Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-06

honor and Importance, until he at
tanned the highest position which
legitimate ambition can reasonably
hope to reach, unless constantly aided
by the fortunate geographical import
ance of ones state in political affairs.
This was practically the deciding
accident that deprived him of the
Presidency. When this can be truly
said of citizen of Delaware, no one
can gainsay his ability, industry and
accomplishments.
The whole people of our little
State, without distinction of party,
join in mourning him and realize now
as they never may have done before,
how great man he was and how great
loss our State sustains when we most
need him.
"Most of us who often saw him are
now yet old enough to take as a matter
of course the death of one who for a
generation has been in the front rank
of public affairs. l cannot personally
recall any public question of high i'm
portance in this State, where Mr..
generally the foremost figure in its
discussion and solution.
In politics he was fearless and
aggressive leader and of course was at
times most bitterly assailed, yet bitter
ness has passed away long since, and
those who pressed him hardest join to-
day in the universal expressions of sin
cere grief.
High conceptions and ideals and
earnest energy in attaining them, Joined
with untiring industry, brought him
deserved success in the lines he
selected, and know of no one who lSts
by example better taught the younger
men of his time what should be the
true objects of honorable ambition and
the pathways by which to reach it,
than Thomas f. Bayard.
"My first recollection of Mr.. Bayard
was his unsought offer to do kindly
act when was less than 10 years old !;
my last, the remembrance of his charm
ing manner when he did me a friendly
service which his residence in London
had made possible.
From my early boyhood until some
years after l came to this bar l saw
little of him, and knew of him only
those things with which every Della
warean ought to be familiar, because
of his public position, but 10 or 12
years ago brought in somewhat close
contact with him in political matters,
learned to appreciate him at his
worth and to admire him as I had
never done before
"Of his life and successes at the bar
those of his contemporaries who sur
vive him can best speak; to most of us
here they are only known through ira
sditions of the bar and the dry record of
them in our law reports, but in one
case in which we were associated after
he had been Secretary of State, l could
see how earnest and masterful and in
dustrious he must have been when in
active practice, and could well imagine
how he might have addressed courts
and controlled juries by his eloquence
| and presence.
'While politics, in the broad and
best use of the word, claimed his time
and attention to the almost entire ex-
clusion of professional work, know
that before he reached the last high
diplomatic post he filled so we'll, he
cherished the ambition to hold in
judicial place the scales of Justice with
an even hand between the people of
his native State, and so round out his
life.
"Thus we know that his profession
had its attractions for him and he was
most sensible of the dignity and honor
that may be gained in following the
law.
'The duties of the high positions he
held were often most important for his