The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-11
Nhe 1Elesseuger.
a DISTINGUISHED, INDUSTRIOUS
AND ABLE NORTH CAROLINlAN.

The June number Of the State Nor
NAL Magazine, Greensboro, has interest
ed us. We were interested particu-
larly in a brief and lucid biographical
sketch Of MI. Justice Walter Clark, of
b supreme court Of North Carolina
by Miss Annie G. Randall. It is neatly
done, and the biography is really edi-
flying and entertaining. He was born
in Halifax county on the 10th Of Au-
gust 1916. We have known him per-
.sonally since 1861. He entered the army
at IA. Before hi was Is he was first
lieutenant and %adjutant Of Colonel M.
w. Ransom's regiment, the youngest
officer of his rank in either army. We
quote:
During one e Of the war, his
regiment being ordered to North Car
DINA to recruit, he resigned, entered
the university at Chapel Hill August,
1853, (having kept up his studies in
camp, joining the senior class, n
graduated at the head Of his class June
2, 1864. Judge Augustus Van Wyck,
Late candidate for governor of New
York, and w. A.. Guthrie were among
his class mates.
1.-The day after his graduation, he
was elected major Of the junior re-
serves and a few days later was pro-
moted to lieutenant colonel"
He read law after the war, attended
Judge Battles law school, also that
at Columbia college, Washington, d.
c., and in a Wall street law office. He
married Miss Susan, only daughter Of
Hon. William A. Graham He settled
~A DoIoi~1 urhnrn ha hoo GinnQ re-
sided. He is one of the ablest and
most prominent Of Methodist laymen
i'm all southland and has no equal in
North Carolina. We quote again:
'In 1881 he was the lay delegate from
the Methodist church in this state to
the Methodist worlds conference in
London. He used that opportunity to
travel extensively in Europe. Ten
years before he had crossed his wv
continent, having gone from the east
to the Pacific coast. Twice since 1881
he has been a delegate to the general
conference of his church."
His legal life a be summed up
briefly. Governor Scales appointed him
to the superior court bench in 1885, and
an 1886 he was elected to the position
by a vote Of the people.
In 1889 Governor Fowle placed him
on the supreme court bench. In 1890
he was elected by the people. He led
his ticket for both j~udgships. In 1894
NE was nominated by the democrats for
the full term Of eight years. He was
Endorsed by the populists and republic
cans also, and received 275,OOO votes,
without opposition, a very remarkable
fact. His term of office expires on the
LIST of January, 1903. Justice Clark is
the most Industrious worker we know
OF in the state. He has been not only
very Industrious in his profession, but
he has been remarkably productive in
addresses. papers for northern and
southern magazines and has even been
a translator from the French Of Con-
stant's very entertaining and revealing
Memoirs of Napoleon in three VOL
umes. We read the work with pro-
found interest and after much read
ing previously in Napoleonic literature,
we found Constant a very VALUABLE III
terpreter of the greatest statesman and
genius in war for eighteen hundred
years. The work throws a great deal
Of light upon the many-sided Napole-
on. The sketch says that his legal
-rNurks are 'Clark's Annotated Code,
Laws for Business men and 'Overrul-
~ ed Cases The opinions written by him
- during the ten years he has been on
: the supreme bench would fill several
volumes of themselves" We do not
7 believe he is the most prolific writer
in the state. There have been journal
lists who have written more words or
dimes than Judge Clark has. We think
we can name one who in thirty years
has written in quantity as much mat
fer as is contained in the "Waverly
Novels and T~hackeray's novels. Judge
Clark has written more for magazines
than any other North Carollnlan, or
whom we have information. MISS Ran
dali says:
He is also writing a school history
Nro~tL, 10 rnlina He has contributed
a half hundred articles on divers sub
iects to the leading magazines, Har-
pers. the Arena, North American Re-
view and others. These works show
Judge Clark tt be as a thinker, a
scholar, a maker of literature, pre-
eminent in North Carolina
He is unquestionably a man Of men
tai resource and intense working aoll-
Ity. His style is unusually clear, direct
and with the high merit of simplicity.
We hope he will not MY mple ms
school History" but tina he will give
some years to the preparation OF a
History of North Carolina People
after manner of Green's extraordinary
<'School History of the English Peo-
ple." the supremest work of historic
genius we have known of in one vol
anne among modern historical compo-
.sitions. He is we'll able to prepare such
a work and if he will devote five years
to it's preparation he will not only sue
coed in producing a work of genuine
merit. his supreme effort, but will
perpetuate his name as a benefactor
and friend. Of the people" of his ma
tive North Carolina to generations ye'
unborn. He will greatly serve MS
state. his people, for such a n volume
history is an indispensable necessity
We do not know who is the ablest Nv
ing North Carolinian, but we feel sure
that Mr.. Justice Clarke richly deserves
to take rank with the very foremost
Our friend, Major E. j. Hale, OF Inc
Favetteyille Observer, regards him as
the very ablest. He has blu recently
added to his fame by a capital address
before Greensboro State Normal.