THE SUPREME COURT OF NORTH CAROLINA.
By Walter Clark.
III.
Edwin Godwin Reade was born at Mt. Tirzah, Person Co., N. C, Nov. 13, 1812. His father, Robert R. Reade, died when the subject of this sketch was very young, leaving a widow and three young sons with small means. In early life he aided to support the family by work on the farm, in the carriage and blacksmith shop, and in the tanyard. At eighteen years of age he started out to procure an education. As soon as he had made sufficient progress he entered the Academy of Rev. Alex. Wilson, and paid for his own preparation for college by teaching the younger boys the rudiments he had him self so recently learned; but instead of entering college he read law in 1833 under himself at home by studying the law books which a retired lawyer kindly loaned him. He received license to practise in 1835. Previous to that, at the June term of the court, when, according to the custom of the times, the candidates announced themselves, he astonished every one by declaring himself a Whig candidate for the legislature, and in a well-prepared speech arraigned the administration of President Jackson. This was certainly bold, as at the last election there had been but eleven anti-Jackson votes cast in the county. He made such an effective canvass that he was beaten by only one hundred votes. He at once attained prominence, and his rise at the bar was rapid. In 1855 he was nominated without solicitation Whig candidate for Congress against Hon. John Kerr, one of the finest orators in the State, and after a brilliant canvass was elected. He declined to be a candidate for re-election. In 1863 he was appointed by Governor Vance Confederate States Senator, and at the expiration of the appointment he was in the same year (1863) elected Judge of the Superior Court. When all offices were declared vacant in 1865, he was re-appointed by the Governor provisionally, and served as such till elected by the legislature Judge of the Supreme Court, to succeed Judge Manly. In 1866 and again in 1867 he was elected Grand Master of Masons. In 1868, when, by the terms of the new Constitution, the judges were to be chosen by the people, Judge Reade, like Chief-Justice Pearson, was nominated by both the Democratic and Republican parties, and was elected without opposition. He filled the duties of that office till the expiration of his term, Jan. 1, 1879. He was then elected President of the Raleigh National Bank, which was somewhat embarrassed. Like Chief-Justice Ruffin under similar circumstances, he speedily redeemed the credit of the bank. He remains to-day its efficient head. He was chosen almost unanimously a delegate to the State Convention of 1865, and was elected its President by acclamation. This was the Convention called to readjust our relations with the Federal Government. On taking the chair Judge Reade made a memorable ad dress beginning: "We are going home," which attracted wide attention. With the exception of one term in Congress, Judge Reade has never taken an active part in politics. On Mr. Lincoln's election Hon. Jno. A. Gilmer, then in Congress from North Carolina, wrote to Judge Reade at the instance of Mr. Seward, to know whether he would accept a seat in the Cabinet. This he declined, but strongly urged Mr. Gilmer to accept.
It is said of him when in his prime that in the history of the State he never had his superior as an advocate before a jury. He speaks with such logic and simplicity as to give eloquence and fervor to his speeches,
