328
The, Green Bag.
The people held meetings, passed fiery resolutions, ate indignant dinners, drank belligerent toasts, and uttered threatening sentiments. Old armories were ransacked, old weapons of war were bur nished anew, military companies were formed, regimentals were discussed, the drum and fife and martial bands of music woke the morning and evening echoes of town and country; and the whole land was filled with the din, the clamor, the glitter, the array of serried hosts, which sprang up, like plants of the night, out of a peaceful nation."
During this trying period Governor Cabell displayed great ability, and rendered the country valuable services by his courage and judgment. He was in constant communica tion with Mr. Jefferson, who valued him as a friend and adviser. He had been an elector at the first election of Mr. Jefferson, and filled the same office again at his second election. After his term of office had expired, he was elected by the Legislature a judge of the General Court, which office he held until April, 1811, when he was elected a judge of the Court of Appeals, being appointed, March 21, 1811, by Gov. James Monroe and the Privy Council, and qualifying April 3, 1811. He was elected also by the Legislature, Dec. 7, 1811, and then commissioned by Gov. George William Smith. After the adop tion of the new Constitution of Virginia (1830), he was again re-elected a judge of the Court of Appeals, and commissioned by Gov. John Floyd. On the 18th of January, 1842, he was elected President of the court, which position he filled until 1851, when he retired from the bench. He died at Richmond, Jan. 12, 1853, in the eighty-first year of his age, and was interred in Shockoe Hill Cemetery. At a called meeting of the Court of Appeals and Bar of Virginia, held in Richmond, January 14, glowing resolutions in testimony of the singular purity of character and excellences of Judge Cabell were passed, which were published in the " American Times " of Jan. 19, 1853. From thence the following is extracted : —
"Resolved, That we cherish, and shall ever retain, a grateful remembrance of the signal excel lence of the Hon. Wm. H. Cabell, as well in his private as in his public life. There were no bounds to the esteem which he deserved and enjoyed. Of conspicuous ability, learning, and diligence, there combined therewith a simplicity, uprightness, and courtesy which left nothing to be supplied to inspire and confirm confidence and respect. It was natural to love and honor him; and both loved and honored was he by all who had an opportunity of observing his unwearied benignity or his conduct as a judge. In that capa city wherein he labored for forty years in our Supreme Court of Appeals, having previously served the State as Governor and Circuit Judge, such was his uniform gentleness, application, and ability; so impartial, patient, and just was he; of such remarkable clearness of perception and per spicuity, precision and force in stating convictions, •that he was regarded with warmer feelings than those of merely official reverence. To him is due much of the credit which may be claimed for our judicial system and its literature. It was an occa sion of profound regret, when his infirmities of age about two years since required him to retire from the bench; and again are we reminded by his death of the irreparable loss sustained by the public and the profession."
Nearly thirty years after the death of Judge Cabell, March 23, 1881, on the occa sion of his portrait being placed in the Court of Appeals room at Richmond, the judges caused to be entered in the records of the court an order bearing testimony to his great usefulness and ability, from which the following is taken :— "We all recognize Judge Cabell as one of the ablest and most distinguished judges that ever sat upon the bench of this court. He was a member of this court for more than forty years. During this time he served his State with a conscientious dis charge of duty which he brought to his great office. We, his successors to-day, often take counsel of his great opinions, and those who come after us will do the same. Though dead for more than a quarter of a century, he yet speaketh to us, and will continue to speak, when we shall pass away, to those that come after us, so long as
