The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-12-29
BENJAMIN
SULLIVAN
LIDDON
A TRIBUTE
By Francis 3. Carter.

lawyer. many as a jUTISt whose nam"
is found in his own handwriting in
the judicial history q. the state-uauf
as great for the public spirit displayed
by him. giving as no Cld substantial
y of his means and talents at all
times TO the Unbuiidiu- of his town
his county ana his state. many as
great in the charity which he a- all
times displayed for others and many
as great in his home iifa-iu his d.
.vocion and kindness 10 wife and chill
dren. But who shall say he was nos
greatest when he declined 10 permit
the boy to become mere mental
Servant-wheu he looked deeply into
the heart OF the lonely applicant and
saw an ambition unknown to a living
soul but him. that by proper eucOUr-
agemeut and training could be de
yeIoTcG into something more than q
mere printer in country PRINTING
ofco2 His own severe experience
developed the spirit Of optimism to Il
high degree, and gave him knowledge
Of things that might be accomplished
by the country boy whose OppOrtUGi-
ties and advantages we've limited. and
in the goodness OF his heart he was
not only willing to advise. but to as
sumo the burden OF training and di-
TgCting the ambition Of such q boy to
THE end that it might be developed to
the fullest extent. Many mourn the
death of this truly sTeat man as
loss to the state and to tho profes-
sion, but can the boy be famed if
his sorrow IS personal TO himself, il
his mind cannot be made to dwell "
on the public OF professional loss, that
his view of the greatness of this man
is indissOlubIy interviewer with the in
cideuts related herein2 And if from
this viewpoint he deems the man
greatest. who shall say the boy is in
error? The boy became a man and in
The long years that have passed he
TOO has travelled toward the valley
His footsteps have almost reached
! he shadow. the silver crown he wears
a6mOnisbes him that he too viii SOO0
enter the valley from whence there Is
no turning. The friends ne made in
ether days are departing one by one
to the mysteries of the other life
Amid the cares and responsibilities
which daily beset us at his time Of
life he has not the time nor 0pVOr-
tunity to form other warm friend
ships to take the place Of those dis
solved by death. Should he he blam-
ed if the death of one So truly great
to him shall leave Il wound that viii
rot heal? That a loss such as this is
to him irrcparable2 That the great
ness o. the man consists not so much
in his achievements at the bar, in the
public positions that he has held. in
The services rendered by him 70 the
state and to the community, as in
his private acts Of Kindness and en-
COUTagcment 20 the unfortunate and
those whose opportunities were limit
ed2 Shall the world criticise the boy
r he with heavy heart unable TO en-
fer into the lows that others have on
this greatest Of all holidays, pens this
simple tribute - the departed. or That
his thOughts are fixed not on this dav
but on other Christmas Gays of long
AGO when h was made glad with 9th
err members of the household by the
genial hospitality and fatheTIv solici-
tudC of the man who is DOW no more
# so. he humhEy begs pardon, but
there are times IN the experiences of
all when TO be dumb viii break the
heart.