University of North Carolina Chapel Hill - Yackety Yack Yearbook (Chapel Hill, NC)

Page 22 text:

abiding impression on court and jury by clear enunciation of the law, fair and forcible presentation of the facts, with a voice peculiarly sonorous and agreeable, and an excellent grace of delivery. In his defense of criminals he had extraordinary success, his exceeding kindness of heart and sym- pathetic interest in the case, urging him to eloquence well-nigh irresistible. It was this sympathetic temperament that prompted him, while not blaming other lawyers, who thought diflFerently, to decline giving aid to the State Solicitor in prosecuting prisoners charged with capital felonies. On the fifth of June, 1856, he had the good fortune to marry a lady of Pittsboro, in every way suited to him, in talents and character, in religious proclivities, in social position, in intellect and tastes. Miss Louisa J., daughter of Dr. Isaac Hall, an eminent physician of Pittsboro, son of the more eminent lawyer and judge, John Hall of Warrenton, of the Supreme Court of this State. Their union has been most happy. They have raised eight children, all showing the outcome of their training — a never failing loving and wise management at home. The young, hard-worked lawyer, in politics an old-line Whig, soon won the hearts of the people of Chatham and was often solicited to be a candidate for a seat in the General Assembly. This he firmly declined, although in private, and sometimes on the stump, he used his influence to avert war and preserve the Union . When war actually came he volunteered among the first troops raised by the state, was soon made first lieutenant in his company and shortly afterwards adjutant of his regiment, the 15th Volunteers. His experience, as a boy-captain of the Norfolk Academy Cadets, made him a valuable officer. He spent the Summer in the encampment at York- town, under General D. H. Hill. His military career was suddenly cut short by receiving from Judge Asa Biggs, of the Confederate States District Court, the office of Receiver under the Sequestration Acts, which position he held until the end of the war, collecting, and promptly accounting for, hundreds of thousands of dollars. About the same time that he entered the military service as a volunteer, he was elected to the Secession Convention of 1861, and although he had been an ardent Union man, he joined Badger, Graham, Gilmer, and olher older members of his party, in sustaining the Ordinance of Revolution offered by Mr. Badger. He likewise voted for the ordinance offered by Chief Justice Ruffin, which proposed to dissolve the bands con- necting North Carolina with the Union without claiming to repeal the act of acceptance of the federal constitution adopted in 1789. When both these propositions were negatived he joined all the other members in voting for the Burton Craige Ordinance of Secession. He deprecated the haste of the con- 16

Page 21 text:

assistant. In his senior year he was appointed to the honorable position of Captaincy of Cadets. He left Norfolk in 1847 and entered the Sophomore Class in the University of North Carolina. Among his classmates were General George B. Anderson, Mr. Vm. H. Johnston of Tarboro, Professor W. C. Kerr and the late Judge Thomas Settle. He was one of the best debaters in the Philanthropic Society, and on account of his graceful delivery was chosen as one of the representative declaimers at the Commencement of 1848. Possessed of an uncommonly fine bass voice, he assisted i n form- ing the first student choir known in our history-, the leader being Dr. Richard H. Whitfield, of Meridian, Mississippi. He was a faithful student, graduat- ing with high honor, and showing the bent, of his mind by delivering an oration on The Influence of Religion on Law. After leaving the university, young Manning gladly availed himself of his father ' s offer to sail with him, as captain ' s clerk, along the Eastern coast of South America. The voyage was made in the U. S. brig Bainbridge, and he had the pleasure of visiting among others the great cities of Rio Janeiro, Montevideo and Buenos Ayres, and, as son of the captain, of having entree into the highest social circles of South America. Orders being received for the Bainbridge to proceed to the coast of Africa, not liking a naval life, he resigned his position and returned home on the national vessel, St. Louis. After consultation with his parents, he resolved to become a lawyer and settle in Norfolk, after studying his profession in the quiet village of Pitts- boro, under a cousin of his, an eminent lawyer, John H. Haughton. He procured his County Court license in 1852 and Superior Court license in 1853, along with the late Judge Fowle, Kemp P. Battle, Edward Graham Haywood, and others, of whom all are dead except himself and Dr. Battle. His cousin, Mr. Haughton, was so impressed with his industry and intellectual ability as to tender him a partnership in his large practice. Giving up his Norfolk plan, he accepted the offer, and as the senior partner soon afterwards concluded to change his residence to the county of Craven, the junior became the possessor of the extensive business of the firm. This was a most onerous burden for young shoulders, but he not only bore it succesfully, but drew to himself a still larger clientage. He attended the Supreme and Federal Courts in Raleigh, and all the courts of Chatham, Moore and Harnett, with excursions in special cases to Cumberland and Randolph. He was a lawyer of the old school, disclosing to his clients the weakness as well as strength of their cases, giving advice sagaciously and ■arrd frankly, in attack and defense strong, skilful, and active, but never in- dulging in, or allowing in his adversary, angry or insulting words, making 15

Page 23 text:

vention in adopting the Provisional and Permanent Constitution of the Confederate States and ineffectually endeavored to have them submitted to the people. All measures for a vigorous prosecution of the war he actively sustained. After the war he devoted himself assiduousl} ' to repairing his shattered fortvme. On the death, in 1870, of the member of Congress of his district (Ex-Judge Robert B. Gilliam) he was nominated as his successor and, with a majority of over one thousand against him, was elected over Hon. Joseph W. Holden by over 350 votes. While in Congress he vigorously assailed all measures especially directed against the Southern States. He made a strong speech against the old Force Bill, which set aside safe- guards of liberty under the plea of suppression of the Ku Klux Klan. This speech was circulated by his party throughout the Northern and Western States as a campaign document. Having no taste for the manipulation of primaries he was not nominated by the ensuing District Convention, a disastrous part) mistake, as the Democratic candidate was badly defeated. Thenext public position held by Dr. Manning was a membership in the Constitutional Convention of 1875. Here he labored successfully to correct many crude and unsuitable provisions of the Constitution of 1868. Having a deep love for the university, his alma mater, then in straits, he consented to be a candidate for a seat in the General Assembly of 188 1, with the avowed object to aid in upbuilding it. At the request of President Battle he introduced the bill for granting the first annuity ever received from the State, $5,000. B the active labor and eloquent speeches of himself and others the bill became a law At the same session he was, with Hon. Wm. T. Dortch and Hon. John S. Henderson, selected by the Assembly to codify the laws, which had been changed greatly since Battle ' s Revisal. The result of their most intelligent labors is the Code of North Carolina, two volumes, promulgated by the General assembly of 1883, pronounced by such an excellent Judge as George V. Strong, to be the best publication ever made in the State. About this time he was tendered a position on the Superior Court bench, but declined the offer. He likewise declined the office of Secretary of State. In 1881, not onl} without his solicitation, but without his knowledge, the Board of Trustees of the university, b} a unaminous vote, elected him to fill the vacancy in the professorship of law, caused by the death of ex-Judge Wm. H. Battle, in 1879. After the death of his father. President Battle had, amidst the multiplicity of other engrossing duties, kept the Law School from 17