The daily gazette., 1875-01-04
From Galignani's Messenger.I
PARIS, France, Dec, 3, 1874.
The Late Chief Justice Read,

We yesterday gave the melancholy
intelligence of the death of this emf
nent jurisconsult and statesman but
the deep interest felt in the event by'
the numerous Americans of Paris and
doubtless on the Continent of Europe,
induces US to publish the following
biographical sketch of the deceased
gentleman
The'H John Meredith Read, LII.
d.. late Chief Justice of Pennsylvania,
who died at Philadelphia, U. s., ON
the goth November, in the seventy
eighth year of his age, was" says
Burke's. .PeeJage, zone of the most
distinguished lawyers and judges that
America has produced. He belonged
to family intimately associated with
American history ;was the SON of the
Hon. John Read, of Philadelphia; the
Egrandsen of Chief Justice Geofge
Read, of Delaware, one of the six
| signers of the Declaration of Inde-
|pendence, who were also trainers and
signers of the Constitution of the
United States and fifth in descent
from Colonel ]. Read, representing an
elder branch of the very ancient fami-
ly of Read of Oxfordshire and North
cumberland to which belonged the
Reads, extinct Baronets of Brochet
Hall, and that of Sir John Read, who
was tortured in the Tower of Dublin
for his political principles two centur-
les and half ago. He was born in
Philadelphia, July 81, 1897; gradua-
ted at the University of Pennsylvania,
at the age of 10; was called to the
bar in 1878 elected five years later to
the re-elected-made U.
s. District Attorney for Eastern Penn
sylvania in 1887 +; nominated in 1S45
one OF the justices of the Supreme
Court of the United States; but not
confirmed on account of his free soil
principles, which he vigorously sup
ported at that early day, Attorney
General of Pennsylvania in 1916, he
resigned soon after and became the
leader of the bar. Ills eloquent and
exhaustive argument in the famous
tChristiana Treason Trials in 1861, was
so masterly as to win the warm ad-
miration of English lawyers, and drew
from his associate, Thaddeus Stevens,
who was to close the case, this, re
markable tribute II can find nothing
to add" In 1865, he became Re
publican, having hitherto been a free
soil Democrat, and delivered at Phila.
delphia his celebrated speech on the
| power of Congress over the territor.
les" In 1858, he was elected Judge
of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
by thirty thousand marjority.
| This first victory in Pennsylvania
for. the Republican party brought
Judge Read prominently forward In
the list of candidates for the Presi.
dency of the United States; and it was
at one time proposed to nominate him
for President, with Abraham Lincoln
as Vice President. During the rebel.
lion tho learned decisions Of Chief
Justice Read lent u powerful support
to the cause of the generalG government.
He was likewise the inspirer of some
Of the most important national mca'
sures adopted by Congress. He also
contributed, to q noble extent, to the
Constitutions now In vigor in the
Estates Of Pennsylvania and New Jer
sey. He retired from the bench, as
Chief Justice, on January 1st, 1874
He was the author Of q great number
lof public addresses, legal speeches
letc. Chief Justice Read was twice
married first, to q daughter of thu
Hon. ]. Marshall and secondly, to q
sister of the Hon. John r. Thompson
late United States Senator for New
. Jersey. He leaves an only child, BY
; his first wife, General Meredith Read
United States Minister to Greece"