The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-15


oo~U>~~~o~ooNo>>o~o~
Meee1ng ~ the Bench and the Bar-yhe Fw-
neral CerenAonles.
The nsnben Of The legal psefsssin held needing q
oonAssses and sympathy Wednesday, " cypress their
ress The hoes hew profession and society have sas
sased The dsaah Of that patriarch Of Tho bench, Thomas
j. Oakley, Chief Justice Of the Superior Court q New
Yssk. The General Term room OF tho Supreme Court
being the most commodous OF law apartments, was
selected for The meeting, which very numerous every
portion Of the room being occupied. Tho bar was well
represented by s most prominent members The judi
ciay, eo shroDsed in numbers 70 join In the homage Of
rpecs 70 The memory Of departed genius Amongst those
present were Hon. Judge Belts Of the United States Court
Bon. Judges Duer, BOsworth, Roosevelt Hoffman, Hoson
and Woodruff, Of the Superior Court Hon. w. Bradford
surrtgase Hon Judges Mschen, Roosevelt, Gerke and
Davies Court Hon. Judges Strong and kmos
Of Kings county Hon. judge nsraham, DAILY and Brady,e
the Common Pleas; Hon. Judges Mccarthy and Maynard
Of the Marine Court; tho City Judge and several mem
bers Of the judiciary.
Mr. FRANCIS B. CUTTING proposed Hon. Judge Ducr as
chair man Of the meeting, which unanimously ear
rsd and motion, Hon. Judges Nelson, Belts, Ingraham
and Bradford were appointed Vice Presidents and hessrs
Van Wrinkle and Evarts, secretaries.
Mr. EvARIs then read the following resolutions pre-
pared by the committee
RSsovsd That In the death Of Chief Justice Oakley the
bench and The bar have lost of their distinguished
m he has never Tor one moment oeaAed TO be bright aud
Rrsov' That distns throughout his
iSr ID al aS sna
mn position. legislator ranking among the ars though
h. Ss sssa the 'ps
Whole Sss Ay sps t
place among NE first OF the judicial, of the country
srss intellect and bis decision Of character We mourn
over his departure Us that OF one whose place viii not soon be
Resolved Sigh, testimonial of respect for
bar win attend bis funeral and The usual badge OF
Resovsd That copy these resolutions, signed by The
officers Of this meeting be transmitted TO The family III The de
ceased
Mr. DANIEL LORD moved the adoption OF the resolutions
and Mr.. President, in Offering these resolutions,
refer the well known character of the departed
The eulogy Of such Chief Justice Oakley s in his
characterize well known so perfectly understood so
plain be observed and impressed upon all the
muDiy that the cha acter itself Is its own euiogy But
there Is fitness that when worth like this Is passing from
Us We should mark its traits ny SEINE distinguishing noce
that should 80 far as can, express some appeca
ton Of that werth which has 80 long stood before us D
confer its favors No place could be 80 fitting for
a euogy on this departed Judge a. this very locality,
where has the seat Of his judgments and this bar
ng whom he has been constantly loved, whom he
has exercised his dignity and gentle authority, and who
have been the eye Witnesses of his learning Of his talents
his impa tally and hi justice. Sir il IS fitting 10 the
| truth Of hi. tory as well as becomiug in the way Of
| gratitude from this community and approaching
profession. that we should mark the traits which
| have attracted our admiration, and which are
worthy Of beng perpetuaed model for those VIII
succeed him The lea ling feature and indeed the rudi
na element Of the character OF Judge Oakley, his
great and pred m,nating common sense-s large and all
absorbing genial feeling with the general interests
Of truth and humanity and practical devotion 20
all his duties, which drew forth AL ms power winch lay
goraed him every proper ion, nd which the
only consolation and enjoyment OF his life Probably no
man has known an individual whose common sense
marked and striking characteristic. No man
Judge Oakley who did not kDo. that every geoial
feeling between man and man found response IN hrs
heart. With HIM meanness could nnd sympathy-Lo
wrong but would nnd enemy-Ds injustice ha woul 1
meet with oppositinnno just uuse that would not IN
| vite rome effort and promote H. Il resulted
f m thia general charao err OF man. that all hs
chara and department. judicial and nal he wts
marked au almost extreme directness simph y
