The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-12-17

justice of the Supreme Court of the Unit.
ed States Judge Nelson was on the
supreme bench of New York fourteen
years. All those who occupied seats by
his side during that period are dead
On the 18th of February, 1845, he
was appointed by President Tyler, Judge
Of the United States Supreme Court in
place of Judge Thompson, deceased. His
confirmation by the Senate was marked
compliment to Judge Nelson, as they
we're politically opposed to him, and had
previously rejected the nomination of
John G. Spencer and refused to act upon
that Of Chancellor Waworth for the same
position, although both of these gentlemen
we're able lawyers, and well qualified to
idorn the bench. How well he performed
The duties of his high station, the cur
rent judicial history Of the country at.
tests. When he FIRST took his place upon
the supreme bench of the States, tina,
court consisted Of nine members. All
Snom he found on the bench are gone
The greater part Of them died many years
,go. Indeed, all who were on The bench
With him so late as the outbreak Of the
ebellou are dead, except two 1t ha.
,eeu known Tor year or two that Judge
Nelson intended, if his Ii was spared,
to fill out the term of fifty years service
N the bench, and then to retire. This
he has done, retiring on full pay under
the act OF Congress Of 1859, which pro.
vided that "any judge OF any United
States Court, who, having held his com.
mission as such at least ten years, shall,
after having attained to the age of seven.
ty years, resign his Office, shall there.
after, during the residue Of his natural
life. receive tho same salary which was
by law payable to him at the time of his
resignation"
The facts We have mentioned show that
judge Nelson's judicial career has been
a very remarkable one. We have no
recollection of another instance. either 10
this country or iu England, where a man
held such high judicial positions for half
a century without the interregnum of
single day. Mansfield and Marshall.
famous for their long tenure on the bench,
fell far short Of Nelson. Judge Nelson
has just entered upon his Slst year AL
though the oldest occupant of the Su.
preme Bench, he was not surpassed by
any of his associates in legal ability or
mental vigor He was always able,
learned, industrious and upright. In ac-
acknowledgement of his legal requirements
and judicial ability, he was appointed by
President Grant one of the members Of
the "Joint High Commission on the
part of the United States, and it is uu.
derstood that the commissioners relied
greatly upon him in all questions of legal
construction. His last official act was to
affix his signature to tho treaty Of Wash.
ington.
In his retirement he will he accompa-
MED BY the best wishes Of his couutrJ-
men; aSgd q s' GlRER5ta RR5taf' will be able to retire
next year. as he will be seventy years of
age on the 18th of August, and he will
then have been on the bench nearly ff-
teen years.
The fitness of the appointment of Hon.
Ward Hunt of Utica, N. T., to succeed
Judge Nelson on the Supreme Bench is
generally conceded. Judge Hunt wa'
for long time one Of the foremost men,
bers of the bar in Oneida county, N. Y o.,
and was conspicuous for purity Of charac-
ter, and his ability in his profession. In
1895 he was elected Judge of the N. Y.
Court of appeals. Upon the adoption OF
the new Judiciary article in the Constitu-
ton he became one Of tho members Of the
Commission of Appeals. position from
which he will retire to accept the high
position to which the President has called
L