Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/85

 66

1837. It was said the great lawyer, William Pinkney of Maryland, died from .too great study in preparing a case in which he was to meet Tazewell, but Mr. Tazewell always de nied it, saying, " Pinkney feared to face no man living." The late J. Randolph Tucker said, " I think we can hardly claim, even in our day, to rival a bar, composed of Marshall, Wickham, Tazewell and their peers." The trium

estate he left to Judge Leigh, whom he con stituted his executor, " Relying fully upon his fidelity in the execution of these benevolent designs towards my slaves." Judge Leigh, when the relatives of Randolph sought to in validate the will, came forward and re nounced his part on condition that he should qualify as executor and carry out his friend's humane designs for his slaves. This was al lowed and he settled them comfortably in virate primi inter Ohio. pares in the decade Benjamin Watkins 1830-40, were Chap Leigh was a great law man Johnson, Benja yer and statesman. min Watkins Leigh, He was born in Ches and Robert Stanard. terfield county, near Mr. Stanard was Petersburg and not sketched in Mr. Patfar from Matoax teson's article in The whereJohn Randolph Gri-:e Bag as was lived. He said, " It also Judge William was the joy of my Leigh, the talented boyhood to listen to brother of Benjamin my teacher's, a Scotch Watkins Leigh. The clergyman named records of the Halifax Robinson, conversa count)' court for May, tions with my father 1805 read : "William and John Randolph's Leigh, gentleman, mother. The world who had been duly thought that her son licensed to practice spake as never man law in this common spake, but she could LITTLETON WALLER TAZEWELL. wealth, lately on his charm a bird out of own motion, was ad the tree by the music mitted to practice in this court." When of her tongue." Mr. Leigh was a man of asked what he did his first years at the bar, brilliant parts, learned and gifted. Randolph Judge Leigh replied, " I made myself a law Tucker said : " Pure streams of the best yer." He died in 1871, aged eighty-nine. English ran in the deep channel of his A distinguished member of the Virginia bar clearest thought. Error entrenched behind said: " Since I saw Judge Leigh preside, no a fortress of logic was compelled to yield to man has ever seemed to me quite the the force of his argument, based on general judge." John Randolph of Roanoke by principles and to his favorite reductio ad a will dated Dec. 1821, which was after absurdum. Besides, he wielded the weapons ward established as his true will, made of satire and invective, which at the bar and provision for the emancipation of his three in the Senate of the United States made hundred slaves and their settlement in him eminent as a debater, and prominent as some free state. The remainder of his large a leader."