Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1909-11-30
Memory Of Judge Lucas tionored

/ At the conclusion of the business c
the recent term of the Jefferson Circuit
Court meeting of members of the leffer-
sonCounty Bar was held to take appropri.
ate action on the death of the late Judge
Daniel B. Lucas. TIC Green was elected
chairman, and F w Brown. Frank Beck
with, Gloon Moore aud Jas NJ Mason. Sr
were appointed committee to draft
resolutions. On motion the chairman OF
the meeting was also made member of
the committee. who reported the follow
ing:
We the undersigned committee of the
meeting of the Bar of jefferson County. West
Virginia, held in the court loom on Noyem-
Der 8th. 1909. appointed to draft appropriate
| resolutions on the death of the late JUDGE
Daniel b. Lucas. beg leave to submit the
following and recommend that they be
spread upon the records of this court and
published in the newspapers of the town
and copy of the same be sent TO the family
of the deceased.
Resolved. That this committee can find
no more appropriate language TO express
their eniiments on the death of that dis
tinguished jurist. the late Judge Daniel r
Lucas, than the following pronounced nv
Mr.. Blnney, in eulogy on the death of one
of the eminent Judges of the Supreme Court
OF Pennsylvania, and we adopt them as our
own and make them part of these resolu-
tons, the language thereof being as follows.
IF the reputation of the living were the
only source from which the honor of our
own race is derived, the death of an eminent
man would be subject of unmitigable
grief. 1t is the lot of a few to attain great
distinction, before death has placed them
above the dlstorting medium, through which.
men are seen by their contemporaries. 1t
is the lot of still fewer. to attain it by quail
ties which exalt the character of our species.
Envy denies the capacity of some, SANDER
stigmatiZes the principles of others. fashion
gives an occasional currency to falfe pre
tentions, and the men by whom the ACE is
hereafter to be known are often too much In
advance of it to be dlscernib'e by the com.
mon eye. All these causes combine to re-
duce the stock of living reputation, as much
below the real merits of the age. as it is be-
low the proper dignity of man; and he WHO
should wish to elevate his spirit by great
examples of wisdom. of genius and of ma |
triotsm. if he could not derive them from
the illustrious dead would have better reason |
than the son of Philip, to weep at the limits |
which confine him. To part with the great
and good from world which thus wants
them. and not to receive thereafter. the re- |
freshing influence of their purified and ex-
alted fame, would be to make death almost |
the master of our virtue, as he appears to be |
of our perishable bodies
"The living and the dead are. how |
ever, but one family. aud the moral and |
intellectual affiuence OF those who have gone |
before remains to enrich their posteritv |
The great fountain of human character lies |
beyond the confines of life where the pas |
sions cannot invade it. 1t is in that region. |
that among innumerable proofs of mans |
nothingness. are preserved the records of |
his immortal descent and destiny. it is these |
that the spirits of all ages, after their sun is |
set. are gathered into ole armament to |
she'd their unquenchable light upon us 1t |
/. in the great assembly of the dead, that |
the philosopher and the patriot, who have |
passed from life. complete their benefaction |
to mankind. by becoming imperishable ex-
amples of virtue.
Beyond the circle of those private af |
fections which canHot choose but shrink |
from the inroads of death. there is no grief |
then for the eminently good and wise No
tears but those of gratitude should fall into |
the graves of such as are gathered in honor |
to their fore fathers. By their now unen- |
We'd virtues and talents, they have become |
a new possession to their posterity, and |
when we commemorate them, and pay the |
debt which is their due, we increase and |
cOnHTIn our OWN lHHeFltdUce we come 10 |
honor one. who during long life, was an |
honor to his profession and his county. |
We come to lay claim to his reputation, as IA |
part of our own and "a au accession to that |
invaluable estate. which is TO pass from gem |
Grafton ia generation of this commonwealth, |
to all future time
Resolved further, That in the death of
Judge Lucas. the State of West Virginia has
lost citizen who gave literally of his time
for her upbuilding; the literary world, q
genius as poet; and the legal profession.
one of its most brilliant members and dis |
tinguished jurists.
Respectfully submitted,
L. G. GREEN, Chairman,
FORREST W. BROWN,
FRANK BEcKwITH,
CLEoN MOORE.
JAS NJ. MASON, SR.
These resolutions were adopted and
were ordered spread upon the records of
the court. 1t was also resolved that the
resolutions be sent to each of the Charles
Town papers for publication and copy
be sent to the family of Judge Lucas.
Following the adoption of the resolutions,
eulogistic addresses on the life and char
acter of the deceased were delivered by
Messrs. Frank Beckwith. Forrest w.
Brown. Cleon Moore, Geo. NJ. Beltz-
hoover, Sr.. and A. w. Mcdonald
Court was then adjourned by Judge
Faulkner out of respect to the memory
of T,,doa ,.nac