The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-06-28
GENTLEMEN OF THE BAR
THE NORTH CAROLINA BAR ASsOClA-
TON IN SESSION
Address OF Welcome by
Robert Ruark, Esq., and an Admir-.
able Response by Prftchard.
Able Address by Major Stedmau

wilmington throws open wide her
lgates to the distinguished members of
lthe North Carolina Bar Association and
welcomes them very heartily to the
hearts and homes Of her people.
For the past few days large number
Iof the leading lights OF the state have
been arriving and the attendance at
1.-THE opening session held last night. was
labout two hundred mambers, augment
led by a large audience of citizens and
Presidents Of the beach.
The sessions have opened very aus
~lpiciously, and If the initial meeting is
lany criterion of those that are to fol-
How, surely the third annual session of
this body will prove full or profit and
pleasure and benefit 10 its members.
The large auditorium of the Seashore
hotel is the meeting place and the OPEN
ing session was held there last night at 9
O'Clock. Hon. Clement Manly, OF Wins
ton. chairman of the executive commit
ltee, called the body to order and said:
1t a matter of mutual ~congratula-
Ition that this enlarged membership, ac-
federated interest on the part of all the
members proves that this association is
IAN established association destined i'm
future days to carry out it's high func-
Itions."
Then briefly Mr.. Manly introduced
Robert Ruark. Esq, an able young
member Of he Wilmington bar. who
made an eloquent address of welcome
on behalf Of the bar and people. 1t was
la hne effort and was we'll received by
the large audience. Mr.. Ruark said:
Mr.. RUARK'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Bar Association. Ladies and Gentle-
men:
The pleasant duty has been assigned
Ime to bid you, one and all. welcome to
VIII nington and to Wrightsyille' In
being afforded the opportunity to adj
dress your distinguished body, L am not
lunmindful of the honor which is done
Ime by your worthy vice president for
our district. In bidding you welcome
within the gates of Wilmington, and
ITO this little gem Of a resort by the sea,
OF which latter, it may be said. &C of
tn" beautiful City of Venice, that it
rests amid restless tides and upon
ltrembhng sands" 1 am commissioned
to represent not only the members of
or local bar, but all citizens of u
community and section. We have
lgathered from the mountains to the
sea: from where the peaks Of the love-
lly Blue Ridge pierce the blue dome Of
the heavens, to where the broad and
stormy Atlantic, sweeping through
thousands of miles of space, roars an
lhoarse and eternal anthem upon our
shores. We are gathered amid historic
scenes. which will awake patriotic re-
collections in the minds of many. 1t
was among these same sandhills, and
mot far distant down this coast, many
lOf you Will recall those bitter days,
when the ramparts of old Fort
Fisher shook beneath the awful tu-
lmult of battle. and those same sands
licked the gore of thousands of brave
and noble men who wore the Gray and
1.-THE Blue. There the gallant Whiting
fell for the cause which he conceived
to be just and the fearless Lamb was
borne wounded from the field of car
mage. 1t was along the banks of the
lCape Fear river, and within sound Of
its murmuring waters, that the seat of
government was first established for
Jour state. and from whence went forth
the first edicts for the government Of
1.-THE prince of Clarendon" There, in
1.-THE days of long ago. was the thriving
town Of Brunswick. Today the thor
Ioughfares of that once prosperous
town are silent, and generous nature
~lcovers the landscape with a rob Of
green. while the solitary monument
(which marks the spot around which
$50 many memories cluster is but the
temple which our pious ancestors ded-
Heated to the worship Of God.
Further down the stream and at a
point where its waters go to mingle
with the waves of the sea, and the
county seat of Brunswick. the beauti-
full little city of Southport. Her citi-
Izens. born in the very lap OF danger
land rocked. as it were. "in the cradle
of the deep" are representatives Of a
bold and hardy manhood. and beneath
their S~un-burned faces one observes
that courage which stood by them as
they piloted the good ships of the Con-
lfederacy to the haven where they
would be.
Many Of them still live and pursue
their noble calling.
lust across the bay from Southport
islands Bald Head light tower, and from
Its summit the great luminary, revolv-
ing and sending forth its CLEANS
Throughout the long watches Of the
might. There for years is has stood as
a sentinel of warning to the mariner
Isof the dangerous shoals near by.
First glimpse Of home to the sailor
who makes the harbor round,
And last slow fading vision dear to the
outward bound"
Separated by only a narrow chan
mel is For: Caswell, md today u gov
Iernment. adhering to the m
time of peace prepare for wars erect
ing great modern FORTH, ationS pom
the sit where the old Fort stood.
All these spots OF history and inter-
est, and the many more which time for
bids me to recount, We hope TO have
you visit ere you shall have returned to
Your homes.
We have assembled. my brother law
lyers, for a grand and lofty purpose,
the up-building and elevating Of our
profession and the promotion Of good
Fellowship within it's ranks. While in
session. let us put aside the cares ana
worries incident to the individual mat
tiers and cases entrusted to our keep
ling, and let US look pon the law in
Its broader and nobler sense; let US
think of it as the great rule and guide
(which spreads as a vast anopy over lin