Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-04-18
LHE U. s. SUPREME COURT.
PEN Pictures Of Its Members.

Court: hF \
SAJosrIcE DAVIS. y ~ &l
Beginning onthe right Of the bench,
Justice Davis presents himself for the
first notice. He was prairie friend of
Mr.. Lincoln, and received his appoint
ment from him. He was an old-fashion-
cd -pro-slavery Wing, who, when the
election of Loveioy denoted the dawn OF
progress in the state, left the. party in
company with a small conservative clique,
4 and continued to stand aloof from 1t till
! il brought out his friend Mr.. Lincoln,
when lie returned 10 the fold and worked
] vigorously for him.. He had very little
! reputation as alawyer, and hs q conse-
J uuence' was troubled with little practice.
! lie took n State Circuit Judgship to pre-
vent utter stagnation. Transplanted
from the ice-house Of Maryland conser
vatism, the cool winds of the prairie kept
| him from thawing, and even the warm
| life of the new era into which MIR. Lin
coin caused him TO be born, did not start
/ the blood in his veins, and with his last
decision he has stamped himself as false
to his honor, and a satire upon his ap-
pointment. ~
His large head, set on broad shoulders,
and covered with dark brown hair, which
is parted on the side and allowed to lie
carelessly. The face is a. rough one en-
belished by short, brindle sidewhiskers.
| 1t has an overgrown boyish look, and
he lolls and lounges in bis chair like q
lazy school boy anxious toget Quito play,
| orat any rate to escape work.. 1T isheaVy,
weak, fatigued, and animal in its ex-
preston.
He is already heartily sick OF his deci-
sion in the Milllgan case, and has declar-
1 ed to friends that II he could be placed
back where he began to writeit he would
| an h OF FOL tn 40 f,pi re ha.
fore the Court. What q commentary
upon that decision, that the very man
who made up the majority, and thus
made the decision possible, should him
self repent of 1t in the few short weeks
that have passed since it was delivered !!
Well might Mr. Stanton declare it to be
hegreatest crime ever committed against
the country. And yet it stands, though
those who made it no longer believe it
sound. ,4l..
JUSTICE swAYNE hutrr.a
Next to Davis sits man of totally
different face, form and character. MIR.
: Justice Swayne has head elninently
: Websterean. 1t il covered with dark
Mr.. Webster is quite marked. Taken
altogether, 1t Is the most striking face on
I the bench, with it's dark eyes and heavy
Y black, jutting brows overhanging them.
It Is q strong face the face of man In
. the hight of his intellectual power Ho
. is one of the best read lawyers, and most
# experienced and skillful practitioner of al
IS his associates. IIe is as ripe scholar as
u Mr.. Chase, though perhaps not as finish
: all his life, while Mr. Chase has beer
y little else than politician. E.
" JUSTICE GREER. 'lt
| o.. g.. 4 III, T., a.,
2 1t is seen Mt n glance that he dates back
to the saurian period of political geology
;, He is venerable looking man, with
thin, white hair, and smooth face, an6
= well shaped head. He has been q man
: of much good sense, and is now the wreck
!. of good lawyer. Old age has done its
!. work upon him, and the only question
J now is whether he shall sleep on n couch
@ at home, or be helped into Court by his
a at the close to be helped back again from
: his easy chair on the bench to his loung,
y at home. His palmy days were during
= the times Of the bred Scott decision.
q ..t JUSTICE WAYNE. ....It .
r Mr.. Wayne was the only Southern
n Judge who remained loyal when the re
y bellion began. He has passed beyont
. the age allotted to man, and with his tot
&c tering and shattered frame his intellect i
y crumblng too. In his prime he was
v. man of no particular mark, n most cere
monious gentleman OF the old school, bu
never distinguished for intellectual vigor
!. Hm- THE CHIEF JUSTICE. H
le Gov. Chase's is familiar face to West
{. ern people. His head Is large, full, wei
III developed head, with fleshy face, sc
- with thick neck upon broad shoulder.
Il" A little thin hair combcd up from tn
"A. l,s
IN the central badness to u very slight dC
:. gree. Intellectually, morally and phys
. ically, rs all know, he IL noble man an
" q great man. He is, however, more
Sc politician thun a lawyer, and whateve
Nv his judicial merits may be, they wi
&c never be developed while he remains
'ts candidate for the Presidency.
Nv .,. JUSTICE NELSON.
ed Mr.. Nelson Is one of the venerab
". members of the Court He has ratht
cce slight figure, sharp features, long whit
ks hair, white side whiskers, is quick Il
10 his age, of nervous temperament, gene
ed ally wide-awalSe and on the watch, II
or was, when appointed, an ordinary Law
v! much wit. Thirty years of practice ,
ty the expense of the Government, hi
to made him fair lawyer. But he hi
AT gained his principal reputation, or M
an toriety, MS the reader chooses, by h
he comprehend decisions which have eve
ph bordered on treason itself.
ire At the outbreak Of the rebellion 1t
ms said that he declared publicly, upon til
le- Avenue, that the South did right In 81
IT. ceding, and that If he had resided thel
he he would have gone with them. Befol
lot the late decisions the Court suffered irol
- the copperheadlsin of Greer and Nelsol
all since the sudden inroads of conservatism