Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-03-31
address OF HON G. n. OSBORN.
"Reminiscences By the Oldest Active Psac
titioner OF the County Bar.

"reminiscences By the Oldest Active Pfac
titioner OF the County Bar.
The address of Hon. c. N. Osborn,
Of Chicago, the oldest active practic-
tioner Of the Rock Island comfy bar,
in moving then to adjourn to the
now building was as follows:
As the oldest practicing attorney
Of this bar it was requested that ON
the coming in Of notice that a room
was prepared for its reception,
I should ask for an order dis
continuing the sessions Of the court
in this room in which they have
been held for almost sixty years,
that they may hereafter be held in
the new building.
We do not readily perceive the
faults Of those we love and there may
be defects in this building to which
I am blinded by my prejudices, but
I regard it as . model OF architec-
tural propriety. and this room as
perfect in its sizs and form, and for
the purposes to which it has been
devoted, not excelled by any
auditorium Of which l have knowl-
edge. To me it seems almost sac
religious that it should be destroyed
Let those who differ with me remem-
Der that for many many years the
ambitions. the hopes, the expeota-
tions OF my life we're centered on this
court house. on this room, and such
snccess as l have attained is asso-
ciated with It. And that as the
shadows Of life grow longer my af-
fection for 1t returns with ever in
creasing force. My children we're
born within its shadow, and had
hoped tha: my son and little grand
son. and my descendants for many
generations might come to love aud
revere it as I have done-as l do.
But it has been otherwise deter
mined, and perhaps it is appropriate
that l should assist at the ceremony
which consigns this old court house
to the dust from which it arose al
most contemporaneously with my
birth. therefore, on behalf of the
bar OF Rock Island county, move the
court to enter upon its records the
order which l hand to the clerk.
Order read by tho clerk
Upon presenting this motion I was
requested to give some "reminiscences
OF the Older bar OF this county; and
for the manner of doing 80
bespeak your leuient Judgment.
First, because have had a yerv
limited time in which to prepare an
address; and second, because nv
training has not fitted me to pre-
pare one which is likely to be accep.
table. l have practiced myself to
present arguments to convince the
understanding Of those who were
obliged to hear me, and not give
pleasure to those who choose to
do SO.
Ear Reconections.
NY earliest recollection Of cour,
OF record is Of going with my father
to Richmond. the county seat OF
Henry county. where we found
Judge Ford, sitting on q three-legged
milking stool at the end of the kitch.
en- table. the jury arranged on
benches along one side and the end
Of the table, and the lawyers on the
other side with their backs to the
kitchen stove, the fire in which had
been lighted in preparation for the
MONDAY dinner. The weather Wa
close. and the lawyers had very ma.
turally become thoroughly warmed
up to the occasion. The building
erected BY the county had been
burned down in a prairie fire. and Al
there WAS no other house within si1