Daily national Republican., 1863-03-17
SECOID EDITION.
RON, o'ULocK. p. N.
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE DIS
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.
sketohss Of ths New JaEtIoss.

Congress saw ht 10 establish new court In
this District, In place Of the old.onc. The char
acter Of the Old court has passed into history,
and is well known TO the citizens Of this Dis
trict.
We now propose to furnish our readers with
brief history Of the public career OF the gen
tlemon who have Just been appointed by the
President TO al the newly-created seats on the
bench Of the new 'supreme Court" We give
them In the order in which they arc named by
the Presldent-as follows:
oHTEF JUSTICE DAVID X. CARTIER.
Chief Justice David K. Cartier was born in
Rochester, New York, in the year 1919. At 10
years Of age he entered the printing Office Of
Thurlow Weed, as an apprentice, and remained
there three years, until he had learned 10 set
type, when he commenced attending classical
school, supporting himself while thus acquiring
his education by the publication Of little
satirical sheet, conducted by himself and an
other apprentice boy. It was sustained chiefly
by contributions.
After graduating at this institution, he enter
cd upon the study of law with Griffin and
solely upon his own efforts for a livelihood, he
supported himself, while engaged as a student,
BY practiclng In the lower courts.
On being admitted to the bar, at the ago of
twenty-four, he migrated TO tho West, and Sc
lected Acron, Ohio, as his place of residence.
Here he became acquainted with Mr.. Horace
A, Ackley, then student Of medicine, whose
excellent library he had access To, and familiar
lied himself with physiology and medical ju-
risprudence.
After remaining some time at Acron, he ro
moved to Maslllon, Ohio, and continued in the
practice Of law. Six months afterwards, in
1s49, hO was elected to the Thlrty-frst Con-
grcss, and was afterwards reelected TO the
Thirty-socond Congress, in 1852. During the
Thirty-socond Congress he was Chairman of
the Committee on Patents.
So faithfully and efficiently did he discharge
the duties Of this posltion-comprehen as
he appears to, the whole question of patents
that the office OF Commissioner Of Patents,
which was then vacant, was offered to him by
President Pierce upon the recommendation of
largo number Of the members of both Houses
and JEFF. Davis, then a member of tho Prosl-
dents Cabinet. lie, however, positively re-
fused TO accept IL, assigning as his reason that
he could not consclcntiously support the views
and policy Of that Administration.
He preferred 10 return to Ohio, and settled
upon a farm on the outskirts of Cleveland,
practicing law at intervals.
Politically, Mr.. Cartier was Democrat. At
the close Of his connection with that party he
became an extremist of the locofoco school.
and while in Congress voted for the compro-
mise measures. He cast his first Presidential
vote for Andrew jackson, and his last in the
Democratic party for Franklin Pierce. This
might be termed a step from the sublime to the
ridiculous. [Justice Cartier will excuse u.s.
ED.l Mr.. @. separated from the Democratic
party on the Kansas Nebraska question while
in Congress, and Joined the political forces
which afterwards resulted in tho organization
of the Republican party.
In 1860 he was elected chairman Of the Ohio
delegation TO the Chicago convention, where
he advocated the nomination of and voted for
Mr.. Lincoln. Afler Mr.. Lincoln's Inauguration
Mr.. c. was appointed minister to Bolivia,
where he served until his recent return, being
called home by the extraordinary state of the
country, which 1t was thought he could better
serve here than in South America.
Mr.. c. had two sons in the military service
of the Government at the commencement OF the
war, but has now only one, the oldest, a lieu
tenant of cavalry, having died of the typhoid
fever, while being removed in an ambulance a
distance oftwo hundred miles to Fort Scott, in
Kansas. The surviving son is lieutenant OF
marines, and is at present at Norfolk.
The flrst intlmAtion Mr.. c. had of his ap-
pointment as Chief Justice was a notice in the
public journals that he had been confirmed by
the Senate.