The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-19

\
on the screen. It's picture one viii
never forget and to miss seeing it will
he missing a great opportunity.
| This production is the true life story
the Bar Association; In rising to sec
ond the resolutions just offered 1 am
unwilling to let this occasion pass
without offering my simple tribute of
respect to the memory of Judge Henry
A. Sharpe.
"If there ever was Judge who had
deservedly won the profound respect.
confidence and affection of the bar
and the people, that man was Henry
a. Sharpe, and to close the solemn
ceremonies of this occasion by simply
adopting perfunctory resolutions of
respect might be construed as indi-
eating that we, his intimate ascot
ates and friends, were somewhat lack
ing in appreciation of his pure and
noble life and his splendid record on
the bench The poet has said that the
evil men do live after them but that
the good is oft inferred with their
bones
There was no evil that Judge
Sharpe ever did, for his whole life was
consecrated to the service of his fel-
low men. and the good he did will rot
be inferred with his bones but will
live as an inspiration to the bar and
the people of his native state.
"Early in his professional career
Judge Sharpe decided that a judicial
| career would best gi atty his laudable
ambition. was most suited to his tastes
and inclinations and offered the great
| est opportunity for service. 1t is
source of just pride to me that my
father, as governor Of Alabama, rec
| ognizing his eminent fitness for ju-
dcial honors. first appointed him 70
| the bench and embarked him on that
| long and distinguished judicial ca
| reer, which only ended with his death
In making that appointment we all
recognize that he rendered very dis
| tinct service to the judiciary as well
as to the people of Alabama. Judse
! Sharpe possessed in a pre-eminent de-
gree the judicial temperament. No
man ever had a higher sense of duty.
His lofty integrity and utter Impair
TALLY in the discharge of his official
! duties no man ever dared question.
Though quiet and dignified and some
what reserved in his manners, there
was yet beneath that reserved ex-
terror latent sources of reserved
strength and power which needed only
| the occasion to be aroused He held
aloft the scales of justice with firm
| and steady hand, looking neither TO
| the right or left, but watching only
| the trepidations of the balance.
| 1T has been said that there should be
something of permanence attached to the
| judicial office, if it's occupant is to win
in the highest degree the confidence and
respect of the public, not a judge here
| today and gone tomorrow, but one upon
whose benign countenance we are accus-
toned to look, and whose presence on
| the bench gives us assurance that the
law will be enforced with firm and an
even hand. This idea of permanence
| was always associated with Judge
IrtI- Irr@
though onerous and laborious, were to
him labor of love. He had been ele-
waited to the seat on the highest court
OF the state, but he preferred the active
duties of a trial judge on the nisi prius
bench. So thoroughly had he won the
confidence and respect of all classes of
the people by his ability. his impartiality
and his integrity, that it was universally
conceded that Judge Sharpe had a life
tenure on the bench, to terminate only
by death or resignation. For many years
it was generally conceded that he was
one of the greatest trial judges that ever
sat upon the bench in Alabama He al
ways maintained the high standards of
his great profession. and the influence OF
such a judge could not but elevate the
judicial office and restore that public
confidence so oftenSweakened by the cleo
ton of unfit men to the bench.
HE was no respecter of persons in
Judgment. If on the side were the
people, the creators of his honors. clam
oring for the blood or the punishment of
some individual, obscure, nameess and
odious,' and he believed that no law had
been violated he would deliver him even
though all the fury of public Indignation
might burst on his unterrified brow.
THE description of a wise and just
Judge as found in holy writ applied to
him with peculiar force:
The young men saw me and hid
themselves.
And the aged rose up and stood,
The princes refrained from talking
and laid their hands on their mouth.
For when the ear heard me . 1t
blessed me.
And when the eye saw me it gave
witness unto me,
Because 1 delivered the poor that
cried the fatherless also that had
none to help him.
The blessing of him that was ready
to perish came upon me and I caused
the widows heart to sing with JOY.
put on righteousness and it clothed
me and my justice was as a robe and
dadem.
1 was eyes to the blind,
And feet to the lame,
l was father to the needy
And the cause of him that knew
not 1 searched out.
And broke the jaws of the wicked
And plucked the spoils out of his
teeth.
Give to community such a judge
and it matters but little who may make
the laws, for they can repose in security
and safely under the shadows of a wise
and just judiciary, assured that their
rights and liberties will be well pro-
tected.
while he never troubled himself about