The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-11
MemOrie.r of
 Men 0R0 Women BY HENRY D. CATERS.
NO. S.
.A1exander B. Clitherall .

aAAS1AA40cE 0 OA4tA4S4e
 The older citizens of Montgomery. If not of Alabama, and certainly some are still living in the Southern States. will recall the form and the features of Judge Clithsrall, a representative gentleman of the old school. respected for his sterling virtues ol nanheod. admired In his con- tr1hutions to the periodical hIerature of his day, and loved by those who en- ioyed the confidence of his friendahip.
 I knew of Judge Clitherall, as 6 chan cery lawyer of Alabama. before met him to know more of his intellectual ability and of the graces of his charac- ter He cad been trained in the old school of the legal profession, the best we have evsr mad, and was well versed in the rational equities of English Juris- prudence. If mistake not he had pre- aided in the, Chancery Court of Alabama before the tocsin of revolution called him into the service of his country in ar- other but not less responsible position
 When the Provisional Congress of the ConfedaraGy was organized at Montgom- cry, he was ohosen as the Assistant Sec retary of that body, in charge Of the engfossment of the acts of Congress. In the discharge of this duty he rendered valuable service by expediting the legis- 1afion of Congress and by his indefatig- able iabors in systematiaing the details of the Secretary'S ofice. Here his tiashes of wit and abundant good humor made him very popular with the delegates among whom he was easily a peer.
 AS saairist, Judge Clttherall was not @xcelled among the writers, or wits of his aay.l- He may not have measured up to One standard of Maoaulay's mighty sa- fiFiet who. in the very crisis of the great struggle of the Exclusion Blu, had q but he certainly, in his poetic strains, could hold up vice or folly to reproba- ton. Several of these effusions were pub liahed in The Advertiser, or Mall, of Montgomery. giving much amusement to some and deserved chagrin to others. one recall which described the tardA- uasD of the Chaplain of Congress, and of the dilemma in which MT. Cobb, the pre- siding oficer, found himself, only to be relieved by the Rev. and Hon. Henry w. Hilliard, who volunteered to Invoke the blessing of Heaven upon the proceedings of the day. Another, addressed to me, in 1870, and written from Blouat Springs, aa descriptive of reconstruction in Ala bama during the reign of the carpet bagger'' and the ''scallawag." In this he refers to the golden period of Aabama'G social history, before my carriage driver took to making of the laws" as he ex- pressed 1t. Ths truthful description ot the knavish and ridiculous proceedings oi the "Freedman's Bureau" I had pub lshed in The Eatonton, Ga., Messenger It was reproduced n many Southern journals and as a satire could not have been excelltd.
 Upon the formation of the Cabinet of 1Gr Davis and the subdivision of tho departments of government into ''Bu- raausv If Executive function Judpt Clitherall was made Register of the Treasury. His office. in the executive building at Montgomery, joined my owr where day after day l met him In th' discharge of my official duties. From these frequent meetings there soon grew a personal regard which in time ripenec into a friendship 1 often revert to al among the pleasantest memories of mS life.
 When with his friends and in a eoterit Of eongenial spirits, Judge CEtherall wal