Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-02-19

hSNhbi"h W hiS Niusc. It's cntnu>ihslN
aud dashing intercourse with all classes
created a favorable cummotiun wher-
ever I've went. The warmth and ardur
of lis seeming Was almost romantic.
The very name of"Ossian'' added To the
ecLat aud iancies surrounding hrs carly
life. Tie possessed sort of bonhomie
which won tavoT; and ready wit aud
cheerful salutation which quickly led
through familiarity to confidence. lie
was iull of burning thoughts aud
high hopes ut legal fame and learning.
The times too were mll of passions and
impulses. even legal forms were lit with
fiery zeal aud he was up To the utmost
limit OF the times. His researches we're
long and laborious. lie turned here AMI
there and everywhere and searched and
searched. then searched again tor some
thing more to sharpen his tongue and
pen. He had an almost voraci1us an
petite for learning and a mental stomach
tor its digestion. Whether Poeta mas.
citur non hit is true as applied to poets
or not, lawyers are both born aud mad.
and although some of his most efficient
traits may he in part imputed To his
early training Brother Ray was a born
LAWYER. He recognized and treated laws
as living things aud read them with as
burning enthusiasm sever fired a reader
of romance, and his almost wonderful
readiness to assimiate and infuse them
into the conditions of his work contri-
buted very largely to his success and
power as a lawyer and especially as an
advocate.
The efficiency OF these two men as law
ycrs did not. however. consist in simply
force, energy and activity without de-
sign. Brother RAYS plan of action was
generally to go straight for the enemy.
He made the most careful and exact elias
sihcatiou of his law. facts and witnesses
possible. He deployed and manoeuvred
the different sections and divisions and
then massed them for "A general charge,
sometimes rsking the whole case on a
single movement. At the same time with
quick perception he was constantly spy.
ing out the weaker points in his adver-
sary's Ian and continually attacking
them with all his available force. Added
to this he possessed Il peculiar kind OF
courage, not diffusive, hut full of con-
sstency and dlrectness. and one that
went to the very death OF opposition or
humiliation OF self. 1t was a courage
that was admirable for it was absolutely
dauntless. AS look upon him he bore q
like relation to legal work that Gen
Sheridan did to military affairs.
Brother Bingham'S methods were differ.
ent, but not less effective His plans
were more varied and complex. His
movements were cautious, studied and
general as well as specific. His legal
theories of his case were early settled
and adjusted, and wherever or however
his facts were developing or forming in
his mind he could quickly readiust them
with Kaleidoscope like movement to
meet any sudden emergency. He also
had a rare faculty for combining the de
tails and different parts of his plan and
directing them en- masSc with telling
effect and then redistributing them tc
the several points to which he had pre-
viously assigned them. At times in in
tense excitement he would exhibit ;
tiashy conception of an opportunity anC
seize il by advancing as it were singh
point without losing sight of his main
} plan and SO his deiensive-0ltnsive opera
|. tons were his most troublesome meth
DDS to an adversary.
These men, however, possessed man,
things and qualities in common. If calleC
5 upon to name the leading characteristic
. common to both should say they wer
( thorough, enthusiastic. devoted, cffectiv
and exhaustive work. They did as niue
as any two men Of their day to inrenSit
a love for and devotion to professional
| work. They warmed and enlivened a
their surroundings. Soon after COMM
= to this State they were overwhelme
with clients and surrounded by a multi
: tude of friends and admirers. Fortunat
! men! They went beyond the most arden
e hopes of their Young days.
t T1eir social aud public relations wer
e al ways in inspiring conditions. TIL
r cheerful lights of happy and intelligen
: homes shone around them and lighted IL
], all their tolls.
They were both ambitious. And VIII
5 not? Ambition expands the brain, fire
the whole man, strings every fibre of hi
being to its utmost tension, fills his sol
with those inde6nable longings which in
pei him to the utmost verge of huma
ii effort and give birth to the lotties
thoughts and grandest theories for til
adjustment of human rights and til
redress of human wrongs. The pessimis
who would impute sentiments of homo
able ambition derogatorilv to any ma
or woman living or dead would pu
away the reading of Plutarch's mos
it sublime life and go away to enjoy
IS dingy resort of idlers and quid nunc
Y AS the most admirable quality in all n;
l. ture is its truitage so are development
lie progress and ambitious achievement tt
y most worshipful element of strong an
It enterprising men. of whom our frient