Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-03-18

Reading Matter on Every Page.
WASHINGTON CITY:
March Is, 1S73
The New Member Of the Cabinet.

Hon. William Adams Richardson, as he il
more commonly designated, Judge Richardson,
the new Secretary of the Treasury, was born at
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, November 2,
IS2i. He is a gentleman Of decided convictions
in all matters upon which he is called upon to
act in his Official capacity, but, nevertheless,
Possesses a uniform amability of manner
which has rendered him very popular during
Lis residence in Washington. Like his prede-
Ces-Or, he i democratic and thoroughly Ameri-
Can in has ideas, and believes that the people
have right TO consult their officers freely and
~ All times in matters affecting their interests
ne secretary is lawyer BY profession as was
his father; he has two brothers who are also
lawyers, and his uncle, William NJ Richardson
= chief justice of the supreme court of New
Hampshire. He graduated at Harvard in 1878:
and three years later received from that ins.i-
tuition the degrees Of NJ. a. and A. b. On the
Sth OF July, 1sI6, on motion of the late Gov
ernOr Andrew, of Massachusetts, he was
admitted to the Boston bar, and subse-
cuentiy began the practice of law with
tis brother in Lowell. lie was for two
years president Of the common council of
iLst city, was president of the Wamiset bank of
Lowell, and also of the Mechanics association
ioT several years and in 1855, with Prof. Joel
Parker and A. A. Richmond, was appointed to
FeVise the general statutes OF Massachusetts,.
he result Of his four years labor in this direc
4 n was so satisfactory that he was selected to
t.;it the revision. and il was then published I'm
arge eleven-hundred page volume, entitled
re General Statutes Of Massachusetts,. -
-ich were subsequently, enacted into a code
~ the legislature. The latter body q few
I-onths since appointed Judge Richardson and
Judge George p. Sawyer to re-revise the stat
utes and the supplement-, and the former has
expended vast amount of labor in the work.
ali of which has been performed outside Of and
III addition TO, his labor as Assistant Secretary
CT the Treasury.
In $50 he was appointed judge of the probate
court Of MiddleseS county. and in 1853 on the
consolidation of the Offices of judge of probate
and judge of insolvency, he was appointed to
the consolidated office, which he held until the
SPRING of 1872, when he resigned to accent the
ofiice of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,
which he had previously filed. In 1869 he de-
0ined an appointment as judge OF the supreme
court of Massachusetts, and in 1855 he published
volume entitled 1.-The Banking Laws of Mas
s.chusetts-" Last summer, while acting as Sec
rotary OF the Treasury, he prepared and pub
li>hed work entitled practical Information
concerning the Public Debt Of the United
States and National Banking Laws" His visit
TO Europe at the request of Secretary Boutwell,
an iSi1 TO negotiate a loan. and the signal sue
cess of his mission, are well remembered. While
III Europe he placed S16, GOO, 600 of five per cent
bonds, and purchased the same amount of old
bonds, which he brought back to the United
States. Secretary Boutwell, has always placed
high estimate Oh Judge Richardson's finan-
cial ability, and it was only at his earnest re-
Guest that Judge X. was induced to come to
Washington. His appointment to succeed Sec
rotary Boutwell, will, il is believed, give gen
orai satisfaction, since his eminent fitness for
the position seems to be conceded on all sides