Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-22
THE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE.
A Biographical Sketch of the Hon.
Morrison r Waite
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

| MOrrfSOn X waite.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Morrison r. Waite is the third con-
tribution of Ohio to the Supreme Court
of the United States within the last
twelve years OF him, as of his prede-
cessors, the State of Ohio is proud, with
good reason. Mr.. Waite is President
of the Ohio Constitutional Convention,
and since it's session in this city many
of our citizens have had the pleasure Of
making his acquaintance, and have
learned to esteem the man whose fame
came before him as one who, at the Ge-
neva Tribunal of Arbitration, had, in
rejecting honor on his nation, thrown
a luster on Ohio, the theater of his pro-
fessional life. Morrison r. Waite IN
herited legal ability. He was born at
Lynne, Connecticut, on the Doth of
November, 1876 and has Just passed
into his fifty-eighth year. His father,
Henry M. Waite, was twenty-three
years one of the Judges of the Su-
preme Court of Errors in Connecticut,
the last three of which he was Chief
Justice.
His preparation for college was made
at Bacon Academy, Colchester, Conn.
In 1887 he graduated at Yale, not with
first honors at Yale College, but with
high rank as an Grafton man. After
graduating he studied law. one year
with his father, then in 1888 moved to
Nance City, then the county seat of
Lucas county, Ohio. There he studied
in the Office of Samuel NJ Young, with
whom, when admitted to the bar in
1889, he entered into law partnership
under the firm name of Young & Waite,
which continued until 1856, the firm
moving in 1850 with the county seat to
Toledo. In 1856 the partnership of
Young & Waite was dissolved, and
about year later he formed a partner
ship with his brother Richard Waite,
under the firm name of M. r. g. r.
Waite, which continues to the present
the same, except that his son, S. E.
Waite has become the junior member
of it.
Mr. Waite has neither sought nor
Stunned political life. He never chose
it, for he preferred practicing his pro-
fession. In 1880 he was a member
of the Ohio Legislature. By inherit
ance and preference he was Whigun-
til the first days of the Republican par
ty, when he joined its ranks. Though
never partisan, his convictions were
strong, and he generally assisted his
party in election campaigns. In 1916
he was defeated for Congress IN a con-
test with William Sawyer. In the year
1862 he was prevailed upon to run as
the conservative Union candidate
against Jim Ashley, Radical RepubG-
can, and r. E. Phelps, Radical Demo-
crat, and though he got all except five
hundred votes in the city of Toledo,
was defeated by Ashley.
His last political service was as the
associate counsel Of Hon. Caleb Cush-
ing and w. NJ. Evarts In the Geneva
Arbitration. Though the sessions of
the Arbitration lasted from June Is to
Sept. Is, 1872, the counsel were on the
ground in October, 1871, and spent the
intervening time in preparing the case.
With what honor he came off from this
contest fame has trumpeted and two
continents know.
His person is an exponent of his mind
compact, solid, vigorous and health
full. He is of medium stature, stout,
but not oyer-large, erect, of bilious tenn
permanent, dark complexion, eyes and
hair, and the picture of health and
vigor. His face is strongly marked,
and expressive Of gOod-nature and
irmness. There is nothing stiff or for
bidding IN his manner; on the contra
~, his dignity is of that unconscious,
inviting sort which is the very autipode
of assumption.
Those who know him best describe
HIM as man of great legal learning,
severely logical mind and Il vigorous
thinker, though not what is called
brilliant man. His mind Is one of the
kind that never leaves off developing
while life lasts. His business habits,
they say, are extremely Systematic, but
he himself gives all the credit of this
system to his brother and junior part
ner in the law firm to which he belongs.
That of a hard worker, but not an over
worker, is another characteristic his ac-
quaintancss attribute to him. By re-
creations, which are chiefly social. he
has kept his mind elastic and his body
strong. As man of sterling integrity,
spOtless moral life, an intelligent con-
scientiousness, which is carried into all
the acts of his life, he ENJOYS n reputa-
ton to be coveted. Well balanced in
mind and temper, he has the most per-
feet self-control and rare facility in
winning and holding friends.
Mr.. Waite and his wife are members
of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
He has two sons and a daughter. One
son, whom we have mentioned, is his
law partner in Toledo. The other, Mr..
G. w. Waite. is Sup erintendent of the
Muskingum Valley abroad. and resides
at GAINESVILLE. His daughter, who, with
his wife, have been stopping with him
at the Burnet House during the con-
ventiOn, accompanied him to Geneva in
1871. The daughter remained, resid-
ing in different parts of Europe and
visiting Palestine and Egypt, and re-
turned only a few months ago.
Paris advocates the drowning of Grim
lnals convicted of capital oiienSeS.