Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-03-28
For the Spirit of the Age.l
Hon. David Davis.


The recent nomination Of this gent
leman, by the Labor Reform Con
vention, for the office of President of
the United States, Il nomination which
will probably be ratified by the Liber-
al Republicans, and may be confirmed
by the Democrats, in view of the inn
portancc Of uniting all the anti-Grant
clement, at the next Presidential cleo
ton, will naturally bring up the ques-
tions: who is Judge Davis -? What
are his antccedents ? etc. A reply to
these questions will doubtless be in
teresting to many. Judge Davis is a
native of the State of Maryland, from
which he emigratcd to Illinois, at an
early day, and settled at Bloomington,
when it was Il mere cross road village.
He still resides at that place. or rather
near it, in a plain, but beautiful house.
The city at the present time contains
population Of about $4,000. Judge
d. was a practicing lawyer on the
Bloomington circuit, for many years,
till elected Judge Of said circuit, a
position he filed till appointed by
President Lincoln, one of the Judges
of the Supreme Court of the United
States. This appointment Of Judge
ID. was doubtless made from an init
mate knowledge by the President, Of
his character They had for years
travelled over the same circuit on
horseback, in company with Douglas,
Browning, Baker, and other famous
men of the early days Of Illinois,
Lincoln had a keen appreciation of the
character of men-he knew Davis
would be "the right man in the right
place" The Judge and our former
President possessed many traits in
common Both were eminently social
men-both fond of good company and
a good joke-both passionately fond
Of their professionalism of conserv-
alive tendencies, and both possessing
great natural analytic powers. AL
though Judge ID. was never a great
Jury lawyer, it is safe to say, as a
Judge he has few peers, He posses
ses the rare faculty of stripping all
questions of extraneous issues-to use
western, phrase his chest hold" is
clear, solid, strong common sense,
brought into use in considering all
questions. AS aforesaid he is by ma.
twe conservative and practical. He
was a Wing, and devotedly attached
to Henry Clay-when the Wing party
disbanded he became Republican,
but was ever a very moderate one
1t is well known that many measures
adopted by the Republican party, since
the death of Lincoln, met his disap
proval. Judge Davis is now probably
about sixty years old. In person he
is largo-will probably weigh over
200 pounds-of bilious temperament,
physique indicating grert capabilities
of enduring mental labor. When at
home, he will generally take morning
walk from his residence to Blooming
ton Court House, aud there mingle
freely with the lawyers and people
generally, tor a few hours. The Judge
like all Marylanders is fond Of good
living--if anything would induce him
to give wrong decision, it would be
brace of canvas backs and trim
mings." After these were put aside,
he would like the choicest Havana,
and a few Of the best stories, well told
, My impression is, he is almost strict!
abstemious, seldom indulging even in
glass of wine. 1t is safe to say Judg(
Davis would make an admirable Presi
dent. There are many questions
now needing adjudication, according
= to the true, solid interests Of the coun
= try, and not as mere party cOnclave'
l shall decide, and no wiser or satel
= statesman can now be put at th'
: helm than DAVID DAVIS. c. Il.
Hartland, Vt, March 25, 1872.