, 1864-01-10
TIE RESIGNATION OF JUDGE
CATION.
FAREWELL ADDRESS OF TIE
CHIEF JUSTICE.

FAREWELL ADDRESS OF THE
CHIEF JUSTICE.
PROCEEDINGS OF TIE BAR.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Trlbuae.] .
sr21sGFHIu, Jan. 9: 1863.
,Tlis morning the interesting aud impressive
ceremonies attending the formal resignation
OF Hon. Chief Justice Cation took place In
the Supreme Court room. Upon the opening
of Court the Chief Justice md Justices Wal
kcr and Breesc, the Governor md other State
officers, and the hon. Samuel H. Treat, Judge
| Of the U. 6. District Court, OF the Southern
District of Illinois, were present, and also
I'm unusually lprge number Of the MEM
bers of the bar and spectators. The Chief
Justice addressed the bar:as follows:
ADDRESS OF CHEZ, JUSTICE CAToa. :. -
Gentlemen Of tho Bar The time has now
arrived which hare Unsigned to-myaelf. for
Terminating the official relation which has 80
long existed between us. It IS now nearly
twenty-five years since was first called to
this Bench and take afgree ,s Of satIafae 4i
| have been absent but upon one OCCASION, and
that was at the last November term; when q
severe Illness, from which have scarcely Jet
recovered, detained me from my duties. : I
may llso add that no term Of this court has
ever been closed III every case ready for dis.
| position was finally heard. Wehaye felt that
next in importance toa correct determine
! tion Of causes Is prompt administration Of
But for number of years .plast IT has re-
quired extraordinary labor to keep the bust.
nees up, and at tines we -have felt It almost
impossible to do so. 7 have ever felt, and at
times apprchensively, tho great 'responslb1li-
| ties which must ever rest upon each member
| Of court Of last resort, and hare ever tn.
deafored to. discharge item, properly, That
have fallen into many ~esrorH in the course
Of my judicial life, cannot be denied, but |
| have anxiously labored to make them as few
| as possible, and when discovered have
promptly endeayorcd to correct them.
It is in the infancy Of a State that tho labor5
Of the Courts and Of the Bar are the mott
difficult aud the most responsible. Wien !
first became member. OF this Court VIC had
but three volumes # RepoEta, now we haye
thirty. Then We had but few preccdents By
/ our own Courts, and the responsibility de-
yolved upon Us to establish preccdents for
cur eucccesors IN this re have had tho u.s.
sistancc Md advice of q Bar gathered from,
nearly every State; in: the ONION, each Of
.Tholn naturally felt q partially for tho rules
prevailing whence he came. Hence few de-
cisiors We're, overlooked bearing upon euy
question presented. From these we hayc
adopted those rules which We believed best
and soundcst. s..."'
in The nfts and sciences has introduced such
improvements ns have, in many respects
changed the modes Of doing business, and the
relations among men, SO that many new and
\ difficult subjects for adjudication, hIye been
presented to the Courts which VIC hare settled
H. Dr.& Il 1xa
presumption. to assumc that VIC, h:f;e in
all caets settled them In the best possible
During my time with the old Court anti the
new, ]. hare sat upon this Bench with
| eighteen different associates, and I am now
happy. to leave my testimony to the most
cordial good feeling which has ever prevail
cd In the Con:crnce Room. There have I
contracted new friendships mud cemcnted
old, which viii glow brightly in my memory
while life shnll last. AL have eylnecd The
dccpest8anztcty to arrive ut correct conclu-
sions, md could the secrets Of the Conference
Room be fully laid open, yon would know
TINT many of your Important causes have been
even more 1abo1iou6ly' discussed: there than
they had been ut the Bar. -:
Courts Of Justice widely differ. from the
other departments OF The government In
ETY. individually and directly. They decide
| upon tho rights Of all, and all hare an equal
claim upon their Industry and importfallty.
| They arc for the good Of I'LL and they must
know me- friendship Whenever the courts
cone under the Influence ofany party, either
from fear or iavor-whenever they lend
themselves to fhvor classes or individuals,
| then they will forfeit the confidence Of tho
| public and sink into tho lowest depths Of
degradation and contempt. 4 firm and up
sargcs Of party strife which mny Be xnging
around them, and, pass by complaints nud
eycn. demonstrations without emotion; con-
| scious Of their own integrity, they maj safe
I ly end sCEenGly reposc upon the assurance
TINT they will be applaudea and sustained by
ton ofgood men Is the good mans highest
= In taking my final leave Of you, gentle
men, crunot and ought not to omit the e1.
preston Of the deep gratitude I feel for the
kindness, the respect and the lorbearance
cccded in any measure rs a Juriss, to vcrs
1ar;c extent Is 1t due to the members Of the
! Bar for the learned and able adyicc which
| you in your places have given me. When.
ever have Ellcn Into error o. committed
faults, you haye seemed anxious rather to
ncnt, and delcatcly to assist me IN ayoidin.!
them in fnture. When I came to the Bench
| NC h.d numerous and IN able bar-bui
| very few OF whom now see before me
Where arc theynows' Many hare been called
snorsibi,iites: The present Chief Mnyislratt
Of the nation was for nearly tx entv years o
This limo a prominent aud lc-lIne member
Of fhis Bar. whose voice was cS eve. : tarm
| almost a.ilv henrti in itis Ha,' ind a!vayi
nrot5tah'y Others. alas! and u,ayy o; them
f,are ccna to that lliphcr {udgmcut seal
where no errors arc Committed, aud te
which VIC are all lastenlng-bus their places
have been all filled and more, By new gen
Grafton, who now eonstatate iaISe ma1of.l!
OF this bar, and VINO an proud 70 eag art
WEI Nor1ns u .ia,apa1 suI.r ~ on ,.,o,~ !,
Remember, genuemsn, ,a lnat a;a ,you geaoos ~ y
avcIy A!En aao , ho1otao.o s ,,;Io,, - os =
Eonny oi.youI-ulsn-s sotAuul1 With ~ N y
stanu :1oltn a<Ieneia % 9s rs Mnocenl, aH, plo
IectoTs oi Lne oPptJsee9, aaa snanl f1p1ls ~
the right ron arc taeauslsers o. ta!s CouIt
and upon yon, am sufct III may ever leai
TOR assistance ano snpPoFI tnoustry aat ll
tAe highest insegs.ty a.n @ inulslnsapic hns la ~ y
suceess,, s.n ,ohJ ~ -a,.,,,ia. ~ thns. ~.
yon vi a5 prove onr Wotny examples 10 'nos'
w" cannot % % cxpress nv senslbilities at psrtine
With ny present associates. Long aud anS
;Iors 1abora md wcignty rosponslhiotlcs haTt
We for ycaEs snarea jtoSGtneI, eaGu Gsacsl:
erocaEofahs 70 assast " " tne 10y aaS u.ss.Ss :,
our outaes.-o9 Luz 41.1 - "aon5 aa ~ q,
warm. pe1oouaa nteaoo4E e.. =. a.as - & .e~t1 ~
lightenea our la9os. ~ smGe7s9', ~ ~ VI
t.9oveinoL uae ssaeste1 ~ .,1a.n -.
aent qnaMneatlonn, " ~ rtnsSe. nIiu .atha ~.
sure this bench viii De slrsaethcaco, sa1ne
| than WcaEEue1, Uy LlE ClfAuXE- Is