a Titan. His mind seemed so constructed, that like the proboscis of the elephant, it could pick up with equal facility the minutest object or the most weighty subject in its course. He would often treat the light and feeble argument with great seriousness, while he struck with ponderous blows the more weighty. His great power as a lawyer was acknowledged by both bench and bar and the whole community. He had no taste for mathematics, as he used to say himself he was never "skilled in arithmetic;" his strong forte was his power of analysis, burning eloquence, his deep and varied knowledge of his profession. Whatever argument was made adversely to his cause, with a wizard wand, he would transform the object to his tastes and wishes, and impress the mind of the court, jury, and audience with the soundness of his position.
Is not this genius, and was not Badger pre-eminently a genius in North Carolina?
He was a consistent member of the Episcopal church, and strictly conformed to its usages. This church, in 1853, had much trouble; its bishop (Ives) had shocked the diocese by an apostasy to the church of Rome. Judge Badger had for some time previous resisted the stealthy steps of the recreant prelate, and by his efforts counteracted his sinister influence.
Judge Badger was married three times; first, a daughter of Governor Turner; second, a daughter of Colonel William Polk; third, a daughter of Mrs. Williams, nee Haywood.
He died of paralysis, at Raleigh, on May 11th, 1866.
Matthias Evans Manly, whose distinguished brother, Governor Charles Manly, we have already sketched, (see Chatham) lived and died in New Berne, July 2, 1881. He was a native of Chatham county; graduated at the university in 1824, in a class of great merit; William A. Graham, Augustus Moore, David Outlaw, and Thomas Dews, were among its members.
He studied law with Governor Manly and settled in New Berne. He entered the House of Commons in 1834, as the member from New Berne and re-elected in 1835, was last representative from New Berne, for in that year the convention abolished the borough members.
He was elected in 1840 one of the judges of the superior courts, which he held until 1860, when he was elected one of the justices of the supreme court; this he resigned when war and violence "exhausted the judiciary."
After the war was over, and the state reconstructed, Judge Manly was elected senator in congress, but was not allowed to take his seat.
He then, with commendable patriotism, presided as one of the county judges of Craven, devoting his learning and abilities to the good of his country.
There are few men of our state who possessed to a greater extent the sincere regard of their countrymen than Judge Manly.
Charles Randolph Thomas, who resides in New Berne, is a native of Carteret County; born in 1827, he graduated at the university 1849, in same class with Kemp P. Battle, William B. Dortch, Forney George, Charles E. Lowther, William G. Pool, James P. Scales and others. He studied law and settled in New Berne. In 1864, he was elected secretary of state, and in 1868 elected one of the judges of the superior courts, which he resigned on being elected a member of the Forty-second Congress, 1871-'73, and re-elected to the Forty-third Congress, 1873 and 1875, he served most acceptably and faithfully as a member of the committee on elections. He was not renominated to the Forty-fourth Congress, but in his stead a gentleman of African descent was elected
William J. Clarke resides in New Berne; he is a native of Wake County; he was liberally educated, and graduated at the university in 1841, in the same class with R. R. Bridgers, John F.
| Index - Contents |
 |
|
| ||
|
||