Lives of Distinguished North Carolinians, with Illustrations and Speeches
History
Lives of Distinguished North Carolinians, with Illustrations and Speeches
North Carolina -- Biography
Henderson survived Duffy many years, and obtained the first standing
at the bar of this State. He was devoted to his profession, and,
upon the whole, was the most perfect model of a lawyer that our bar
has produced. It was late in life before he turned his attention
to polite literature, and he never acquired a good style in
composition. Yet his style and manner of speaking at the bar were
extremely impressive. I shall here speak of him as I did in a sketch
of his character published shortly after his death. In him the
faculties of a fine mind were blended with exalted moral feelings.
Although he was at all times accessible, he seemed to live and
move in an atmosphere of dignity. He exacted nothing by his manner,
yet all approached him with reverence and left him with respect.
The little quarrels and contests of men were beneath him; his was
the region of high sentiment, and there he occupied a standing that
was preeminent. The Constitution and jurisprudence of his country
were his favorite studies. Profound reflection had generalized his
ideas and given to his political and legal learning a scientific
cast. No man better understood the theory of our government; no
man more admired it, and no man gave more practical proofs of his
admiration. The sublime idea that he lived under a government
of laws was forever uppermost in his mind, and seemed to give a
coloring to all his actions. As he acknowledged no dominion but
that of the laws, he bowed with reverence to their authority, and
taught obedience no less by his example than his precept. To the
humble officer of justice he was respectful; the vices of private
character were overlooked when the individual stood before him
clothed with judicial authority. In the County Courts, where the
justices of the peace administer the law, he was no less respectful
in his deportment than in the highest tribunal of the State. He
considered obedience to the laws to be the first duty of a citizen,
and it seemed to be the great object of his professional life to
inculcate a sense of this duty and give to the administration of
the laws an impressive character. He was conscious of his high
standing, and never committed himself nor put his reputation at
risk. He always came to the trial of his causes well prepared; and
if the state of his health or his want of preparation were likely
to jeopardize his reputation in the management of his client's
cause he would decline the trial until a more favorable time. The
courts in which he practiced, and his brother lawyers, understood
the delicacy of his feelings upon this point so well that they
extended to him the indulgence he required, and a knowledge of this
part of his character gave confidence to his clients and attracted
crowds of people to hear his speeches. When he rose at the bar no
one expected to hear common-place matter; no one looked for a cold,
vapid, or phlegmatic harangue. His great excellence as a speaker
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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