Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/86

 The Supreme Court of Georgia.

69

"Law is the rule of duty. Love, in its relation This sketch has now approached the era to law, is the sense of duty. His love and his law, of the present occupants of the bench. It taken together, insured recognition of the rule; may not be amiss to mention the fact that his vivid realization of the sense of duty added to the relations between the Supreme Bench his power tenfold as a discerner of law. When

and Bar of Georgia have always been cor he could not see it with the eye, he found it by the touch. He could feel it in the darkness, dial, — uninterrupted by any unseemly an and find the law by his moral discernment. In tagonisms. The Supreme Court Judges for that faculty or capacity I do not think he has several years past have always adjourned to ever had an equal in our history, — certainly not attend the meetings of the Georgia Bar within my observation. Association. This is Learning might fail, light not only a recognition might fail; but feeling of the usefulness of never, or very rarely, such an organization, did fail. If the law was but affords an opportu right, he nearly always nity of friendly social found it; when he could intercourse which is net discern it by sight, highly appreciated by he identified it by the the bar. It may well touch of his conscience and his heart. If you be doubted, however, will examine the testi whether any member monials he has left us of the bar would dare in the Reports, you will to play a practical joke find that he very rarely upon the Supreme mistook it. Court, as Howell Cobb "This was in harmony (the same who was with his whole character. afterwards Secretary He combined strength of the Treasury) did, and delicacy, force and in the days before softness. He was the the war. AtMilledgeeagle without the talons ville, when the court or the beak; he was the dove without the weak first met there, the ness or the timidity. He sheriff of the county, was a fine combination of who was ex officio SAMUEL HALL. strength and tenderness; sheriff of the court, and this combination asked Mr. Cobb what availed him in all his relations and in all the labors were his duties as sheriff of the court, stat of his life. As a lawyer, as a judge, he employed ing frankly that he did not know what was feeling as well as thought; and these were in such expected of him, and that he disliked to complete balance and harmony that one never show his ignorance by asking one of the misled or misdirected the other. It is, perhaps, judges. Mr. Cobb replied, "Just do with not unusual to find men with great power of mind them as you do with a jury. When court associated with defective moral powers, or to find adjourns, follow them to their room, and men of great power of feeling associated with lock them up till they agree." Under these weakness of intellect; but here were strength of directions, the sheriff locked up the judges mind and moral stamina together. He went fonh to do the work of the world, as far as it was as until long after supper, when he returned to signed to him. thus equipped, thus armed; and inquire if they had "agreed." It was only he did that work with skill, fidelity, and power, by Mr. Cobb's importunity that the sheriff and it will be felt after him, as we feel it now." escaped punishment for contempt.