Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/358

 Stephen Payn Nash, LL.D. lamented death, his eldest son and Charles L. Jones had become junior partners. The legal forte of Mr. Nash was in banco, and that was his choice for action, although at nisi prius — where he eschewed sensa tional cases — he was ever formidable, mainly because (like that back-woodsman lawyer, David Crockett) he was always " sure he was right before he went ahead." An un foreseen occasion might suddenly occur, to be promptly and successfully cared for, but it was never contrived or desired. Perhaps the most successful practitioner during the forties and fifties at the New York bar (when undeniably its zenith came) was Edward Sandford, and on one occasion when asked what he thought were the three best qualities for legal success at the bar, answered : "First, perfect preparation for the calling, second, perfect preparation for a trial or argument, and third, preparation, all the time. The answer became adopted by Mr. Nash. Thought was always mani fest on his brow, and it was recorded that when Lord Chief Justice Russell was first introduced to him that very observing jurist remarked to a guest, " he has a face scarred with problems." Thought was ever present to Nash, but yet its facial expression never drove away looks of charming geniality. He was an " Admir able Crichton " of courtesy. Not even an irascible rural judge ever expressed impa tience with Mr. Nash, and no lawyer can re call anything peevish in his conduct or expressions. Nevertheless he often encoun tered " all sorts and conditions " of adver saries. Those proverbially quarrelsome ad vocates, the late John Graham and Ira Shafer, would sometimes try cases against Mr. Nash, but — so to speak — the brightness of his Damascus blade of contest always absorbed their impetuosity. The practising lawyer who is fortified by thought and readiness of cool resource, especially if flanked by either general learning or that special for the oc casion — and this describes Nash in his best

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hey-day — cannot fail of success. Upright ness was his popular characteristic and it won him clients and arbitrations. During the later sixties and early seven ties, some bar and bench traffic through court procedures in New York City, became a public scandal that subsequently resulted m one or two disbarments and a removal of four judges by impeachment proceedings, whereupon the occurrences led to the forma tion of the now formidable Bar Association of the city of New York, whose memorable fete on taking possession of their palatial club quarters, was fully described in the Green Bag for the month of November, 1896. None were more zealous in urging the neces sity for such a formation or in arranging the details of it, than Mr. Nash, who soon became one of its ruling spirits as its president. His tenacious uprightness became shocked at the revelations of the Bar Com mittee which unfolded the causes for such disbarments and impeachments. And he was ever active thereafter in bringing bar influence to bear upon preventing improper nominations for the elective judiciary. The lawyer and the cleric for him, occupied the very same ethical platform. Resultant jus tice was to Nash equal in flavor to fruits of individual or collective piety. Faithfulness to the demands of equitable justice, and obedience to the strict ethics of his profes sion were considerations as strong with Mr. Nash as the tenets of his Christian religion. He may be justly described as " a thoroughly pious lawyer," without apparent semblance of it towards clients, bar or bench, or making its possession prominent. Modesty and retiracy, and no thrusting himself for ward into the arena of publicity further than was dutifully necessary, became marked characteristics of his whole professional and social careers. He was as proud of his pro fession as was any Benedictine monk of his religious affiliations. Many lawyers in large practise paraphrase an old couplet so as to read : —