Woodville Republican., 1903-03-14
ADDRESS

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OF Hon. J. Burruss McCehee. at
LAYING Of the corner-sio:le Of
the New Court House, March
5Td, 1908.
FRiESDs AND FELLow CITIZENS
Called by your county Legisla-
ture to address you oday on this
interesting occasion Of laying the
Corner Stone OF your new Temple
Of Justice, the words Of Holy Writ
involuntafiIy arise 10 my mind "Old
things are passed away, behold all
things are become new" In the
reconstruction Of the Temple at Je-
rusalem the weeping for the mem
ory Of the old, mingled with the
shouts Of Joy at the completion Of
the new. SO must it ever be, day
by day and year by year. as the old
things, animate and inanimate, pass
away. The tear Of regret is iilum-
ined by the smile Of JOY as The new
succeeds the old, and hope and am
bition, and the JOY Of acquisition
take the place OF memories Of the
past.
II Is most natural when you call
for an old man to speak on such
an occasion, the pulling down OF a
building noted for three. quarters
OF a century as theatre, upon the
stage of which many a tragedy has
been enacted; many a scene of
deepest interest to the whole peo-
pie Of Wilkinson; whose walls have
echoed to the eloquence of many
an intellectual giant where hope
and fear have alternated over the
minds Of many, and vaulting am
bition has found fitting platform
from which TO assay the leadership
OF men. II is most natural say,
that a vein--a chord--of sadness
should run through the whole dis
course. But in this, and for this,
beg your indulgence, for at last
are cxultation, Joy aud pride graft.
fed. Are these our wisest coun-
cillorsl
As we look back over the past,
and especially as we take stock Of
the present and forecast the future,
may we not ask ourselves II the
new walls are to inclose a more
lofty and more efficient admins
tration Of the law than did the old
that has passed awaye Shall these
new walls echo to nobler eloquence
than once thrilled the audiences OF
the oldl Shall justice be dealt with
an evener balance, (if that could
be, J or shall the voice OF law and
order, and reverence for vested
rights. speak forth from these new
wallis with a potency that shall
mark new era in the advancing
prosperity of this portion OF a state,
| which, II is admitted on all sides,
Is making giant strides IN the march
Of states-mo forceful than from
the oldl Ahl | would that ovel
the portals Of the new temple nigh,
be inscribed in letters of GOLD
Righteousness exalteth a nation
but sin is reproach to any peo,
ple;" for let us remember that sir
is but the violation Of law.
| The FIRST code Of laws that w
have any authentic copy of, tha,
has moulded the civilization of the
world, was given by the living
voice Of Almighty God from the
fire and smoke OF Sinais throne,
and 1t said; Thou shalt not steal,
thou shalt do no murder; thou shall
not commit adultery; thou shalt
not bear false witness; honor thy
father and thy mother; and Will
these sius the courts of law have
much to do, aud we may also re.
member that righteousness is sim.
ply the due and proper adniinistra-
ton of the law. The knowledge
Of the law confers a grave respon.
sibility. The one and proper adj.
ministration of the law is an ad-
vanced peoples only hope of secu-
rity, prosperity and happiness.
May we not hope then that the
present and future generations Of
lawyers may confer undyiug lustre
to the profession of The law. sur
passing all preceding generations,
as this new structure surpasses the
oldi May We not hope that The
citizenship Of Wilkinson county
shall occunY higher niane of in.