Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20

a ,.eLsbrtty I'm Louisiana, ana was ioVAc'
a., ,ba member OF his profession
10 ,,os n frequent practitioner before tn
s,,,rone court OF the United States. an'
,,nr.oycr had twice represented his STATE
I'm the United States Senate. Inc loch'I
of war called him TO yet higher duties
ard the Southern cause enlisted MS ann
tics I'm some OF IT'S highest offices. HIS
career AZ Acknowledgement. then as Sec
retary of War. and finally as Secretary OF
s,.ta Of the Confederacy are matters OF
history. 40 are also the perils ne en-
| countcred In eluding the Federal oheers
! AFTER the surrender; but his later life
In ENGLAND has until recently been com
pafatively little known,
when BENJAMIN realized that the Con-
redsracy had become but a memory, ne
determined 10 seek his fortunes in another
| clme. lie was then 50 years old, but
neither his advanced years nor other
dimculties warped his courage. He re-
solved 10 become a member Of the BSg-
ueb bar. though TO do this meant that
he was TO ommence again at the very
bottom. The rules of the profession re-
oulred that he should read as a pupil
for two years in a practicing lawyers
office: but by a special d~ispensation he
was able to terminate his studies in six
months. And so we find him almost an
old man commencing professional life
anew, but in good time his mastery abili-
ties received the recognition they de-
served. TO make a long story short, in
the course Of a few years Benjamin be-
came one Of the most famous English
lawyers-a man who carried weight
wherever he went, who was enrolled
among the Queens counsel, and swayed
the highest tribunals of the land with his
mastery eloquence and reasoning.
Aside from his native ability, the ex-
Confederate had been educated In the
law in Louisiana, which had been one OF
the French Colonies, and, therefore, the
law taught and administered within it
was that which took its origin from the
Code of Justinian, and vas afterward
adopted by most of the nations. of Eu-
rope. and continued to be the law OF
France until the Code Napoleon. Ben
was thoroughly familiar with the
principles and practice of this great sys-
TEN. and it proved of immense advantage
TO him in the many cases having their
origin and transactions on the Continent.
In matters concerning the English Colo
MES which had formerly been held by
France. he also became pre-eminent
Mr.. Benjamin's probationary term as a
student was served under the late Baron
"the last of the Barons," who
died a few months ago, m this famous
iurist has left behind some interesting
"reminiscences of his pupil, which appear
in the last number of the Fortnightly Re
Mr.. Benjamin was long a familiar
figure in Richmond, and he had many
friends here, among whom was Rev. DIR.
Hoge. His place of residence here
was on the south side of Main
street between Adams and Foushee, next
to Mr.. Crenshaw's house. Every
morning Mr.. Benjamin walked down
Main street to his Office in the custom
house, and many were the chats that he
with the Doctor at the latter's gate.
Later on they met in Danville, where
President Davis and his Cabinet rested
'or awhile after the evacuation of Rich
nond. in Georgia Mr.. Davis and Mr..
Benjamin parted company, and Mr.. Ben
made his way to the coast in the
1fGnrFfGn of n nnAlnP arA g..-..
TO find a boatman, who took him
% the Bahamas, whence he sailed for
Nassau, and thence TO England. From
$50 to 1883 he resided in London. Early
n the latter year he retired from prac-
ice, and a farewell banquet was given
in the hail Of the Inner Temple,
June 3Oth. He then withdrew to
where his wife and daughter re-
'ided, and where he died May 8, 1884.
1t is a rather singular fact that though
Mr.. Benjamin had so much of he con-
idence of Mr.. Davis and was so helpful
o him, the two had been enemies at or.
period. This was while they were meua-
Of the United States Senate, when
/ controversy arose between them in the
course Of which Mr.. Davis used severe
language towards the Louisianan. A duel
seemed likely to result, when Mr. Davis.
having been convinced that he was in !
he wrong, withdrew his offensive Ian
;uage. Peace and friendship were thus
'estored.
Mr.. Benjamin was a neat, dressy, cheer
'n1 MON xrhnp, NJ fI fIr+,,,n ,..,l - |
urb. lie was fond of exercise, but took
t on foot. He was no horseman. Mr..
Davis, on the other hand, was an ideal
'ider, and nearly every afternoon during
ais stay in Richmond he was to be seen
iding into the country. Sometimes, but
lot often, he went alone; usually some
of his staff or other friend ac-
,ompanied him.
When Mr.. Benjamin separated from
he presidential party in Georgia, it was
because the party had taken to the sad
Knowing his unskilfulness on horse
back, he babe them adieu, bought a
horse and vehicle, and proceeded to
He was born on the island of
Croix, and it was to one Of its neigh
oors-one of the Bahamas-that he fled
for refuge as soon as he could hire a
boat to carry him.
Whilst en9uiring the place of residence
IF Mr.. Benjamin when he was in Rich
nond, we learned something also of the
dwellings, Of some other members of Mr..
Dayls's Cabinet. Mr.. Reagan lived on
Franklin street, in Gray's Row, in the
that was owned by Mr.. Somerville.
Charles HIS house, on Nineteenth
street. MIR. Trenholm was in Mr.. Brooks