The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-04

Ra 4, mel II. Beta.

county, Mass IN the year 1851. Ills father was
farmer, IN middiing circumstances. and ap To he
period OF his fourteenth year young Bets assisted
his father In the management OF ihe farm iiis ecu
cation, however In No way neglected. ~ No
ind that in The year ls02 he was sent 20 Williams
College, where he applied himself essiduousy ~ his
studies and four years graduated with much
honor TO himself, evidently proving that h. made
most OF his time while engaged the pursu. OF his
studies. Among his college associates tho
American poet william Cullen BRYANT ana Jonn G.
Spencer who was afterwards secretary Of war uDr
der the administration OF President Tyler.
Judge Belts commenced the study Of law Ia HUI
son, Columbia county, In this state. After compet
ing his studies or at least SO much OF hem as
deemed necessary to ut him Tor an entry on political
life, he moved TO sullivan comfy AMI there entered
npon practice Of his provisional career Tie met
with average success, and as his name was begin
ming 10 be known In and around the ne ghborhool
IN which he settled, his prospects hrIghtene as
advanced He continued thus to1pursle tie duties OF
his profession until the war OF 1872 broke
out and New York threatened BY INVASION.
Then Mr. Belts laid aside his ie9a practice, fprsook,
for the time being, the courts, abandoned the dry
logic OF legal authorities put away MS brie,s and
took up the weapons or the soldier. tie took his
departure for Long Island. AMI there enr'red the
militia. After a short stay, and hvougl the Inan-
ence OF his trends and his own eXertioas re was
appointed by Governor rompkiDs-one o. the most
eminent men or his time Ito tho onerous dnta! or
Judge Aayocate--a position he both h0no.aby aad
crediiably flied, This brought him afst into promi-
notice, apd his ascent up the ladder OF hOnora-
bic notorlaty from that period was comparatively
easy
In 1915 Mr.. Belts became a candidate Tor Congress
for tho district comprising Orange aul Sullivan
| counties. lie was elected for the olire he sought
aud represented his constituents Tor term after
which he returned to the business OF law. lie en-
| tered political life q Jenersonian democrat.
Among his colleagues in Congress were Webster,
Clay, Calhoun and Judge Mclean. When on crsuit
ut Orange ana sullivan his associates there 1T
| bar were Martin Van Buren, Elisha Williams, Thomas
| j. Oakley and john Duer. Among those who
have argued cases before the Judge were John
| Buren, Ghoatc, George Cri'ien. 0raen Hoffman,
| Prescott Hall and that iliustrsons lrshnan THOMAS
| Adds Emmett. In 1916, while member or inc
| United States Congress. Judge Belts married Miss
! Dewey. daughter u Judge Dewey, formerly Of the
Supreme Court or Massachusetts aud sister Of tho
| late Judge Dewey, 0! the same state.
AZ me time jadse pet's wac elevated 70 me
1 were young men. They are now among tie vet
Grams. Before his appoinlInent as Circuit Judge of
the sta @ DS. lict Attorney o orange county,
and that capacity tried some Important ana re-
markable cases one o. these was that 81 negro
| prosecution with him being associated Mr. Van
buren,. The ability displayed BY the Judge
me negro found guilty and executed
His predecessor in the once he neid .,, was
the United States District Court as Its chief legal
| iunctionary. found the maritime law OF THIS country
In its infancy. The principles OF that law were very
crude and there We're In II but little materials for
JUDICIAL officer OF Judge Betty extensive legal ac-
badly. as much as to story remains the honor OF
| having put the maritime laws Of the United states
in the shape of code. The whoie subject ol
salvage general average. wages OF sealnen, freight
ing, contracts for flepbting, charters, Insurance
sondon 70 hs Judge VINO has ads
l the law what Il Is; and this IN The opinion VI she
oess a. sa @nm a rssest can s maze For he
first twenty years OF his connection VIII. tne pis-
Cors s sra a Seen en- aspsa @
compared with the large amount of business he had
20 az s ss ren naen aaa ns " .ne
| ments in relation 10 these have hal considerable
enect n setting me law nv ophots y ls own
| on patents have been uniformly upheld Every KIND
o. question arsIng out o. .he criminal law OF me
charged the whole criminal business Of u large DIS
trict ne has tried cases Of piracy and murder ON
the high seas, and The patience and attention he has
given to such matters has excited the admiration OF
even the youngest lawyers. who probably had imag-
ined that they alone capable 0f sitting out the
| most protracted investigation.
p 70 s9 a wis Sr 81 en on sos sa
yaue OF the Articles stolen. About that year
OF this kind was brought before the Judge, who con-
| sdered that such punishment was opposed to tha
spirit OF the age and the freedom guaranteed to cit
| zcns by the american constitution. he party ac-
cnsed OF the offence was found guilty; hut the Judge
ordered the to be suspended, 50 that Con
sress might have an opportunity Of amending the
| Inent OF 50 degrading character. on Judge
| Beits' representations 70 Congress This law
was amended, and the punishment now
| awarded for theft on board slip IA Quo
or Imprisonment. or both ID the discretion
\ al the Court HIS remonsirances against nogging
ia the navy and vessels connected The mer-
camille marine have Aad maidria eject IN Altering
| lion OF ,hc somOfs' mutiny. before him. son OF
ar. spencer the then secretary OF the Navy,
| nklsliionan on hoard he SomeIs. Ihis Young man
VITA Others charged
The vessel and turning pirate The trial Vi the nu-
tineers conaacfed by court martial board The
vessel, by the captain tMcNe nziel brother Of John
SON was seized ~ noarri th f:nr,sh steamer ir~nl
by Captain Nscs of the Jacinso sh1rtl after The
/, breaking out of tAe rebellion. Mckenzie tad taken
tnat name ana gwen ~ that q slidei,, because no
had believe, ailen into the. possession D. prop
ertj iclt him By aIe'aye who wished hin Q assume
| ms name. 10 tt!s - u way, The nj .,neers wore
Judge ests on the liability % Mckenzie fOg his
duct In reference 20 he court martial 70 was
| cded whether, after MoKenzle hgl pee4 tLled ~
court Of inquiry for ms couduct - ~ Curt mar
i i 't The dia9d jury not % iaact Tho
| Oates o'cSnor' Il. i. Butler ami mcssrs!.
| Crigin ana Duc.. othcr inpsstant cases 81 pratt
raj nature nave engaged the attention ol the learned
Judge, among men being those Of the Braganza.
| Gibbs and wallgsley. the balk Vineyard, Days,
| Douea-, Clements, Benson AM large number Of
! Win regard to the neutrality laws I IS RIGHT 20
| s'aic ihat Judge Belts las done much In
placing thcm III tho form OF code. Among tho
/ cases involving miraculous VI those Laws and
| heard before the learned suage have been
hose OF O'Sullyan, Lewis Dnd Others, who
haa Teen accused Of having set on foot an nya-
sion of the island of CGba. The Law then lad down
by the Judge has Elnce governed al stint
lar cases. More recently he has disposed OF the
u tue steamer Meteor. THIS vessel was seized
ID the government The ground tlas sue had been
lifted out III ta.s port by Chilean agents Tor the pur.
pose of making war spain. end the decision OF
the Jndye has upheld tnat position. Ills judgments
an the slaye trade may be reai b. every lawyer ne
spiend,d specimens VI constitutional reasoning aud
argument.
portun,fies ~ forming an opinion say that Juigs
Belts has never had superior. and doubt
ii lie has had an equal. Ills bearing
iownri members OF tue bar has been always