The New York herald., 1869-01-15
THE GERARD DINNER.


David Dudley Field, and Others.
About $50 Of the "learned fr1ends'' Of New York
assembled last evening at Demonico's Fifth avenne
and Fourteenth street, the occasion being
complimentary dinner to James w. Ge-
rard. rendered by the bar OF the city Of New
YORK, marx OF esteem ana respect for the oldest
legal practitioner OF this city. The compliment was
suggested by the announcement made few weeks
since that Mr.. Gerard was about to retire from the
bar. and 1t was, therefore, In q sense at least the
valedictory Of this eminent lawyer. The most dis
tnguished representatives OF the bench and bar OF
this city and few gentlemen outside the legal pro-
fession were present. embracing E. W. Stoughton,
Charles OConor, Chancellor Zabrskie, OF New
Jersey; Justices Sutherland and Ingraham,
OF the Supreme Court, Barbour; Mcneil
aqd Jones, Of the Superior Court; Blatchford and
Benedict, OF the United States Court; ex-Judges
Henry z. Davies, Roosevelt, Slosson and Boswo rth
Aaron J. vanderpoel, James T. Brady, City Judge
Cunning ming = Bedford Jr; Judge Geo q Barrett. q
Astor, David Dudley Field, Charles A. Rapalo, II. b.
Perkins, John E. Parsons, John Brougham and
than fourteen slawyers Of good standing - who e'
graduated from Mr.. Gerard's Office four Others
making eighteen IN all, being either dead or absent
Rev. DR.. washburn asked the Divine blessing, and
handsome banquet being .'brief-ly disposed OF,
Thanks werereturned BY Rev. Dr. Warren, and
FRANCIS B. CUTTING, the chairman, raped for
order, and announced that the Executive Committee
would re ad letters which had been received from
v0idably absent. Letters were then read from Gov
ernor Hoffman, John H. ,. Latrobe Chief Justice or
torney General Evarts, and Judge Nelson OF the Su.
preme Court Of the United States.
uest,n and said that although it was customary to
preface sentiment like this with some review OF the
characteristics OF the object OF the tribute he felt
however, some embarrassment here In so dOing, in
consequence OF the presence OF his friend, and he
was afraid he might oppress his sensibtes and OBJ
trude upon his refined and delicate sentiments.
There were, however, some points patent to all, to
which ne would aiude In passing. After paying
marksd tribute v gsr 70 me me genasy and nnvaryng
and the greatest pr0y0cation, Of the esteemed
guest Of the evening. the chairman SAID he could
known TO undertake 10 throw back bitter repartee
but that, on the contrary, he always answered .
courtesv which had made him so respected at our bar
And who ever knew Of one who needed the services
Of our friend that did not receive thems And he
ability even though behalf Of the poorest against
the most powerful His philanthropy and devotion
ns need "sae sSe
but they might be at least alluded to. It
was vas. the ditinguished guest who. while on
BY the police OF that city gave feeling OF serespect
to the Oicer, and was valuable In aiding the public
police and. the citizens. Impressed with this idea,
upon his return he wrote In the public prints
ns the uS
Of an act by the Legislature. which resulted
in he establishment Of the uniformed Metropolitan
sooner think OF throwing their uniforms than they
would Of throwing their shirts 1t was to his efforts
Oft the ra o the ewsboss on sunday s ds and the in
terest he had always manifested In educational az
fairs fairs, was % widely apprss,cssd ps,a He was found
| concerned or engaged, encouraging the teacher,
Offering prizes to the pupils and furtherng the cause
| Mr.. JAMES w. GERARD on rising to respond was
received with loud tokens OF applause. He said:-
& II my frieaas EN-, p VIII stop smoking Tor few mo
| daughter and applause) have addressed various
assembages OF people on all occasions and OF all
never qualled; have never felt nervous never felt
int!midated; init nor am nov now. Cheers and laughter J
@ describing is. that % am oDpressed. @ I am over r.
friends members Of the bar, "a and I no ''iSas Ian.
tude for this beautiful compliment this evening.
cheers.l It y % unexpectel, as I am afraid
ness OF those see around me as an acknowIedg-
ment that for forty-nve years have endeavored to
maintain the credit, the dignity. propriety and
when have got through win stop. Some may
tories generally. have been the recipient OF two
one at the Evarts dinner and now the present one.
tory thus:-Every actor from the DAYS OF Roscius.
having got through the mimic stages and sustained
many characters, takes half dozen farewell bene-
fits may, then, ask the question, II an actor can
do why cannot |. who have played many parts upon
the passing stage Of life tragedy in meodrama in
win &c yoH ne
One Is, have no necessity to work any longer; the
second is. bothered myself with other peoples az
fairs for forty-hve years and now want some rest
myself, and the third, that 60 upon the democratic
principle Of rotation In ONCE. (Applause.) I
who follow me, and hope they viii wear IL grace.
fully. After some humorous observations Mr. Gerard
observed in response to several INQUIRIES as to what
give an autobiographyaof himself He would do so
ior the benefit OF his young friends who surrounded
to strike from their vocabulary any such word as
.fail." Applause.) They must place over their
Hit''i hit high % they must aim high TSroughout his
entire career he depended upon two splendid
supports that had never failed him-Provtdence and
piause, Years ago-so long, indeed, that memory
itself was at fault-he belonged to debating society
where he and his companions exhibited themselves
for sixpence night. They made good deal Of
money and thought themselves very eloquent young
men, Having been admitted TO practise as an at
torney he put up hrs sign In william street, having
hired an humble Office for one hundred dollars .
year-a weighty rent in those times. lie waited
patronage. He had plenty OF fashionable friends.
but they generally made very poor clients One day
the door was opened ne Dos ms as ma
friend stating that he would give him the opportu-
nifty he so long desired OF making speech before
Jury. He hoped IL was q cause OF some import
ance or else q suit involving large amount
Of money. The countenance OF his friend
fell at this inquiry and told him IL was nothing more
than Ireland VS.. Germany. The plaintiff, baker,
lived In Greenwich. She was q female baker and
the German next door was Q male baker, who jeal.
GUS OF her fast increasing business. kicked one Of
her loaves into the street. The suit was tried. He
pictured the wrongs OF the injured woman and
after an exciting trial before q large crowd
OF sympathsers he came or triumphant.
The speaker related number OF interest
Ing incidents connected with hls early practice.
In one case, that OF defending boy charged with
stealing canary bird, the idea suggested itself TO
him Of endeavorng to establish House OF Refuge.
which was finally established and which had since
spread incaculabe benefits. He would now ask the
question, elbow were juries TO be approachedw
they must be approached by creating the atmos-
phere that surrounded the cause His advice was to
make good atmosphere, that would stand the ba-
rometer, and perhaps one OF the most efectual
means OF doing so was to be courteous TO ones
adversary. Ten cases were won by q proper open
ing when five won in the summing up. As to the
style or addressing jures he thought the coloquial
was by far the most effective. He said that great
lsoIt xxlo4 aofv1 hQ n