New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-25
The New Secretary OF the Treasury.
r7-o-, 45a Wasbi1cto,I RanubIic.r

.ary of the Treasury. was born in Tyngs-
borough Massachusetts,, November 3 1921
He comes from truly lawyer family. as
his father was lawyer. he has two brothers
who are lawyers. and his uncle, Hon. Viii
liam M. Richardson. is Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the State of New Hamp-
shire. He was prepared for college at Law
renee Academy. and was graduated at Har-
ya-d.in 1888 from which latter institution
he received the degrees OF NJ. A. and A. B.
in 1916. On the eighth OF Jul Y Of the latter
year he was admitted TO the bar in Boston
oa motion Of the late Governor John A
Andrews. of Massachusetts. He then settled
in Lowell and began the practice of his
profession in company with his brother, the
Hon. d. S. Richardson; was member of
the common council Of Lowell in lS49 and
member and president of the same in 1853
and 1854; was appointed aide-de-camp to
Governor Briggs, OF Massachusetts. in
1850; was director of the Appleton
Bank. OF Lowell, from 1853 TO 1859.
and from 1867 to 1872: was president of the
Wamiset Bank, of Lowell, from 1859 to 1867:
was one of the trustees and member OF
the finance committee of the Lowell Five
Cents Saving Bank. which is an institution
of great Importance, and has grown iutO
leading prominence for twenty years, from
1858 to IS73 was president of the Middesex
Mechanics Association for two years; was
apDoipted IN 1855. with Professor Joel
Parker and A. A. Richmond, to revise the
general statutes OF the commonwealth. This
was undoubtedly the most prominent tea
ture of his life. and the results of the four
wears arduous labor which these duties en-
tailed were so satisfactory that he was Sc
lected to edit the revision, and it was then
published in a large 100 page volume, en-
titled the General Statutes of Massachu-
setts.' The Legislature enacted it to be the
code of the State and passed an act to en-
pov him to edit the supplement to the
code which was printed annually. and
which at the end of 1872 was printed
in another or second volume, also of eleven
hundred pages. OF the general statutes. The
stereotyped plates of these volumes were
DESTROYED by the great fire last September.
and the Legislature passed an act for their
re-revision and compilation Judge Rich.
ardsOn and Judge George 2. Sanger were
selected for this duty, and it has been but
recently completed, the work having been
done at night. after the completion tor the
dav of his services as assistant secretary of
the treasury. The amount of labor per-
formed in the preparation and editing of
these standard works is simply miraculous.
and but few persons are so well qualified as
Judge Richardson TO surmOunt it. 1t has
been his daily habit while studying the sup
Elementary statutes to make notes on the
margin of his copy" which were of vas.
service when the work of final compilation
or revision began. In April. 1856, he was
appointed to be judge OF the probate court
of Middlesex county. to. succeed
Judge S. P. P. Fay. who had held
the office since before Judge Richardson's
birth. In May. 1853. on the consolidation
Of the offices OF judge Of probate and Judge
of insolvency he WAS appointed TO the con-
solidated office. which he held until the
spring of 1872. when ne resigned to accent
the office Of assistant secretary of the
treasury. which Office he had previously
filed with the understanding that at anv
time he could vacate it and return to his
iudgeship. While holding this judgeshp he
was selected az one Of two judges on a com
mission to revise the blanks. forms and
practice Of courts Of probate, which re-
vision was subsequently adopted by the Su-
pFeme Court. and ordered to be used
throughout the commonwealth. He has
been a member Of the board of trustees of
.he Lawrence Academy since 1862; was
twice elected. for six years each time. to be
an overseer of Harvard COllege-the first
time in 1868 hy the Legislature, and the sec
ond time in 1869, under the new law by the
alumni. This office of honor as well as
responsibility ne still holds. In 1860 he re-
moved his law office to Boston, and in 1863
his residence 20 Cambridge. In 1869 he was
appointed 70 be a judge of the Supreme
Court of Massachusetts. which appoint
ment he declined. In 1855 he published a
volume entitled The Banking Laws IF
Massachusetts" and in 1872, in Washing
ton. another work. entitled practical Ia
formation Concerning the Public Debt of
the United States and National Banking
Laws. This latter work was prepared last
Summer. while he was acting, in the alb |
5ence of Mr.. Boutwell, as Secretary of the |
Treasury. In 1863 he visited Europe, re-
mainigg for five months. and in 1867 for |
seven months. During these trips he Wis
tied all the usual points of interest in a |
European tour. and extended his travels |
so as to embrace visits to Russia |
and other leading countries. In June, f63 |, |
he again visited Europe, by order of the |
Secretary OF the Treasury, to negotiate a |
loan for the government. which was sue |
cesstul, and he returned in March of the |
following year. During this time he placed |
s. 5000, 900 of five per cent bonds. and pur-
chased the same amount of old bonds. |
which he brought back. Mr. John ?. Bige |
low accompanied him. and to his efficient |
services. with those of the capable corps of |
clerks under his control, Judge Richardson
ascrlbes much OF the success which attend
ed the trip. AT one time he deposited be.
tween SI6.000,00Q and $l7 900 in the
Bank Of England. and was then its largest |
deposItor. These enormous transactions |
were executed with such wonderful accu-
racy that not a cent in error was discovered
when the accounts were closed.
In March, 1860. Judge Richardson was
seated IN his office trying case, when he
received telegram from Secretary Bout
well rendering him the position of assistant
secretary. This was the first intimatlon re-
ce1yed by him that ais services were re-
qulred at Washington. He hesitated, and
finally, at the advice of friends, agreed to
come to Washington and consult with Mr..
Boutwell,. The result of this consultation |
was his acceptance of the office, with the
that he should retain his
DudgeshIp and return to it whenever he felt
inclined TO do so. On the twenty seventh
OF September, 1869, he rendered his resigna-
ton as assistant secretary, to take effect on
the thirteenth OF October following. The
letters containing and accompanying this
have beenon file in the depart
ment ever since. Situated as he was, with
D comfortable dWetllng-his own property
With political, professional and social stand
ing OF more than ordinary eminence, and
not beng possessed of sufficient wealth to
support himself and family on his salary IN
" aShington as comfortably as he could at
nome, 1t was with great reluctance that he
to remain here. His relations
with the President and with Secretary
Boutwell,, particularly with the latter,
were those OF the warInest personal
friendship: This latter inducement was
alone sufficient to overcome his re-
uctance, and the result. fortunate
% the country and the party which he has
30 ably served, is known by yesterdays
tction of the Senate. A casual glance at
he foregoing skeleton or details of his life
'hoWs that he l5 at once an industrious and
m able man. who bv caDabl and satisfac- |
ory labor has not only gained but deserved
he confidence of his fellOw-men. In short
le Is one OF the few publicists OF this cOun-
" WhO. by the results of their efforts. have |