready IA
debate. full Of resource IN all the phases
OF practice. he achieved high reputation
| ais lawyer and judge. John Il. Cook, Al
! fred II Powell and others left the ira
| ditions Of their powers as advocates
which my generation delighted 10 recall.
Permit me TO call a roll OF the lawyers
| OF that day In my town and the surround
| ing counties.
| There were the vigorous and eloqcunt
| Hunters and the refined and acute minds
OF the Pendletons; there was Lucas and
/ Berry, Worthngton and Bedlnger Charles
| j. Faulkner. and -. Holmes Conrad, all
on the Potomac border. OF these Mir.
| Faulkner achieved wide reputation TOR
/ his immense power Of labor. ms intense
[ purpose for success and TOR the cOncen-
| trated energy OF his -astute and vigorous
mind IN the conduct Of MIS- cause. lie was
! distinguished in Congress, and was the
Minister Of the Government TO france.
! The practical sense ana practical legal
| knowledge and indO.Ditablc energy OF
Province McCormick the steady and ju-
| dicious Giles COOK. ana the upright dill
| gent and excellent lawyer, R0rcrt ~.
Turner the systematic and well-pOised iu-
teisigence Of Mark Bird; the learning anu
| ability OF Judge :. Samueis; the a5tu,e
and vlgilant mind Of Judge j. y. i.
| Allen. and the labOrious and excellent
| Walton; the fine powers as an advocate
| of William Seymour, OF Hardy; tAe reso-
! lutte and aggressive Mcdonald, and his
! competitors. Judge Armstrong and the
| Whites ana the learned student lawyer
| Judge r. Claiborne Green, of Hampshire,
make up the list Of men whom the Win
/ chester Bar met in the surrounding ooun-
ties
At home VIC had lingering - the bar
! James Marshall. VINO would have attained
the highest position in the profession had
J not MS fortune ana a certain shrinking
| from the heat OF conflict made MIN Pc
| tire from active practice 10 tne position of
! counsellor. and those duties assumed with
great reluctance His original powers and
| his profound learning lu the principles OF
law made him tacilc prineeps. and, tn the
! opinion OF many. not inferior TO his great
uncle. the chief Justice
WITH MAssVE REASONING.
James NJ. Mason, representative and
! senator in Congress, though not great
! student of law, was one Of the mos
! formidable men in forensic contests al
the bar IN the Appellate Courts Of the
! State and Federal Government he argued
| his cases with consummdic power of
| statement and with clear and massive
reasoning. He represented the COafoIer-
acy in England; was one Of the captured
| ENJOYS Of his Government by ths front
! ana lived and died, after all thc personal
yicissitudes which attended the fall of
! the Confederate Government. the most
devoted, patriotic and loyal lover OF
! Virginia. He was splendid type of
! that ancient regime among whom bis
ancestor, George Mason, of GInSteu Han.
! stood in Intellectual power the equal OF
| the best.
Robert Y. Conrad was unique in his
mental organism. With subtle and meta
! physical powers which were capable OF
! indefinite refinement, IN reasoning, me- was
! possessed OF 4 perSpl 'UOus and simple
| power of exposition viii 10 almost On
: abed him 20 make 8 plain jury com
prchend the dbstrusc problems ot MI
! Fcarne on reminders. lie WAS the most
cOnsummatc cXpomder of difficult ques-
lions to common minds I ever heard. lie
! had an Imagination FOR profound Sp cula-
tons without any play Of fancy. and
while intensely admrins fiction and poe
| try. his style was 50 simple and a most
prOsaic as TO be beyond the range Cf
his audience He had sound learning i'm
{ his profession, and studied the principles
Of mis- case so thoroughly that he easily
! met the authority OF cases loosely
raraded against him. His manner Of
| speech was so serious ana ncere that IL
was. as Mr.. Writ once sad Of chief
! Justice fancy, almost sacrI.e.e To- dis-
| credit his argument. Under him. as his
junior partner, and with him as q de-
voted friend / must be- excused for
this tribute 10 his merits.
a DANGEROUS ADVERSARY.
Mr.. Philip Williams was take HIM alto
! gether the most dangerous and efficient
adversary ] was compelled TO meet. som
per paratus i'm ali cases from tine Court oi
| Appeals 20 a warrant before justice,
an expert i'm the clerical work OF practice,
| with a full knowledge of men iu all con
| ditions, with an astute common sense
| which took hold Of plain men, ne had
| full learning in principles and i'm case
| law and "A skIlful mode OF applying them
| TO his case. and Nithal. "A clear and per
| suasive style OF reasoning, which made
| him fold an equal position with any, IN
| the adroit and effective management OF
| his case. When | left Winchester j told
| him he had been my best teacher by so
| often beating me. and he applied the
| scourge with the effectiveness OF an an
! cient pedagogue but with the amiabhiy
| of a loving brother.
His partner. Mr. David W. Barton. was
no speaker unless forced 10 IT, and then
| he spoke well and 10 the point. He was
an eminent business lawyer, excellent In |
| chancery practice and ekilful in the prep
| aration OF a case for his partner TO ar
] que of hne culture and lover of ut
| erature, he was delightful companion.
| and in the draft Of law papers showed
| the result of careful and ample education.
His judgment was sound, his wit was
quick and sparkling, and his professional
| success commensurate with his fine abil-
| tiles.
! Mr. Richard +. Byrd was a lawyer OF
ability and learning, and in preparation
| and conduct of his cases he was absorbed |
| by the purpose to succeed. and was az
gressve in his tactics to attain his object.
| He stood IN high rank with HE comPet-
| itors. but his health impaired his capaci-
| ty for labor, and, I think. he bestowed |
| so much labor on his casts as 20 make
| il impossible for him 10 do so with very
large practice. Despite these causes, ms !
! success and attachments placed HIM IN
| the front rank of his contemporaries