He has
acted with dignity and courage, and his conduct has been
characterized by most excellent taste. His answer, when
requested to go armed against the assault of Terry, is worthy
of preservation. And now that his assailant has been arrested
in his career by death, all honest men who respect the law
will breathe more freely. Judge Terry had gained a most
questionable reputation, not for courage in the right
direction; not for generosity which overlooked or forgave,
or forgot offenses against himself or his interests. He never
conceded the right to any man to hold an opinion in opposition
to his prejudices, or cross the path of his passion with
impunity. He could with vulgar whisper insult the judge who
rendered an opinion adverse to his client, and with profane
language insult the attorney who had the misfortune to be
retained by a man whose cause he did not champion. He had
become a terror to society and a walking menace to the
social circle in which he revolved. His death was a necessity,
and, except here and there a friend of blunted moral
instincts, there will be found but few to mourn his
death or criticise the manner of his taking off. To say
that Marshal Neagle should have acted in any other manner than
he did means that he was to have left Justice Field in the
claws of a tiger, and at the mercy of an infuriated, angry
monster, who had never shown mercy or generosity to an enemy
in his power.
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