AN EVENTFUL LIFE.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1900, 13 April 1875, Page 4

AN EVENTFUL LIFE.

THE LATE DISTRICT JUDGE GRAY,

(From the Otago Guardian, April 5.) Wilson- Gray is dead. A quiet, refined, and bigbly gifted geutlemau ha* passed away from our midsfc. He died yesterday, at noon, at Lawrence, and the news, though not unexpected, will be received with profound grief by his numerous friends, and with sincere regret by the people of the province at large. He was born in the county of Mayo, about 1815, and received his first education at a private school, at Hazelwood, conducted by the father of Sir Eowland Hill, and subsequently became a student of Trinity College, Dublin. There he greatly distinguished himself, more especially in classics and oratory. In due course he obtained a scholarship, and closed his University career by carrying oft' the gold modal of the Union Debating Society. It seems but yesterday that, in talking to the writer about old Trinity, be admitted, in his modest way, the pride he felt when he came forth into the college-square a victor, and was received with loud shouts of applause by hundreds of his fellow-students. And it was a victory that any man living might well be proud of, for they were no mean competitors; with, whom he had to contend. Whit3side anrl O'Hagaa, I-aac Butt, and Keogh, were amongst his antagonists on that occasion—■ four as brill:ant orators as Ireland—rich, as it is in* oratory, has ever produced—four as highly-gifted men as have graced the Irish Woolsack, and adorned the Irish Bench.

From Trinity College he went over to London, and, having " kept terms "both in Ireland and England, he was called to the Bar. In 1835 his great abilities had already attracted the attention of the Government, and, as a result, he was appointed to the highly-honorable and responsible office of Assistant Commissioner on the Irish Poor Laws, in the performance of the duties of which he distinguished himself by hie accurate knowledge and sympathetic appreciation of the fearful evils that the Commission was designed to redress. In 1840, when twentyfive years of age, he went over to America, and for a time fixed his location in Detroit, Michigan, where he practised as a barrister. There he was joined by a brother, also a lawyer —whose death was not long since reported in our columns. And we may say here that the deathsof another brother lately resident in Dunedin, and of a dearly-loved sister also, were severely felt by Wilson Gray, and no doubt assisted to lessen his own tenure of existence. Whilst in the States he married a New England lady, by whom he has had one son, who wasau officer in the War of Secession, and was severely wounded in battle. This son now holds the rank of Major in the United States army, and is also a practising barrister at Grand Upping, in the State of Michigan. It was whilst in America that Wilson Gray became imbued with the principles of free settlement on the land, of which he afterwards became such an ardent advocate in Victoria.

In 1844 he returned to Dublin, where he then became joint editor and proprietor of the Freeman's Journal, in association with his brother, Sir John Gray ; and whilst acting in this capacity he was admitted to the Irish Bar. There we find him, with all the force of his powerful intellect, fighting the battles of O'Connell, and holding the proud position of a leader of the Irish people. It was just about this time that O'Connell was in the zenith ol his power—somewhere about 1845 —that an article in the Boston Courier attracted his attention. The vigor and originality of the article struck him so forcibly that he wrote at once to the editor of the paper,enclosing a bank draft for £80, to pay the writer's expenses to Dublin; and offering him, if he came over, an appoint, ment on the Freeman, besides guaranteeing him a free passage back to America if he wished to return, at the end of three months. Time slipped by, but nothing came of the offer, and the matter had well nigh escaped his memory, when one evening there was a knock at his office-door, and a tall, thin, ungainly lad of some seventeen or eighteen years entered. "My name is M'Gee— D'Arcy M'Gee," he said, " and I have come over from Boston at your request." D'Arcy M'Gee, however, as it turned out, was but of little assistance to the editor of the Freeman, whom he left before tang, going over to the Nation, and becoming one of the chief supporters of the Young Ireland party. The subsequent career of the "'ungainly stripling "—his implication in the Duffy-cutn-Mitphell embroglio, the high position; which he afterwards achieved for himself in Canada, and his dastardly assassination as he was entering his own door, after the delivery of a most masterly speech ju favor of preserving, at all hazards, a loyal connection with Britain —these are matters of history; but to Wilson Gray is due the honor of first discovering bia ability, and of giving him an opportunity of displaying it. In J855, Wilson Gray came to Victoria, where he was admitted as a member of the Victorian Bar, #nd at price made his mark. Shortly after his arrivaji £be Land Convention was formed, and. Wilson Gpay was, by universal consent elected as its President.' The object of this Association was to obtain such an alteration of the then-existing laws as would afford due facilities for the settlement of the people on the land. "Unlock the lands ! " was the persistent cry of its meiu bers, and that cry rang through the Colony till the great object in view was fairly accomplished. In 1800, a vaeanpy .occurred in the representation of Kbdu'ey; he yielded to the solicitations of hisfriends, and consented to stanci for that district. :It is unnecessary to j say that he was triumphantly returned. On the, 12th of January in that, year hetook his seat as a member of the' Victorian Parliament, being introduced on the occasion by two ardent Conventionists—Mr Loader and Mr boo,' the celebrated stonemason, who avowed .thac he '" hammered the bluestoneallthe day and hammered the aquatters, all the night." , His impassioned appeals tp the Legislature to open the lands to the people vibrated throughout Victoria, and

