1895.] 1-^'^ [Potts. 



Grand Army of the Republic of this district asked permission to place 

 the flag upon his grave and to decorate it with flowers on Decoration Day, 

 for tliey said he had served his country as faithfully as a soldier. 



The immense fleet of vessels carrying arms and munitions of war 

 which, through his instrumentality, were stopped or rendered harmless, 

 and the fifteen million of the Alabama claims acquired largely through 

 his vigilance and prompt evidence, and information of great value con- 

 veyed to the home Government, make his claims on his country's grati- 

 tude equal to those of a great general. 



To sum up his personality, "Every one," says Cervantes, "is the son 

 of his own work." His face, full of energy and decision, bore the im- 

 press of his life. In person he was tall, in dress and habits simple. 



One of Mr. Dudley's biographers* gives a truthful account of some of 

 his traits in the following : " Deeply religious in the Quaker sense, which 

 makes each man alone responsible to his Maker and not to conventional 

 ceremony, he was more spiritual minded than a practical prosaic lawyer 

 and man of afTairs would be taken to be, but never wore his heart upon 

 his sleeve save to familiars. Hated by many through the prejudice and 

 misconception engendered in political strife [as strong characters often 

 are], misunderstood by many more because he would not stoop to con- 

 quer, he pursued the even tenor of his way in the respect and love of his 

 confidants. Uarely heading public subscriptions, lie was instant in good 

 ways and works, and most of his generous benefactions were only known 

 to the needy recipients." 



A.n eminent member of the Bar of New Jersey f who knew him well 

 thus describes him : "He was, as a lawyer, distinguished for the absolute 

 devotion to the cause of his client with which he conducted his cases; no 

 difficulty daunted and no obstacle deterred him. He persevered with 

 indomitable energy and unceasing assiduity until his object was attained." 

 We close this sketch with a tribute to the character of Mr. Dudley from 

 one for whose sound judgment we have the highest respect — the vener- 

 able Frederick Fraley, the President of this Society. 



" No. 1000 Walnut St., Sept. 27, 1893. 

 " My Dear Sir : — I owe you an apology for not writing a reply to your 

 letter relative to my acquaintance and friendship with our mutual friend 

 Dudley. 



"1 find by reference to the minutes of the Centennial Board of Finance 

 that he was elected a Director of that body in December, 1873. I then 

 became personally acquainted with him, although I had known him by 

 reputation as a great and useful man during our unhappy Civil War. My 

 intercourse with him from 1873 until the date of his death was character- 

 ized by frequently meeting with him, participating in the work of the 

 Centennial, and in many ways making our friendship of the strongest 

 kind. 



* H. L. Bonsall, in The Post, a dally paper of Camden, April 15, 1893. 

 t Mr. Samuel H. Grey. 