ihis not uncoureous. II was undoubtedly
difficult Tor q OF his clear understanding 10 have
soIhtry pre, ened TO hu-,o have the smoke and Are OF
rhetoric elsquence brought 10 obscure plain object
| his eye. II W IN reluctance that his vision wa
attempted TO be impeded by thing but the pure
object upon which truth threw its light Therefore II
that small degree he impatient OF that which
he considered unfair that which be considered unjust
bim the testimony Of young man growing old in has
quainaDce that never have known him to DO rough or
| rash, that which any fair
merri and just lie was, sirs regard matter
weiRhty and worth observation most patient
Judge. His mind rapid, his vision was rapid in the
di.cernmept of truth and justice. lie glance but
he waited with patience until his mind was instructed He
bad no first maps which led him away. His
patent mind OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF truth, DESTROYS OF
Justice doirous Of no personal ecla IN his oSn charac
Ter, DESTROYS OF no adventurous reputauou--but his
great OF ct as Judge 10 ascertain The truth and JUS
tee md to administer the law No one, In all tho wide
circle which is listening to this poor aud feeble r
butte to him. can charge him ever with an attempt or
with other than The truth and justice Of every
that came before him. II resulted from these traits, from
this conn ON sense, from this feeling winch be
partook wi all the community, that he Of
ceedlng clearncss Of apprehension. Few Judicial
professional OF in any department of life, saw what they
Undertook 10 speak about, or 10 think about with moro
uans rarcnt clearncss. There nothing belonging in
unscally 10 subject before him which he did not mea
and investigate and thoroughly appreciate and undor
| stand. Cons quently, In the complicated trials which
| were bad before him, no mater how intricate, no
| naer how numerous the Witnesses, no matter with
| what conflict Of circumstances or with what opposi
| ton Of evidence, he classified by an almost instnc
i've power Of rapid reasoning all The facs He placed the
understood the bi1es Of men, and know how 10 make
allowances how 70 weigh, how 70 sif how W Judge, how
| to decide Were Il in questions OF law dat he was 70
Judge he feared obsolete and unreasonable He
refu,ed biz assent to well settled decisions, but emf
psntly hp judicial mind Of well settled principles
lainc lev which he strove 10 fssten and which with
him founded principles OF human principles Of
Justice prns s o. sa sngs Sa pssy PrS9 h
| ehsi tened by large and profitable experience. Con
| .equsnily whether We hear him charging The common
to Give men In the boz delivering jiigment from the
hrope OF astce that same clearness Apr upon
biz part that came clearness OF expression " Others,
marked even thing that he did judica as wei be-
fore be had done il professionally. Sir, trait
very remarkable 10 this distinguished manhs great IN
IsiuasV e,1is,r u :, no, Sssrg n,en,ionsIIy nm i
Iaral; foI although we have judiciary whose mode q
app ut many question, yet as 70 intentional partial
a. in the way 20 intentional pecnn,ary interest
biastrg decisions, the very breath Of SANDER has no
tight 10 sp.ak But what mean by this is tina, he had
emsrkaby ooo dehberatve mind, thai he weighed tbs,
he pderCd that be reflected and that when b decided
| was the pure emanaion Of an enlightened uncouded,
unbiased and well instructed intellect Ne fell In that
gard IN gh oegree, his self respect as man and
Judge IL fuiy appreciated the dignity OF the great Of.
Gee Which placed him az superior 70 moderate among
the coulcts Of men, who always would feel themselves
bis equals exc, VI from the dignity OF hs office. No
ecded Judge Oakley In the ssgscy with which be ap
ed h knowledge ~ that which in hand before him
| wbcLeruwas question OF the ordinary experience q
4 HE, bp Vas the safacify "a mature,
| a great ard vbe man He never applied The wrong
| rripcipie 10 the wrong case; was always the right
PRINCIPLE Of nvesgaon as principles Of evidence and The
sht principle ofdeciston as principle OF Law. In that
| pect, a. well a. In the clearness OF bis under
standing aud in the cearness with which be made him
sell undertooo ty obers, think the learned Judge has
j 49, l.. H. L. IL. -. ..A