Evening journal., 1912-06-29
LEADING LAWYERS VOICE
TRIBUTE TO MR.. HIGGINS

men when the old ones had passed
Judge Gray Pays Tribute
In presenting the resolutions for
the state. Judge Gray said
Gentlemen OF the Bar No one in
this room can have heard with more
sensibility than ! OF the death OF our
departed friend and brother. Anthony
Higgins. Although I knew him slight
ly as a boy, We commenced life to-
gether and | became intimate and
attached 10 him as friend from the
time that we were fellow students in
the office OF Judge Spruance in New
Castle We afterwards were in the
same class at the Harvard Law
School. and enjoyed as keenly as
did all his fellows the social intima-
cies for which student life gives op-
portunity and scope Admitted to the
Bar within a year OF each other, we
have lived our lives in the same COM
munity and practiced our profession
and pursued our careers along paral-
lei lines, and | can truly say that
neither the controversies OF the Bar
nor the antagonism of political life
ever weakened In the smallest degree
the bonds OF friendship thus early
formed. or interrupted that social in
tercourse which constitutes life's
chiefest Joy.
"I cannot speak here and now OF the
personal loss which have suffered In
his death. A display Of private grief
would he unbecoming In this pres
ence. Nor on the other hand, can
bring myself to use merely the per-
functory and conventional phrases OF
obituary eulogy. The Hand OF Death
has removed from me a lifelong
friend. and I should prefer today TO
be a silent mourner among those VINO
knew and loved him best
Anthony Higgins was a marked
man from the beginning. His intel
lectual gifts were Of no ordinary
character, and the delight he took
from his earliest youth in intellectual
pursuits and in moral and political
aspects of the stirring times in which
he lived. gave early promise OF the
distinction and leadership which
came to him in his maturer years, as
citizen of this commonwealth. He
was a student of history. especially
Of the political history Of our own
country and Of Great Britain, and his
charming conversational powers were
never better or more interestingly dis
PLAYED than when giving free express
sion 10 his often brilliant generaliza-
tione. deduced from his reading and
/ study of some particular epoch IN
English or American history. He had
more than an ordinary gift OF speech,
and his cast of thought gave character
and interest TO his public addresses,
which were never commonplace and
often eloquent. He loved TO dwell on
the growth and development Of poll
tical parties and the national feeling
! and opinion for which they stood, and
10 speculate on the disappearance OF
| old issues and the birth Of new ones,
as changed conditions marked the
4 DEVELOPMENT OF our national life HIS
mind was philosophic. and Il was with
the nhilosophic. rather than with the
practical, side OF politics tnat nis
strength lay 49,.
''It is however, not surprising ina
when the party OF which be was iee'
er somewhat unexpectedly came lhe'
control Of the Legislature az tne sen
eral election of 1888, he should nav
been selected to represent Delawar
in the Senate Of the United Sea1e
I for the term commencing on Marc
3 4th. 1889. AS | can personally pea
witness. he achieved, much soone
e than is common with new members G
!, that body. a prominent place in III
! deliberations OF the Senate, and dur
5 ing his whole term Of service there
reelected credit on the State which ha
! thus honored him.
| His accomplishments as a lawye
r have today been fittingly alluded &c
D. and II is well that note should b
I made of his long and honorable caree
! by tho bar, Of which he was Sd lon
a leader. and that his name an
= memory should be embalmed anon
its most cherished traditions"
Judge Gray appointed the followln
committees TO prepare the resolu
J ton:
Hon Charles NJ. Curtis, Col. Benia
min Nields. L. Irving Handy, Harr
Fmmons, William S Hilles, H. H
Ward.
The following committees ais
we're appointed 10 present the resolu
tions TO the courts
Superior Court-Robert H. Richards
and Francis II Hoffecker.
Supreme court-John Biggs ant
Walter H. Hayes.
Court Of Chancery-The Hon. Johi
R Nicholson and Martin b. Burris.
United States Court-John 7
Nields and Alexander B. Cooper.
Following the meeting members o
the association adjourned TO atteni