The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-01-11
GRIGGS' MEMORY HONORED
MEMORIAL EXERCISES WE'RE
HELD MONDAY AFTERNOON.
Rar Paid Eloquent and Touching
Tribute to Deceased Jurist and
Statesman. Resolutions.


Tribute to Deceased Jurist and
Statesman. Resolutions.
The work of the superior court
was suspended at $3.50 o'clock Mon
day afternoon for the purpose of
holding memorial exercises and pay
ing fitting tribute to the memory of
the late Congressman James M.
Griggs, who, as a member of the
Dawson bar, filled with honor
and distinction both of the offices Of
golicitor-general and judge of the
circuit.
judge Worriil presided over the
meeting, and from the bench deliv-
cred a eulogy upon the deceased
iurist and statesman: Appropriate
remarks were also made by Judge
J, G. Parks, Colonel II. A, Wilkinson,
and Judge M. G, Edwards, at the
conclusion of which the following
resolutions drawn by a committee
that had been previously appointed
we're unanimously adopted:
The undersigned committee, APP
pointed at a meeting of the Terrell
County Bar Association and also I'M
der and by virtue of an order passed
at the last term of Terrell superior
court for the purpose of preparing
an appropriate memorial of the life
and career of the late Judge Griggs,
submit the following report:
James Matthews Gri~gs was born
at LAGRANGE, Ca, on March 29th,
1861, and after acquiring his educa-
ton, having graduated in 1881 from
Peabody Normal College of Nash
Vile, Tenn, he taught school for a
time and studied law. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1888, and prac-
ticed law at Allapaha, Berrien coun-
ty, Georgia, and was also for a short
while in the newspaper business
there. He removed from that place
to Dawson in 1885, and continued to
reside in this city until the days of
his death, which occurred at his
home here on January 5th, 1910.
He was elected solicitor general of
the Pataula circuit in 1888, and was
reelected 1892. In 1898 he resign
ed that Office to accept the appoint
ment of judge of this circuit, and
was subsequently reelected twice,
and each time without opposition.
He resigned from the bench to make
the race for congress in 1896, and
was elected.
From that time until his death he
was continuously member of con-
gress, having had opposition at only
two elections. 1t is said of him by
one of his colleagues that Congress-
man Griggs knew every man in the
house, and first and last contrived to
render some service OF kindness to
most of them. He was a delegate to
the national democratic convention
IN 1898, and was chairman of the
democratic congressional campaign
committee in 1904 and 1906. In
all OF these honorable and important
stations he discharged his duties
with eminent ability and marked fl
deity and in such a way that pro-
motion followed naturally on SER
vice. In each of the various places
Judge Griggs occupied during his
life he never failed to distinguish
himself and to honor the position
lie has left to his family, his friends
and his state a record of notable
achievements which should fill their
hearts with pride and in some de-
gree assuage the grief occasioned by
his untimely death. The governor of
Georgia in his proclamation publicly
announcing the death of Congress-
man Griggs used the following force
Iul and appropriate words: by his
death the state has lost a citizen who
mas reflected honor upon her his
tory; our common country has been
deprived of a wise councillor in the
house of congress-; the great politi-
cal party of which he was member
mas suffered the loss of an able and
conservative leader, while the home
mas been bereft of the tender, sym
pathetic companionship of a devoted
father and husband" The governor