Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-02-02
Associate Justice Clifford.


 late number of the Boston Post contains the following remarks upon the nomination to the Senate of Hon. Nathan Clifford of Maine, to be an Associate J ustice of the Supreme Court of the United States. It will be remem- bered that the nomination has since been con- tirmed by that body:
 The announcement of the nomination to the Senate by the President of Hon. Nathan Cliff ford, of Maine, to be associate justice of the United States in place of Hon. B. R. Curtis, resigned, will be received, we think. with gene ral satisfaction, not only throughout this judicial circuit, but throughout the United States Mir. Clifford Is fitted for the discharge of the high trusts to which he has been called both by habit of mind and experience in affairs. He happily combines the qualities of lawyer, trained to ad III the administration of justice between in- dlHldualS and those of statesman accustomed to move in that higher domain of jurisprudence where especially are considered and determined the rights of nations and governments. For the proper and acceptable discharge of the functions of judge of the Supreme Court of the United States there is required a kind of qualification different from that demanded in judge of a court of one of the States. The training to which we refer can be had only in the execu- tive department of the government. There alone can adequate knowledge be obtained in relation to the practical workings of the execu- tive system. In all these respects Mir. Clifford has had rare opportunities for observation and professional attainment which he has not failed to improve
 MT. Clifford is about ffty-three years of age, and, being in firm health has thus rot passed the period of the full maturity of his powers He was born and reared in the State of New Hampshire, received there that excellent early academic training so peculiar to all New Eng land, and after admission to practice in all the courts o that State, commenced professional busi- ness in the town of New6eld, in Maine He was for long time attorney general of that State. After twelve and more years of assduous en- gagement in the duties of his profession. his talents were diverted into the channel of poli- tics by election, as the candidate of the demo- cratic party, to be member of the tweutv-sixth Congress, where he signalized himself, among other efforts, by all elaborate discussion of oues tions raised in the New Jersey case.
 In the wenty-seventh Congress his speeches on the tariff, and distribution bill furnished high testimony of the soundness of his princi- pies and the character of his mind
 In 1o46 Mir Clifford was appointed by Presi dent Polk to be attorney general of the United States, and the fourth volume of the opinions oi attorneys general contains ample proof of the manner in which he discharged the very deli cate and responsible duties of law officer of the federal government Sebsequently-in the year 194S, we hink,-Mr. c. was appointed to be minister plenipotentiary of the United States to the government of Mexico In all these several paths of public duty he has been ena. bled to acquire by active experience in affairs which will be of incalculable value in the new sphere of responsibility to which he has been called by President Buchanan MT. Clifford has indefatigable industry, sound judgment, d mind ready to analyze and arrange and-what Plney says "is great part of justice"-un- Tagging patience. We predict for him con- plete success.