The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-22

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cured his nomination and confirmation a
Judge of the United States Court for this dis
trict The first intimation he had of the ap
pointment was the receipt through the Pos
Office of his commission, accompanied by al
official letter from Mr.. Webster, then Score
tary of State, asking that he would signify hi
acceptance or rejection of the appointment
He received, also, letters from the Hon. Alex
ander Barrow, then Senator from Louisiana
and others, urging his acceptance of this
place as q stepping-stone to the Supreme
Bench of the United States. He, however.
thought it his duty to decline the Office. He
was controlled in the matter by the necessi.
ties of an already large and growing family.
In 1853, under the new Constitution, which
made the judges Of the Supreme Court elect
i've, he was nominated by the Wings for q seat
upon that bench as Associate Justice, and al
though the State was at that time decidedly
Democratic, and several Wing candidates
in the field against single and most
formidable Democratic opponent, the Hon.
Miles Taylor, he was elected by small ma
jority the town of Carrollton, near which
he lived, forgetting political distinctions and
giving him an almost undivided vote. He
held his place on the Supreme Bench only
two years, being compelled to resign on &C.
count of the inadequacy of the salary.
From the commencement of his career up
to the time of his retirement from the bench
in 1856 he was . close and careful student of
his profession as science. With compe.
tent knowledge of the French language, he
had easy access to the best commentaries
upon our system of laws, as well as to the
He was singularly conscientious in the dis
charge of his professional duties, and in q
practice Of more than forty years we doubt
he ever voluntarily occupied posi-
ton which had not the entire approval of his
conscience.
He was peculiarly gentle and amiable in
his disposition. A genuine courtesy which |
,prang from the heart m lrked all his inter- |
course with his fellow men. The habit of his |
mind was strictly judicial. His manner in
the bench was simple. earnest and
ull of sympathy. He was dangerousadversary
With an honest court. Henever neglected the
mallest duty in social life; was always con-
erned for the welfare of others, and ever
eady to do whatever lay within his power to
often and ameliorate their troubles. The
rue charm and loneliness of his charac ter
ound the tenderest and most pathetic express
ion upon his bed of illness and of death.
ike some rare flower, its full sweetness was
My exhaled under the bruising pressure of
fod's providence. An invalid for more than
wo years, his sight almost entirely gone, bro
en- up in worldly fortune by the war and its
his patience and courage un-
er these accumulated misfortunes filed all
tho knew him with the profoundest admi-
atom.
No expression of impotence ever escaped
i'm. He never referred to his situation un-
'ss asked about it, and then always in a
opeful, manly spirit. During these two
ears of suffering his mind had been more
ian usually directed to the subject of re-
yion, and when finally the shade Of death
rev its long rays over him, and he was
retched upon that bed from which he was
aver to rise, it afforded those who loved him
10 sweetest consolation to see that God had 1
anted in his heart firm and sustaining '
it'll in the Savior of mankind, which not
lly gave him strength to die, but dropped
to the hearts of his sorrowing children and
ends the sweet hope of an eternal reunion.