Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-11-25
SCOTT COUNTY BAR SUPPER.


Scott County Bar gave . sonp ins sntary sup
per o. Mrs. Atkins Dinisg Roeme last eve
ming. The cessation vas exceedingly pleas
ant Every nsmtsr Of ths Bar in the city
vas IL attendance.
The meeting Vas organised by calling the
Hon. James Grant to the chair. sAd sppeiat'
ing 8. E. Brows, Esq. Secretary.
The supper was served at about o'clock.
in the best style Of that popular establish-
mept.
Following The supper were important osrs-
moniss
The Hon. j. J. Lndlsy, fsrs,srly Law part
nsr sf Judge Dillon. pronounced . valedistory
in his usually happy and pointed styis. which
brought out the folls wing able rsspoass fros
Jadgs Dillon:
JUDI. Dillon. Addre" - tie Scott Csx~sy
Bar:
Ma. CHMsnAS AND GENTLEMEN lit would
be idle a6sctatiop 10 ne to deny that am
deeply sensible to the compl ment which Jour
Z. resolutions aud this sentiment exprsss. aRd
which indeed, 10 implied 10 the very nature Of
the occasion itsslf No mau has . right TO be
Indifferent to the goodopioion aed regards Of bis
associates and neighbors. II it bs commends-
BILE TO strive 10 discharge ones private snd
public duties 10 such . manner ~ 10 draw to
himself the respect and esteem Of others. that
respect and esteem when acquired 10 bis. and
1t may Appropriately be enjoyed and prissd.
While must believe that the kind opin-
ions which you have expressed are more prop.
srly asoribabls to long Acquaintance, iDtimste
associations and the ovsrfovlpgs OF personal
friendship than TO any intrins'e merit or SER
vices OF mine. stili lot mo say Il. Gsntlsmea-
Brothers Of the Scott County Bar, in all sin
oeritv and candsr let m- svov 1T AN proud
Of your appreciation and regard; and should
esteem myself thrice gratfed II l could fesl
,ha, l deserved in any great degree the uer-
don of your comm men datioo, so ungrudginey
bestowed
Five years ago, ~ set forth in the resolu-
tion winch have had the honor to reosive,
the people Of this Ju 3ioisi District elected me
to the Bench. aew mao, jsung and un-
trisd, unaffsetsdly distrus.ful Of my ablliiise
to meet the just expectations OF my frisnds. |
resolved Win Gods help to spare no efforts,
no labor, ho Wever assido0us, to show that the
confidence repc-ed In me was not misplaced
! UstOVS W tuoe ius W ny cSASSPs'Sos
60 40 to enable me to take In and to appreciate
the high responsibility and tho exalted trus,s
which are indissolubly bound up with the j0-
dical office Esriy iu my professional ssu aies
mot with the splendid, yet not over wrought
sulogium OF sidney Smith upon the office of a
Jadge, delivered by him before the lawyers Ct
the Northern circuit: HE who takes the
ofass OF Judge a. It now exist. In this oouu.
try. takes in his hands A splendid gem, good
and glorious, perfect and pure. Shall he give
!. ND ,nutilated? Shall he mar IL? shall he
darken its Shall it emit no llgh,7 Shall IL
be valued at NO piioet Shall II excite no
wonderi Shall be find it diamond' Shall
he leave il = stonsl'
Thee glowing worda haunted my imsg gina
tion. saw, felt, how utterly nnskillsd wss
to handle ard hold without mutiI.tiou Or in
jury. such gem. or ia palmer languages. how
inadequa.ey fitted was. properly to die
charge the duties OF the place.
accord rdinsly ee. about At oose and earnest
| ly to the work cf qualifying myself. For the
! past five years, II never before. tae study oi
he law. its study ~ a science. a. q system o.
rules affecting. and affecting vitality the Lish-
60, and dearest interests Of society. and eom.
Ing home to the business and bs.oms" 81
every citizen and sysyy man. (for none are 90
nbSo - W W U-yVu1 40 uuu HOuo ~
low ~ to be beneath its cavs,) has sngrosssd d
all my available Tins. a.! OF ny energies and
J thooghss.
Say oil nv avassaSls time, aud this leads
me to make an observation or two which
hope may not be dssmsd wholly inappropri.
ats.
Judges who shall came up ia learning, In
| skill. 10 ability. In experience to the true
iiesl and standard Of what Amsrican judges
10 this snlightesed age. when ths sntsprising
activity Of sn enterprising people is 90 mar
vsllously expanding iteeif. working new
channsls and widening and deepening old onss
administering the law under the dupIss and
complicated machinery Of Federal and State
vernment-sush Judgea--oi whom Kent.
and Story and Marshall are conspicuous exam.
ples-ars net the growth Of = day or year
but the product. and the product only, Of 4
life wholly given and conseorated to the study
and improvement Of the principles Of jaris.
| prudence.
Aud thi. high standard will oevsr BE- per.
fsetly attained where the tenure Of the iudicia
ofiics 10 uncertain and the compensation inad.
squa ate
And In both Of these respects such is tbs
| eass in most Of the States Of the Union. The
sompensation aasrds st least bat mere live
llhood The longer jsdge rsmaias upon the
bench the poorer he becomes. On the bench
and from the salary Of the bench, he Gao max,
| no prudsnt provision for the wants Of On In
cressiag family or those Of bis old age And
you, Turning to Mr.. Riehmap when : ou tax.
the place l am about to vacais, will find tha,
YOU have left practice worth doubllsss fec q
- 900 TO $4,000 per year, to toll harder thar
you ever toiled before for less compensation
than 10 received by any Sheriff Or Clerk II
yeur judicial district.
This 10 wrong, fundamsntslly wrong, snt
highly detrimental not only 10 The cause .
public justice, bot to improvement and I'd.
vaucsmsnt 10 the principles which undsrlis i,
aud upon which II ought to be admioistered
Gentlemen Of the Bar; - long as Judges ar,
poorly pad and their tenure preearious. 20,
must expect, With occasional and very rar,
exceptions, . constant succession Of msdiosr,
men.
Do not suppose that these remarks are d eta
ted because have any special feeling or In.
terest 10 this matter. Fr from II. hav
made them simply becaues they Did not ses1
ont Of rlAss ~ meeting Of the bar. wher
every thi1g properly pertaining 10 the good .
the profession and its elevation sanset tell 4
be more Or lsss intssssting
The occasion naturally calls upon me to sal
eomethipg Of . personal nature, which trus
I may briefly do without justly iDeurripg tb
charge Of vanity. During the Eve years tha
l have been your judge have not hilsd, 81
cept on one oceasios. and that In case OF sick
asss, to bo every term Of court appointed b,
Law. and Hpitormiy to commence on the d..
appointed. AZ TO the manner in which hav,
diseharssd uJ duty 1t ie not fitting that
should speak. / rejeiee 70 know that bav
been fortunate enough end happy enough 4
have secured at least your approval. and wha
10 better, that Of my ewn conscience In ret
rospecting the field, can truly declare, -
do, that havs never soseeieotiouely done q
cot which would wish andons. Unavoida