Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-07-06

| "NN AANtAS SNtANNN AO lSlNiibEllOn
those delightful conversations is with
me now ana will remain with ME al
ways,
Y have said that Judge Pinncy pos
Sessed Il comprehensive and vigorous
mind hut IL was not only tus, II was
an honest mind, He grasped a subject
and reasoned upon II from premise to
conclusion without paltering or
shrinking, and he faced the result, un-
welcome though Il might be, without
fear Tie played no tricks with his
reasoning powers nor strove to avoid
the logical result OF his mental pro-
| cesSeS, He was in word intellectual
| lN honest, and this intellectual hon
eStN was supplemented by a cores
pondtng moral honesty. do not mean
Ivy this a mere financial honesty
which renders dollar for dollar and
eNaetS the same IN return but that
higher Integrity of character which
loves truth because Il Is truth and
S,Nrns dishonest action because n
dishonest Thought has no abiding place
IN the heart We have need OF more
OF such honesty, In these DAYS OF
money getting, when many turn the
profession into mere business and
use II simply MS a road to wealth, with
slight regard whether the means used
We honest or not, n character of this
kind shines forth like n beacon light
| over the waters OF a troubled sea
From such lives the young practitioner
may learn that there are things OF
infinitely create" value than the fee
| earned by doubtful methods. and that
lasting honors even In a timc-scrvlng
and money -worshipping age are won
by tho man OF integrity and not by the
brilliant professional trickster.
I'VE cannot all possess the powers of
mind which he possessed but we can
he intellectually and morally honest it
we will,
The mental endowment which
marked Judge pnney chiefly above his
fellows at the bar was his memory
This was constant marvel To me.
Frequently when engaged In the dis
cusston of n legal question upon which
he had made no previous preparation
he would say this principle was decld-
cd In such a Case, naming the case and
the volume IN which II was to no found
and 50 to the shelf and take down the
book and read from 1t, without
apparently approaching that he had
done anything ont Of the ordinary
The value OF such memory TO the
lawyer or the Judge Ia wollnlgh ines
Unable, II was natural gift but II
was strengthened aud improved by
constant exercise during his whole
professional life.
when Judge pinnoy came to this
bench In obedience to tho call OF the
people, his natural and acquired pow
crs were nj the very full and he stood
confosscdly In the front rank OF the
profession, With that industry which
was the keynote Of his life he devoted
those powers completely and without
reserve to the performance OF hls
duties, and thereby rendered n service
TO the state, to the law and to the pro
| fession which II would be hard to over
estimate, From pecunlary point OF
view 1t was "A step which involved
heavy loss, but he saw duty before him
and he grndged not the sacrifice, for
the sense OF duty pursued him ever
OFTEN when oppressed with tho weight
Of his labors and when he felt his
strength falling. he would express his
desire and determination to serve out
his term nj any cost and thus fulnll his
contract with the people which he re-
Earded ms, In sense, Il sacred Obliga-
ton, hut y was not to be. More and
| more heavily there descended upon
him physical pain and weakness. and
too late he saw that II was Impossible
for him TO carry out the wish of his
heart And 80 he left the bench hop
Ing to rocuporato his shattered
strength and spend some years In com
! fort hut this also was denied him,
At FIRST there seemed to come, with the
release from toll. little Frightening
Of the physical powers but II was only
temporary: the relief had come too
late; a lifetime OF labor had broken
down his strength beyond the power
OF recovery and the seal OF death was
upon him. Gradually he came to
1
know that this was So but the APP
proach Of death possessed no terror for
him. He seemed to experience a feel
Ing Of relief ut the approaching re-
lease from the pain and weakness
which had been his companions for so
long. and with the fearless confidence
which marked his life, he walked
through the valley of the shadow OF
death fearing no evil,
He leaves as a legacy to MS the
record Of his life II IL the inspiring
record Of the life work Of great and
| just man, Such a record must and
viii live; It cannot die.
Only the actions Of the just
Smell sweet and blossom In the
dust.
Among those present at the exer-
clses was Mrs plnney. the bereayed
widow Of the eminent jurist and a
large number OF the members OF the
local bar.