The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-01-31
Wetklp Asrala
~. McCALEB. editor,
rus Nrw SUPREME coumr


Grin NJ. Roberts, Of Tyler chief JUS
ticc.
Reuben A. Reeves, OF Dallas, George
+. Moore, Of Austin, and Thomas j.
Deyine, of San Antonio, associate JUS
tices. ....
Up TO this writing we are not AVIS
ed Of the fifth name.
AS the reorganization of the Su-
preme court of the state Is Of the first
Importance TO the people, and as SO
large number of our fellow-citizens
are comparatively recent emigrants,
we will say few words in regard to
each of the gentlemen named.
Judge Roberts is Carolinian, and
came to Texas over thirty years ago,
and has ever since resided in Fast
Texas. He served for time as dis
trict attorney, number of years MS
district Judge, and several years before
the war was elected one of the supreme
Judges, which position he held till he
resigned it in order to command reg
iment during the war, in which capac-
ity he signalized himself as brave
yigilant and kind-hearted soldier be-
loved by his men. He also presided
over the Secession convention Of 1851,
and was also a member of the Recon-
struction convention ia 1855. BY the
Legislature of that year he and eX-
Pre- Idle It David G. Burnet were elected
to the United States senate, but were
not admitted to their seats. This sum-
mary covers Judge Roberts public SER
vice, which, it will be seen, has been
ample, and excepting the two short
conventions named has had no con-
nection with political Office. AS a
lawyer he has ranked for quarter OF
a century as one of the most profound
in Texas, though as speaker he never
attained distinction. In political faith
he has never swerved from the doc
trines of Jeffersonian Democracy. AS
man his whole life has been an IL
lustration of morality, honor and
kindness. Knowing him, as we have,
for so long time, we rejoice at his ap
pointment, and honor Governor Coke
for his selection.
Reuben A. Reeves, our fellow-towns-
man by recent location, has long
ranked among the foremost lawyers of
the State-the friend and compeer OF
Rusk, Henderson, Reagan and the
other chief lights of East Texas. He
also served long as district judge, and
for a term was one of the Supreme
court, in both stations proving his tit
ness and winning the respect of the
country. He is too close to us to allow
of our speaking of his qualities as n
man. 1t is enough to say Cover Coke
has given great satisfaction by select
ing him. We should also say that
while soldier in the army, during the
war, the people selected him to the
same place to which he is now APP
pointed.
George F. Moore long practiced law
at Nacogdoches, and, in some respects,
was considered the ablest lawyer in the
State, though he never enjoyed orator
ical powers. During the war, and
again in 1866, he was elected to the
Supreme court, having been displaced
by military order with Governor
Throckmorton. From his arrival in
Texas to this time we have never heard
ought against his private Or public life.
On the contrary, he stands spotless be-
fore the people and will honor the
bench. While both he and Judge
Reeves have always been consistent
Democrats, neither has sought politi-
cal life.
Thomas J. Devine, of San Antonio,
came to Texas about 1874. About 1867
he located in San Antonio, and for a
period of twelve years before the war,
was district Judge, regarded all the
while as one of the ablest in the State
and man of most exemplary deDort-
ment, heightened by public spirit
which sustained all useful enterprises
in his section. File was in the conven-
ton of 1861. Daring the war he was
Confederate States judge for Texas.
For time after the surrender, he was
imprisoned in Sort Jackson, below
New Orleans. Judge Devine is in the
prime of life. II man Of great courage,
and in his convictions too frank ever
to he concerned in anything calculated
to betray the public welfare. Though
never holding political Office, he has
always been a States Right Democrat.
Taken individually or collectively,
we now have Supreme court of tried
ability. unquestioned purity and Ia
borions habits, for which every we'll
wi.her of the country will be thankful.
Compared with the past four years it
is like beautiful sunshine after long
and tempestuOus storm.
Mr.. George w. Clark, of Waco, the
new attorney general, is a rather
young man, of superior talent and fine
promise.
We are not acquainted with Mr.. A.
w. Deberry, the new secretary of State,
nor Mr.. o. p. Campbell, the new In
spector of the penitentiary, but take II
for granted they are proper men, or
Governor Coke would not have APP
pointed them.
Since writing the foregoing article,
we have learned by private kilograms
received in Dallas, that the other judge
of the new Supreme court is Mr.. Will
liam p. Ballinger, of Galveston. To
all prominent lawyers of Texas, the
of the name is sufficient
But this is matter in which the peo-
pie are interested, and rs we know Mr..
Ballenger very well for lol these many