The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-14
THE BENCH AND BAR.
CContinued from Tenth Pase.)

L
believe he could not have cherished
malice against any man.
AS a lawyer he was not conspicuous
in the determination of technical
/ questions, but in cases involving great
principles of equity or constitutional
law he reached decisions that were
rarely disturbed by the Supreme Court
/ OF the state. 1t might have been said
of him as of another, Put in his hand
! the distaff and he made sad work of
/ it, arm him with the thunderbolt and
/ he welded it with the power of Jove. 1"
Col. George #. Cam began his re-
marks with the statement that Ian
| guage is too inapt to convey what we
would say of those we love.
This bench and bar" he continued,
have memories that are filled with
many jewels. All the judges of this
court have been remarkable in one way
or another. Some were brilliant, some
| We're erudite; none has eXcelled our
late friend in that distinguishing trait
of the human heart charity. 1t was
illustrated in the last words he ever
spoke: oh, the frailties of human ma
ture.
Col. Cam said Judge Falligant had
! approached his final end with the SIM
pie faith of a little child and like a
child at last had laid him down to
sleep.
uublSnOn's Eloquent words.
One of the most feeling and eloquent
of the addresses made at the meeting
of the bar was that of Hon Fleming
G. duBignon. He said that while
others discussed Judge Falligant in
other capacities, in which he had gain
ed distinction, he found it possible to
think of him only as the man, the as
sociate, the companion, the friend.
Mr.. duBignon said that the sad tid-
ings of Judge Falligant's death came
with keen and distinctive sense of
personal loss to every one who knew
him. This bare statement was a mag
nificent tribute to any life, but of his,
it was simple and exact truth, and the
reason for it was easy of discernment
"The law of his life was love, and it
was the great overlooking heart of the
man, beating in tenderest sympathy
and sweetest kindness, that carried his
own radiant, joyous being into so many
hearts and homes.
There were in him too, all the ele-
ments which go to make up the truly
good and manly man. 1t was impos-
sible to associate him with death. He
was life in it's happiest expression his
presence was sunshine and his COM
panionship delight.
I'VE are taught and believe" said
Mr.. duBignon, in conclusion, that be-
yond the struggles and disappoint-
ments of Time there is an eternity
whose higher possibilities give assur-
ance of calmer hours and sweeter rest.
No one can doubt but that our depart
ed friend is there, where we earnestly
and reverently hope to join him once
again"
Remarks bearing on one or another
of the loVable traits of the many-sided
Falligant were also made by Mr.. Davis
Freeman. Mr.. J. r. Saussy, Jr., Mr.
w II. Wade, Mr.. Frank M. oliver, Mr.
c. q. Edwards, Mr., r. ]. Travis, and
Mr.. wafer w. Sheppard. An eloquent
word or two from Mr.. Charlton, who
again moved the passage of his motion,
concluded the speaking.
Judge BarrOw's Tribute.
In granting the motion made by Mr..
Charlton and seconded by Mr.. Osborne,
Judge barrow said he desired to add
few words OF his own. Then it was
he paid this tribute to the memory of
his departed friend:
Il knew Robert Falligant in more
than one relation of life and my ac-
quaintance with him stretches back
ward many years, almost into the pc
riod of the youth of each of us. Yes
terday was his birthday. If he had
lived nine days longer he would have
been 63 yeas old when he died. My
acquaintance with him began when he
was almost a boy, but, even then, he
exhibited, on all occasions, the same
traits of character which marked him
through life
LAS a soldier, as a practicing law
yer. as a member of the Legislature,
and as a judge. he displayed. to
marked degree, the same traits. AS
a soldier, while always ready and faith
full in the discharge of his duty he
e a I. xxrsa.s
for it's own sake and the pleasure
which he derived from the campaign,
the camp. the bivouac and the battle
was the pleasure of companionship.
He would, ! think. if he could have
had the control of national affairs,
have always avoided war. But when
it came there was no man more ready
than he. In battle his bearing was
superb. While he was tender hearted
and gentle always, yet when engaged
in the actual conflict he became hero
ic, and / often thought of Taylor's
lines:
" The bravest are the tenderest,
The loving are the daring.
"He fought with enthusiasm and
dash, but even in the thick of battle,
his face always wore smile.
4 Magnetic Speaker.
LAS a practicng lawyer, his traits
are familiar TO us all; he was not d
cold. plodding. technical pleader, neith-
er was he a stickler, for precedents. II
he had a fault, it was that he threw
too much feeling into the trial of his
cases He was a magnetic speaker
always and many times, in his argu-
ments, in cases where his feelings were
aroused. he displayed gifts of a very
high order.
LAS a legislator, his behavior was
beyond criticism. He had an eye to
his duty to the whole people and TO
his constituents, and no vote or word
of his can be pointed to which was
dictated by any other than the high
est motive. | will never forget one
occasion when he presented my name
candidate for office. He threw into
his remarks such an unmistakeable
spirit of earnestness and profound con-
viction that his words sunk deep into
the minds of his hearers.
LAS a judge he was conscientious,
attentive and laborious. 1t was never
his practice to decide any question
without an examination of the law
and a patient study of the briefs and
authorities presented by each side. HIS
record in the Supreme Court as
trial Judge is one which few have
equalled. He was rarely reversed. AS
judge, as we'll as in every other rela-
tion of life, his emotional nature made
itself felt. His heart was so tender
and his sympathies SO strong that, II
l.