The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-28
FOLLOWS HIS
 COLLEAGUES Career of Deceased Re-
 markahe. LIFE READS LIKE ROMANCE Connecting Link Be,ween Great Epochs of American History. Was Noted as Lawyes, Traveller, stu- dent, Warrior, Juase, Patriot,
 ststesnan and Head of .
 Distinguished
BY WILL r. sHnrHAn.

BY WILL T. sHEEHAN.
 Edmund winston Pettus has gone to his great rest. with his hands full of good deeds. with his name indelibly written on the history of his State. and with his memory enshrined in the hearts of his people. To him. to that rugged. strong and kindly leader, the Iove oi nis people was given in a splendid way.
 They loved him above all others. He seemed. in some indennable way, to be closer to his people than any other man they had honored. He was heirs peculiarly. They understood him end he understood them. He was the in carnate expression of his own people of Alabama. strong. rugged. honor able. There never has been. perhaps 50 close to the heart of the people of Alabama, as he who has gone to sleep. after that long, eventful and fruitful life
 In a few short months the three Grand Old Men who had honored the Senate of the United States, who had reflected glory on the State of Ala bama. have passed from among men and left their fame to the affection of . grateful people First. James L. Pugh laid down his burden. Then John Tyler Morgsn; he of the splendid genius. closed hts, eyes and rested. The third Of thA Srsat NisbaH5a xyiumvffa ate has. en4sd Nts splendid work snd sleeps under every honor his people could pay him. :.
 And each of these who sat in the Senate of the United States had q won derful career. Each lived a life whose activity and prominence spread over three score years. Each had a life tha scope and usefulness of which challenges the understanding of a man of the twentieth century. James l.. Pugh was running for Congress fin 1S4s. ffty-eight years ago. At the time young John T. Morgan was win ming recognition as one of the fore- most orators and lawyers of Alaba ma, Edmund w. Pettus was making the overland trip on horseback to the gold fields of California.
 Of the three, his career was the long, est and the most remarkable. His license to practice law was issued 10 him in 1S42, sixty years ago. He was sixty-four years ago a solicitor of one of the judicial circuits of Ala bama. In 1858 he was Judge of q circuit in Western Alabama. In that same year on an exchange of circuits. he came to Cahaba to hold court. and was SO impressed with the intelli- gence and prosperity of the people of that section of the State that he re- signed his place on the bench that hc might practice law in the old-time cap ital of the State.
 Distinguished for GaIIantry.
 He was 40 years of age when the great. fratricidal war bathed the country in blood. Then in. middle life. he went forth and distinguished him. self for bravery and daring as few did in that war which made so many hc- roes. Only late in life did his fullest honors come to him. When he was 77 years of age. when other men of his age were seeking the shelter of the fireplace. to talk of other days. he was called to the highest honor that could come to a man, he was assigned to the greatest place to which the people of a State could assign man.
 His life and his life's work were strangely intertwined with the career of his great colleague, John Tyler Nor gan. In the first flush of manh pod. the two had offices side by side in that beautiful and picturesque little city of another age-the little city or "a haba. which has vanished from the earth and only lives in the tender memory of those whose good fortune if was to live and enjoy the life of that ante- bellum community.
 At the first call for troops the Ca haba Rifles marched away In body. Their captain was Edmund Winston Pettus As they were lined up to take the boat on the Alabama River to go to the front, a gifted young lawyer delivered the farewell address on the mart of the people of Cahaba. The speaker was John T. Morgan.
 Practiced Law Together.
 When the war was over the two moved to Selma and there side by side again practiced law. In the wake of the bloody war there came the more chapter of reconstruction. when a proud people, at the point of bayonet were forced to submit to the domination of an ignorant and vicious race. but yesterday out of slavery. Side by side on the hust- fngs, on the street corners. in the court houses. Edmund W. Pettus and John T. Morgan fought the battle for the of the white race. for the freedom of the people who had established the civilization and built up its wealth.
 The first reward came to Morgan Rut Pettus was content. His friend had been rewarded. When the white people again came into their own, when their freedom had again been won. John T. Morgan was sent to the Unit ed States Senate
 Pettus came into his own reward, in the year of 1896. He had spent the years quietly and indus triously, among his own people. in the D practice of his profession. His own people. not only the people of his city and his county but his State as well gave to him in a rare and peculiar degree a generous affection even in private life. In governmental affairs