Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-01-08

Death es Judge Caleb %. smith.
The Community we're startled last evening
Ia the announcement OF the the sudden III +
IS and decease Of the Hon CALEB b. SMITH,
dge Of the District Court Of the United States
the District Of Indiana he had been indis f
scd Tor several months. bat yesterday morning
stated 20 his son. white he was driving from
residence % the Court room, 70 attend TO bis /
heial business. his Court being in session. that
felt better thar he had for long While. He
Etired 70 kis Office and it i supposed that he
nrst blood vessel IN fit Of coughing, to
hich be was subject. occasoning bernorrhage
the stomach. He was found in this condition
porter Who opened his door To attend TO his
re The alarm sAs Immediately given. and
very effort that his family. his friends and his
MEDICAL advisers conId render for his relief
proved unavailing. lie fingered until I o'clock
n the evening when he expired, fully conscious
pf his spproscbing dissO.ution 1sks
Judge SAITH sas ffty sir years old. lie
was born in Massachusetts,. When at an early
age his parents removed to Cincinnati where he
resided until he vas twenty one years old. He
then went TO ConnersviIle this State, and studied
Law with the late Hon @. II SMITH. The latter
thus described the personal appearance and ad
dress Of the former a, the time:
"One day I sitting in my Office at Con
nersyille, whoa there entered a small youth,
about FIVE feet eight inches high. large head thin
brown hair light blue eyes high, capacous fore
head aud good feature. and introduced himself
as Caleb B. Smith, iron Cincinnati. He stated
biz business ia Hsping tone He had come to
read law with me. If | would receive him
assented 20 biz wishes, and he remained with me
unfit he admitted 70 practice and commenced
his professional. well his political career at
ConnersviIle- He rose rapidly at the oar, vas
remarkably fluent. rapid and eloquent before the
jury, never a loss FOR ide -, words To ex
press them Il he had a faux a. an advocate. il
was that he suffere his nsture press forward
his ideas for utterance, faster than the minds OF
the jurors were peep lred to receive them; still
be was very successful before the court add
jury"
Those who have seen Judge SMIrH and knew
him will recognize the faithfulness OF the fore
going portrait For ON er thirty years Judge SMITH
was identified with the public history aud public
affairs OF Indiana lie was one of the Fund
Commissioners appointed in 1887 or . to settle
the outstanding Indebtedness due the State arisF
ing from the sale OF her bonds. he was Req
resent,tiye in the Legislature and was elect,si
Speaker Of the House; lac represented his district
in Congress two terms and subsequently on
the commission with Messrs. CoRwIN and PAYNE.
under the Mexican treaty. About 1850 Judge
Sxfrn became interested in theJuncton Rail
road Company, was elected its President, and he
removed 20 Cincinnati 10 discharge the duties
that position devoived upon him and to pursue
his profession About year previous TO the last
Presidential election Judge SMITH removed to this
city. made il his residence and entered upon the
Mr. LINCOLN TO the Presidency. he selected Judge
SMITH of his official advisers, appointing
him Secretary of the Interior and for nearly two
years he discharged the arduous and responsible
duties OF this position. during the most trying
period in the history of the country, with the
ability that had distinguished him. Failing
health sdmonishei the deceased that he was
physically unequal 10 the task imposed upon him
lie retifed from the Cabinet and the President
appointed him. just about year ago. Judge of
the District Court 4 the United States for the
District of Indiana "a the successor of the Ia
mcuted HUNTINGTON. and alas! how soon he fol
lows him
Judge SMITH iisch,rgel every public position
10 which he was called with dignity. ability
aud in accordance with his convictions OF duty
A. public speaker he was graceful, forcible
aud eloquent and rs stump orator he had but
few superiors In politics he Wing. de
ciied and enthusiastic and upon the dis
baudment OF that noble party he follow
ell the radical portion into the Republican
ranks. The natural tendency Of Judge SMITH
mind was to conservatism. and he generally so
expressed himself especially the last year or two
in his private convers atoms upon the difficulties
of the country. but the surroundings of purity in
Auences guided his public action into the radical
channels While Judge SMITH not profound
or learnel he possessed comprehensive mind
which readily grAspei the subject 70 which it was
directed, with the rare faculty combined OF giving
uterance his rleis in language APPROPRIATE
eloquent aud exhaustng, illustrating them
with The charms of oratory In the private re
lltious o lie Judge SMITH wa- most genial. gen
eross and courteous In his death his family
lose devoted husband. kind and ihdulgent
father and the community COOL and valuable
citizen. Rapidly are passing away the public
men Identified with the early history of Indiana
One after another falls by the way side. and in
short time they will all be gathered to thei
fathers.
But tew die as did Judge SNlrn. In appar-
ent improving health while in the discharge o
his official duties. with the rubes of Office upoi
him, and almost within the Court room. b
crossed the harlow line which dividss time from
eternity. THoNts ApDIs EMMKrr dropped dea,
in the court room he closed an able speech il
an important case. JoHN QUINcY ADAM
fell in the Hall of the House aud his spifi
passed away in an adjoining room. Ia lookin.
upon The inanimate form OF one who thus Gle
wecau say with the poet:
The ho-.' Of hersdFy, the pomp 81 power.
And ali that beauty. aitthat wealth e'er gave.
Await alike the inevitable hour.
Toe paths Of glory leai bat 70 The grave.