The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-22
the Supreme court room, will call to mind
This occnrrancc While Govprnor RrapD


able Judge Battle was sitting back a
court room, listening with marked inter-
est and attention. AS the speaker extoll-
ed the past lustre Of North Cardinals re-
cord for the maintenance of law, and
peace, and protection, and contrasted her
former power and renOwn in the days OF
CASTOR, and Daniel and Ruffin, with the
impending perishment of the people S
highest privilege and greatest boom
their mighty writ of right and safety
| the brightest jewel that ever decked the
| vesture of the English law-heeded for
centuries, and ever granted when fifty
| craved-this pure and eminent judge,
thoughtfully sensitive of his States honor
and name, could not restrain his emotion,
and tears trickled, fast and prOfusely,
down his whitened cheeks. When the
| speech was concluded, said, that it was
1.-The most eloquent and powerful argu-
ment he had ever heard in that
court ROOM"
This was compliment, indeed; for he
for years, had with honorable distlnc-
| ton, sat upon that high court, and saw
and heard the States bright
est and grandcst legal lu-
minares give their utterance-
whose broad intellectualism was the Won
der and the admiration of the time, and
whose lives and regulations have done
so much to mould, and to make, that
courts past and present history.
His effort in the Holden Impeachment
trial was grand and mastery one. He
pressed fervently for the impeachment;
his argument was close and exhaust
i've, and was listened to with marked
attention, and was considered, by many,
as the best Of his life. When he took his
seat, Mr.. COnigland, who was of Gov
ernor Holden's counsel went over to him,
took his hand and said. Governor, you
have made great, grand speech, but it
does not equal your Johnston i'll
speech"
In the case of the State VS.. Archibald
Peace, removed from Franklin to War
rem county, and tried before Judge
Barnes, Governor Bragg made an ex-
ceedingly fine speech in the prosecution.
Mr.. Moore, Colonel Edwards, Mr. jenkins
and Judge Davis appeared for the de-
fence.
Governor Bragg also made a powerful,
speech in the case of the State VS.. the
three Kearney boys, one Levister, and
one Bragg, tried in Granville county.
Solicitor Cox, c. NJ Busbee, NJ. " La
nier and Governor Bragg represented the
State. and Governor Graham and Colo
mel Edwards the defendants. Colonel
Edwards said to me shortly ago. Gov
ernor Bragg's speech in both of these
cases were of extraordinary ability and
of great learning in his profession"
80, Ilnr- IL 4 e. L. -
speech Governor Bragg made in War;
rem, in defence Of a negro for larceny,
and which he classed as the finest, and the
most feeling and touching he ever heard
him make, and that there was not dry
eye in the whole court house In his
speech, he said, ''he appeared in this
case as duty, solely, and for no pay
that this defendant and he, when they
were boys, hunted together in the woods,
and played marbles with each other on
the streets of Warrenton, and now in his
old age, in trouble, and disgrace about
to fall upon him, he had sought his SER
vices, and he had given them gracious
Iy." This is the only time / ever knew
him to appeal to the feelings of jury.
He presented in his speeches the solid
facts with vigor, and the argument with
great force and power
Governor Bragg was the ablest man
that ever went from the confines of
Northampton county. He was the best
equipped ''all round" lawyer / ever knew,
and was hard student from early man
hood until his death. He was honest,
honorable and true. The slightest breath
of suspicion never breathed its faintest
baneful moisture upon his name. He liv-
ed and died in the fullest confidence and
esteem of his fellow man. In public life
he was the ideal of a proper public SER
want, and honors came to him unsolicited,
and uEsought. In private life. he was
an example and a guide.
1t was painful to see his strong and
manly form weakened and wasted, and
his brilliant and searching eye dimmed
by disease. He met death calmly, and
without trepidatiOn. He said: On ac-
count Of the needs of my family l de-
sired to live ten years longer, and short
ly ago, thought that would, but beyond
that it makes no difference" l heard the
last words he uttered. l heard the wise
counsel, be with no emotion, gave to his
family. heard him say to his children
just before the died: my children, / wish
to impress one thing upon you: stand
by each other, sustain each other, as
sist each other; let no necessity arise UNI
der which you could feel justified in ut
tering a word, or raising a hand one a
gainst the other"
l saw him die. With my hand upon
his arm felt the last pulsating life throb
cease, and I saw the last Pickering
breath pass from his mortal frame, and
with it, beheld my best friend 60 for
yer from my view. But what loss did
the State sustain, and what greater friend
did she lose. What higher boon could
North Carolina ask, than, that like
hand-a like -perception-power
and guidance We're in ready reach, to
rescue her from impending dangers, which
now so imminently theaten; and to place
her, securely, upon the lofty pinnacle of
her wOnted honor and renOwn.
Governor Bragg died on Sunday morn
ing about 5 o'clock, January 2lst, 1872.
in the sixty second year of his age,
and was buried in Oakwocd Cemetery