Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-06-17
Msnerial nay In the u. .. Court.


ACTION TOUCHING THE DEATH OF JUDGES HALL
AND nLLlaAN--RKAARxs OF ANTHONY HIGGINS
AND JOHN C. PATTERSON, Ksos., AND JUDGE
BRADFORD.
In the United States Circuit Court, on We'd
nesday, Anthony Higgins, Esq, who was de-
putsd by the Bar Association to present the
resolutions concerning the late Judge Hail. ad-
dressed the Court substantially as follows
At the request Of the Bar Association of New
Castle County, lit becomes my duty to call to
the notice Of the Court the decease of the Hon.
Willard Hall, and to present to the Court the
resolutions, passed on that sad event. These
resolutions have been already presented to the
Superior Court of the State. and appropriate
| action has been taken upon them by that tribunal
| and by the Bar, but it seems peculiarly proper
| that the death of Judge Hall should not pass
unnoticed by this Court from whose bench for
nearly fifty years he dispensed justice, and with
which he is 30 identified in the recollection of
| all.
Seventy y-three years ago, youth came into
this State, unknown personally to any within it's
borders, and without any friend or even ac-
| life, except the kindly welcome Of SINGLE
| though inhuea eatial, citizen. The other day we
| reyerently followed him to his final resting
place, after lifetime filed with years and
| honots, amidst the lamentations Of people who
| felt that with his death had passed away 3
public benefactor.
Itseems unnecessary, indeed it would be almost
| an inpertinence,in in me TO speak Of Judge Hall rs
| n lawyer. Mere words could not add to the re-
putation of one who took place in the trout
rank Of bar, which at the outset of his practice,
numbered amoug its leaders the elder Bsyard,
| the younger Read, Nicholas Van Dyke, Louis
| McI.sne, and Thomas Clayton. and to which WAS
| added before he left it for the bench the lustre
OF the rising fame Of John NJ Clayton.
| And no contemporary praise could be higher
than that he was selected from among
such companions by James Monroe TO
| fill the high aud responsible position
OF the United States District Judge
While the jurisdiction of the District Judge is
wider than that Of any other inferior court in the
law, including within its scope not merely causes
| At common law ION both the civil and criminal
code,l but also in Equity, Admiralty aud Bank
ruptcy. Yet the amount Of business in this dis
4 trict remained relatively small until the late war
80 greatly enlarged the duty and sphere OF the
Federal Government II might well have been
expected that the unlooked-for pressure OF Of
| fetal duty, in the very evening fife, would have
/ found 80 aged man almost untitled for its dis
charge. But We found the same unfailiug prompt
| ness, clearness and correctness in all his dec
| sions that marked his earlier years and with
faculties undimmed and Judgment unclouded
| by age, he grasped and held the control OF the
| cause from the outset, however novel or extern
siye or difficult it might be.
But great as wss the distinction won by Judge
Hall at the bar, and worth1ly as he discharged
his duties from this bench for half century,
without complaint from suitors, and to the un-
qualified satisfaction Of the bar, yet it was in
other spheres of duty that he took a higher
| place and won more enduring regard. When
taking his seat Judge he might well have
| claimed an exemption from the more active part
in public affairs. But the greater leisure OF his
new position was to him but an opportunity for
greater modesty and application to other matters
that concerned the good Of the people.
And 30 we find him dgestiug and codifying
fer the first time the laws OF the State, into a
| single volume, OF the utmost convenience and
value. And again in the convention which
framed the constitution OF 1880 under which we
have since lived, he gave to its deliberations the
benefit Of his most valued counses. and in secur-
| ing the adoption Of our school system be con-
ferred upon the State boon for which he will
be held in grateful recollection so long as the
history OF Delaware endures.
Alta time, sir, when the service OF the State is
looked upon scarcely 80 much credit as q
| reproach, and young men are selfshly urged to
shun 1t, II is indeed refreshing to look upon the
career of this good man, who made as lis ideal
that earlier, higher and better standard of pub.
lie duty, which deemed it the highest honor for
any one to devote his best efforts to advance the
general welfare and promote the public good
and rs one of the younger members of the bar
esteem II privilege TO represent them here to-
day in the last tribute to be paid him by that
profession of which he was such worthy and
| faithful member. and who hold him in such sf-
| fechonste remembrance.
move that the resolutions am about to read
be spread upon the minutes of the Court and
that the Court at the close of these proceedings,
do adjourn. (rhe resolutions have been here.
tofore published.
REMAINS III JOHN c. PATTERSON
The resolutions were seconded BY John G. pst-
tsrson, Esq, who said or some men, even OF
some great men, IL you record only their vir-
tues you would hsve but small platform TO
, stand upon. Not 80 with Judge Hall. We can
well say that in some respect he WAS great, in
Hall aafA H..
OF his decisions the high prsise may be made
that they were almost always right.
But his position was high one not merely as
jnrist, hut III his larger relation TO society as
citizen. His high sense Of duty forbade his
shrinking from public positions, and often led
him TO lend his name, Ills sanction and efforts
10 afairs and 10 associations OF public snd gem
| erA concern and which tended 10 the welfare
| OF the community. To this is to be added his
| deep interest ID the church, and the cause OF
| lgion.
What were the lesdiug traits OF this strong
| and marked character The chief wss his in
tense conscientousness. This would hsve led
him 10 meet the martyrs fate IL his lot had fsi-
| en- in such evil times. Another marked quality
| W Is his humility. He was always extremely con.
siderate OF the bar in listening to their views on
| the matters before him. He was equally char
| scterlzed by patience. He seldom, If ever in
| terrupted counsel. but gave TO them calm and
| patient hearing.
Again. he was marked by an intense earnest
ness. Another point in his character and cause
OF cheer to us ali, was his industry. Even at his
most advanced sge, he hardly felt free to throw
| aside the duties of his station or to lay aside
the prsctical exercise OF the stores Of learning
and experience which he had gathered for the
| benefit Of the people even when lie sat in iudg.
ment. He preferred TO wear out rather than
rust.
Il only remains for us to second tho resolu-
| tons OF the Bar Association, as tribute to the
| merits, the worth, the excellence sld the wiz
tues of Judge Hall.
Mr.. Patterson then presented to the Court the
resolutions Of the Bar Association On the death OF
Judge Mlhgan.
| REnARKs or JUDGE BRADFORD.
Gentlemen Of u,s Bar; The resoluti 9ns which
have just been read, and the remarks made in
their support, meet with the hearty approval Of
this Court. So much has been said, snd SO well
said. that there remains nothing for the Court
10 do but TO express it's concurrence. And yet
We cannot let the occasion pass without word
which msy tend to preserve the names OF these
two upright Judges in the grateful remembrance
Of the Bar and this community, and to stimulate
the young to follow their exsmple
These two judges were different types OF men,
whose characters were moulded under widely
different influences. The Elder was the genuine
production OF New England common school ed.
ucston, New England thrift, snd New England
pubic spirit; the other OF state Of society
where there were no schools but private and
the populstion divided hatyeeu n small rlsss = .