The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-29

lldn WOIndnnOOQ, one Oh the DeSI Oh
mothers, and of marked piety and de-
votion, of capital intelligence and en-
gaging manners. Thus born and schooled
at home under such parental example
and hallowed influences, he made most
fortunate beginning. He was studious
and gentlemanly in his youth,
easily stood at the head of his class.
and thus laid the foundation, solid and
broad, of a life of singular uprightness
of intense industry, of noble endeavor,
of high success. OF him, to quote Will
liam Wordsworth, it may be said: "The
child is father of the man." or to give
the original authority, Milton, who
wrote an hundred and fifty years before:
1.-THE childhood shows the man
AS morning shows the day."
This fine youth had returned to become
drill-master of soldiers of North
Carolina. Such experts were very rare
in the South in 1861. 1t was in this ca
pacity that young Clark began his i'm
portant service in behalf of his beloved
South, and dear old North Carolina, and
thoroughly he performed his duty all
the way to the end as he began it. He
rose by merit and devotion to duty and
actual service in the field to the rank
of Lieutenant Colonel, and before he
was eighteen, if l am not in error. He
won fame and secured the praise of SOL
diers of higher rank by his fidelity, en-
durance, conservation to duty and un-
fiinching courage in the face of the
enemy. Such was Walter Clark in youth
amid fiery days that indeed tried mems
souls" and showed the stuff of which
manhood was composed. That Walter
Clark was faithful and valiant is a fact
known to Gen. NJ. w. Ransom and other
older men who saw him in battle and
in. years of service. After the satanic,
cruel, brutal war had ended the in
genuous youth took up his studies afresh,
was graduated with highest honors at
the University of North Carolina, if
am not mistaken in my recollection, en-
tered upon the study of law and in due
time began it's practice. BY intense in
dustry, unfagging pertinacity of will,
thorough knowledge and high conceptions
of duty, he forged ahead until he stands
today at the head of his profession in
this great old State, with character
equal to any responsibility and demand
faithful, earnest, devoted, broad gagged,
systematic, pure and upright, without
fear and without any we'll based grounds
for reproach. He is indeed in a noble
sense a true gentleman, man of
amiabilty, of many virtues-temperate
self-contained. calm, resourceful. not
hasty in judgment, not exorbitant in
ambition, not overbearing, not proud.
not rapacious, not oppressive, mot too
exacting, not pulled up with vanity and
overfiowing with presumption, but of
sterling qualities all the way through.
and of in1exible truthfulness and hon
esty." He is in a word one of God
Almightys gentlemen" as Augustus
Hare phrased tia Christian.
A great deal has been written of judges
and justice. Statesmen, philosophers,
historians, novelists, essayists, divines,
lawyers, poets have all had something
to say of the honest or corrupt Judge, and
of holding the scales of justice evenly.
All men of sense and character love
justice, and aim to do right The senti-
ment of justice is all prevailing, and
was never more so than in this country,
in the virgin days of the young and
puissant Republic during the first half
Of the last great, teeming, inventive
century. Since that golden prime" of
the great statesmen, and the prevalence
of genuine political principles true to
civil liberty and the rights of the peo-
pie, there has been delay. The natural
conscience has been smitten and the high
standards of right and honor have been
sadly lowered or destroyed. / believe
that Justice Clark had a high standard
ever before him of the equities and in
his great office has steadfastly held to
the noblest ideals in judicial records. and
among the grandest types of men who
wore the ermine. l hold sincerely that
he has been always an honest, upright,
conscientious judge, aiming at justice,
seeking the essential underlying prin-
/ ciples and striving at the best con-
illusions. The simple, fundamental prin-
ciple of justice has been his guiding star
! through all the mazes and intricacies of
law. Justice and honor and thought
/ have been the fundamentals in the build
! ing of his character as a iurist. He
| has understood and acted upon this great
/ cardinal virtue Justice, writ large in
| Gods Book engraven upon the very soul
| by the finger of the Almighty, the one
| great unerring rule of conduct from
which there should never be any varia-
; bleness or shadow of turning. The
| Ffenchmar. Chateaubriand q splendid
genius, said that "Justice is the bread
of the nation; it is always hungry for it,
| HaZlitt, the English critic, said that
1--WE are sure to judge many if we do
| not feel right" l hold firmly that Judge
! Clark has always illustrated in his life
| the fullest Justice, that he has feared
God and loved the People. l believe his
| heart has been upright before God, that
| he has relied upon Him for help and
| guidance, that he has delivered only
| righteous judgments, that he has never
once fled ''to devices to support and cover
injustice" that he has walked crcum-
! specify, humbly, trustingly, reverently
before his Maker and that none shall be
able to SO stab him as to seriously in
jure his good name. much less to sup
i plant him. IN William PENIS noted
advice to His Children he said t.
them: Let justice have it's important
course, and the law free passage
Though to your loss. protect no mar
against it; for you are not above the
law. but the law above you Live
therefore, the lives yourselves, you
would have the people live, and then
you may have right and holiness tt
punish the trangressor." Oh, if all o