The Humphreys family in America - citizen hylbom blog

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but was defeated by the late Hon. Moses F. Odell, whose personal popularity was aided by
the fact that many Republicans voted for him to help hold the Democratic party to the lo3'alty
which he represented. This defeat was, however, somewhat compensated by a lucrative and
responsible position as keeper of the .public stores, and by the opportunity which he enjoyed of a
European trip, in the interest of his impaired health. In 1863 he returned home, and in 1864
was again elected to Congress, winning an easy victory over his Democratic opponent. During
this last term of service, ending with his death, he affiliated with the moderate radicals of his
party; was a strongly pronounced upholder of the Government; active and useful as a member of
the Committee on Commerce, and as chairman of the important Committee on Naval Affairs. In
his routine labors and attention to the varied affairs of his large district, he fought patiently
against the progress of a disease which sapped his strength, inflicted great suffering and hampered
his energies in every way. The quiet Christian heroism of his character shone conspicuously in
this ten years' battle with a disease "that made every e.xertion doubly hard, that took the joys
from almost all the ordinary pleasures of life, and that made him constantly aware of the contrast
between what he would do if he had physical power and what he was compelled to do." But
the unequal strife was at length ended by his death, in Brooklyn, on the i6th of June, t866, and
Brooklyn mourned a pure, faithful and spirited representative, a high-minded and intelligent
citizen, and a man of great and unusual private worth. All classes of his fellow-citizens, without
regard to political lines, joined in manifestations of respect to his memory; the Bar of Brooklyn,
the Board of Aldermen, the Kings County Union League Club, the United States District Court
of Brooklyn, and the House of Representatives of the United States (represented by seven New
York delegates and the door-keeper of the House), both by appropriate resolutions of respect and
attendance at his funeral, at the Church of the Pilgrims (Rev. Dr. R. S. Storrs), on the 20th of
June, gave fit and sincere testimony to the true nobility of James ' Humphrey's life and character.
As a lawyer Mr. Humphrey^ was distinguished, even while a student in the law school, as
possessing, in a high degree, the faculty of distinct statement of legal questions. In subsequent
life his judgment was esteemed as mature, deliberate and thorough, and his reading as unusual
in e.xtent and in its availability. In the presence of judge and jury he was calm, unimpassioned,
clear and convincing; his manner urbane and considerate towards others, and his style as a
speaker, graceful and attractive. "He dreiw his principles of law, and of the ethics that were to
be applied to causes before the courts, not only from tekt-books and adjudged cases, but from
that Higher Law to which he acknowledged his obligations, and to which he was never ashamed
to appeal." He was a model of gentlemanly manner, and of a Christian spirit in the pursuit of
his profession, and it was justly said of him by a client that "he never sought to press, beyond
what was right and just, the interest of his client, to the injury of his opponent's client."
As a politician he was remarkable for fidelity to principle, devotion to his party, and for
the great strength of his personal attachments; and he was a rare instance of a lawyer and poli-
tician who never mingled the asperities of professional or official contests with the social interests
of private life. This, perhaps, was owing to the fact that, to a naturally sensitive mind, he added
refined and scholarly tastes, well-disciplined reasoning and reflective powers, acute perception,
a delicate appreciation of the beauty of intellectual truth and the attractions of study, as well as
an untiring industry in its pursuits— qualities which the burdens of public life never crushed out,
and the friction of politics never wore away.
Says one who knew him intimately: "What one would have noticed in him first, perhaps,
was his scholarly taste, the fineness of his mind, his natural and aflfcctionate sympathy with all
that was beautiful in literature, with all that was exquisite in art, with all that was noble in
eloquence and reason. The literary instinct was natural and strong in him. In college he was
called the "Edward Everett" of his class?. He dearly loved to collect choice books; to surround
himself with representatives of the fine arts. His library was always a blessed place to him. * *