aroused,the dry,bones of patriotism inolher colonies. To, him, and to his earnest elo-. quence, not one,,.but many, colonies are" indebted for the liberal legislation on the land question which .now obtains. The purity of his motives was put to the proof when the late Mr Heales was first asked to form a Ministry. Said that gentleman in his place in the .House, " I had an interview with Mr. Gray in the presepce of Mr. Verdon and Mr. Duffy, and asked him to accept' the office of Solicitor-General. ■ And whatever opinion I might have had of that honorable gentleman's honor and sincerity before, I cannot help paying, as regards this arrangement, that he showed great disinterestedness and honesty. The only reason assigned .by Mr. Gray for not taking office was simply that he would not allow any one to say that in the promulgation of his principles on this question, he had been actuated by a desire for office, and that be would,serve the cause without office, while, perhaps, he could riot serve it with office, tie declined my oifer I believe on the highest patriotic grounds."

In. 1863 Mr Gray came to Otago, where it was so ordered .that his career should terminate. ,The people of Victoria subscribed a considerable sum of money which they desired him ,tv accept as a testimonial of their regard and respect; but influenced by the same motives which induced him to put from him the office of Solicitor-General, he declined to accept the proffered gift. , Jb'or some time he practised in JJunedin as a barrister; but, recognising his merits and great fitness for tb'e position, the Government conferred upon him the appointment, which he held to. his death, of first, Judge of goldfields, ilere^is, talents had full, sway, and his evenly, balanced judicial mind was fully developed. Higher office still might; have been his—a seat on the Bench of the "Supreme Court of New Zealand was offered to;and refused by him. A similar offer .came across the water from Victoria, and that too he declined. His self-estimate never attained the height of the estimation wherein others held him; for a more truly modest man never breathed the breath of life.. Moreover, he had an unconquerable horror of accepting any position wnich would entail upon him the dreaded responsibility of: depriving his fellow men of their personal liberty even for a single day; and it would have been fairly impossible lor him to have ever pronounsed sentence of death.

Two years ago the ..Government, aware of his failing health, offered to bestow upon him his full pension, if he thought fit to retire from the Bench. But he refused. To himself it seemed that he had no right to accept the favor, because he had not then served the full time required by the statute to legally entitle him to a pension. In May next that time would have, arrived, but it was decreed that he should not live till its accomplishment. Here is the testimony of the local journal touching the last appearance of Wilson Gray ■ upon, :tbe judicial Bench: —" On Wednesday last he summoned up almost superhuman strength, and held a sitting of the i>idtricfc Court at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He waa conveyed from the Commercial Hotel, well wrapped up in clothes, in a buggy to the Court-house, when he was literally boriie in men's arms to and from the bench. H« was in a very weak state, and happily there was no business except of a mere formal character. A bankrupt of the name of fclugh Irwin, of the Blue Spur, was discharged unopposed; and the Havilah Hill Goldmining Company's windiog up case was further postponed. His Honor spoke very feebly; at times his mind appeared to wander, aad he had apparently just strength enough to perform this his last official act."

He has died in harness. Ot" his career in Otago, what need is there to speak? Who amongst us has nofc recognised his worth, his ability, his hooealy. his simple modesty, his unasaumiag demeanor? Who is there that baa known him, who has not learned to love and respect him, and does not now deplore his loss ? From the highest to the lowest—from the humble tenants of sod huts to the occupants of stately mansions, wheresoever the news of. Wilson Gray's decease may penetrate, an universal; feeling of sorrow will prevail. Not in Otago only, nor in New Zealand even; but also in Victoria, in Ireland,jia America—in every place and country that he has ever adorned by his living presence. He has gone from us, and we remain to mourn; but his life has been a practical lesson from which all may learn wisdom, and his influence will be felt for many years, long after his mortal frame has returned to the dust.

JOHN B. MABIN.