The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-07
THR CHIEF NsTICESHR.
Action Of the New Yorl
80 Bar Association.
Emphatic Protest Against the Nomi-
nation -ssWanting In Intellect Ex-
perience and Reputation"
Repeal or Amendment of the
Bankruptcy Act

Bankruptcy Act.
The Bar Association held . meeting at their
rooms last night in order, the circular said. ITO
take into consideration the nomination Of Mr.. O.
II. Williams a. chief Justice OF the United States"
though In reality the main object OF the assem-
blage was to protest against IL. Indeed. 1t was
evident from the commencement that every law
yer present was determined to denounce In the
most unqualified terms proceeding which they
believed to be an insult to the legal profession ct
large. And, had not circumstances arisen which pre-
vented display of the forensic eloquence boarded
up Tor the OCCASION the community would doubtless
be the better able to judge OF the hostile feeling
which animated those In attendance In view Of the
proposed obnoxious nomination. shortly after
eight O'Clock the rooms became crowded and an
earnest discussion was anticipated. On the mo-
tion OF Mr.. r. r. Marbury, the chair was taken by
Mr.. Edgar Van WinteI 'and the Secretary having
read the call for the meeting,
Mr.. NIooLL stated that since the cali for the
meeting had been issued the nomination for Chief
Justice of the United States had been withrawn.
In view Of that fact It seemed hardly expedient
that the association should take any action In the
matter. He would, therefore, suggest and move
that any expression Of opinion should De deferred
until the next meeting OF the association, on Tues
day evening next i9
member OF the association stated that the
same paper that had announced the withdrawal OF
the nomination subsequently adhered to the nomi-
nation, and possibly 1t might have been misin-
formed. ,,i i.e05t.l ti9r, slr.s 81
Mr.. sTERNE insistsd that there was not suflcient
information before the association to justify It In
refraining from expressing its opinion on matter
Of such grave importance.
NJ Nv<~A Se ~ <V~
circumstances, the association might be spared
the necessity Of expressing its opinion.
Mr.. STERNE contended that, inssmuch - no
ofncial announcement had reached the association,
cognizance should now be taken OF the question at
issue, since, II the nomination were not with
drawn the mischief would be done before the
next meeting OF the association. Under the CTR
cumstances he considered 1t the duty Of the asso-
citation to give an expression Of opinion. 'ts
1t was here suggested that the fourth edition OF
I the evening papers stated that the nomination Of
Mr.. Williams had not been Withdrawn. The Presi-
dent was determined that the nomination should
be passed on BY the Senate, aud the probability was
that It would be rejected by Q majority Of two or
three. That was the information from Washing
ton. Their latest advices were that the nomina-
tton would be acted on BY the Senate. II they
were to take action at all on the matter they
too late to DO 30 on Tuesday next ol ~.
AFTER some further discussion the CHAIRMAN
said that the question before the meeting was that
the report on the nomination OF Chief Justice OF
the United States be postponed till Tuesday even
M. STUART suggested that, in view Of the init.
matfon received nom washington that the noml-
nation was about TO be withdrawn, the Bar Associ-
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, when IL
appeared that 20 we're In favor Of It, and 1t was
NJ, NIooIL said that, as 1t appeared to be the
! sentiment Of the meeting that tue nomination Of
not to have been made, he had some resoia ions to
propose, and they were ~ follows:-
Resolved That the selection OF At person to admins
..::ss ;Es
SsSsss rs Sss; s:sss g;
e ana
The approval Of the people for the reason that ne
s
the odaeer who pfssides over e sdminstration,
~ = 81
Il L c S q .sd .r
spectfuy present i9 earnest protest aganst this nomi
aon ~ t hs s - 40
70 aa: r. e IT,
&c frssdsnt and 70 each member o. the senate Of
ID
The resolutions were adopted ana the discussion
terminated. sr o 81 f f0Faft
THE BANKRUPTCY Law.
Mr.. NICoLL stated that the special committee
appointed to consider the repeal Of the Bankruptcy
law, or the amendment OF tho existing
law, had had several meetings. There was
among the profession and among the COM
munity q great diversity OF opinion as
TO the course that should be pursued. ("No, NOM.
Four members OF the committee only attended its
sessions One resided Of the city, and OF those
four only two united In the report, Mr.. Mash and
himself 1.-THE speaker, while Mr.. Coudert favored
the unconditional repeal OF the law. Mr.. Nash and
himself were In favor OF an amendment Of the law,
and opposed to its repeal The committee asked
leave to slt again. and report such amendments a.
they deemed advisable. .r
The Secretary then read the report e. follows
To THE BAR AssocIAnoN,- l U
The committee whom II referred to couader the
expediency OF petonng Congress the repeal Of
Bankrupt law or for such anne ndmeDts Of the
may render its operation less oherous to the commercial
to report that while there manifest fmperecuons
in the Bankrupt law which In many instances have
aggravated by the severity OF judicial construction,
your committee nevertheless the opinion that
system for the collection Of debts throughout the
United Of vital importan and It should be
duty Of the national legislature instead OF repeating
the existing law 70 remove its present slaring defects By
In all civilized countries bankrupt systems exist By
which, in of insolvency, an equal distribution
of the debtors property i secured to his creditors
and the honest debtor absolutely or partially re-.
com posing the Union insolyent laws or less DIM
hank have Init