The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-06

or provided the machinery for administering |
Justice In courts. have served us models for half
a century in other States and have been par |
tally copicd in the British Parliament; and, |
moreover. that this wise legislation has been |
tors and Asscmbymen. upon whose ahors in
the likcncsscs Of George Clinton |
and George Washington have looked idown for
two generations.
THE OLD SENATOR'S
We have not space to refer even in the most
curSory way to- many measures. enacted In this |
long period; which have lett an inenaceable i'm
press upon tho policy Of tn" State; nor can we
lnd room to mention tenth of those men OF
high mark who shaped its Legislation in this
eventful epoch. The names OF few Senators
and Asscmhymen must suillcc. We leave out
everybody who did NOT appear in thG iogislai,
In the senate. under tho first Constitution n
distinguishGd part was borne 10y De WIZ Gin
and Peter II. Livingston. Intensely ambitious.
OF largo views. and JEALOUS Of the honor Of his
nAtvc state, MIR. Clinton was long controlling
elcment IN hcr counri's. In personal appear
ancc he was one Of the most commanding iig-
Burcn entered ihc Senate in 1912. whore he re-
mnined eight years. In u body unusually re-
peto with talents. he was from the start rncOg-
nized MS the Democratic leader. Mr.. Van Nech-
ten WIS the champion Of the still vigorous
Federal party. and ono oi the heads OF tho legal
profession. His full-lcngth portrait clad in tho
costume Of the revolutionary fathers. hangs on
the walls Of the Court Of Appeals. Mr.. Living
ston was the bright particular star Of that bril-
was the chief lie ranked high among tho
orators OF the Senate. We barely mention rough
aud vigorous Erastus Root. Gideon Granger.
who had been JefTerson's Postmaster General.
Nathan Sanford. subsequently Senator in Con
gross and Chancellor Samuel Young. familiar
name in New York politics for thirty years and
Morgan Lewis. Joseph c, Yates aud VILLA {.
Bouck. whom everybody will remember as
AMONG our solid Governors.
Conspicuous in the long line OF able Senators
who sat from time to time under the Constitu-
ton Of 1922 there were of the Clintonians John
G. Spencer. tho son Of the Chief Justice. and
James Tallmndge. who had achieved u great
reputation In the Missouri controversy in Con-
grcss On the Democratic side stood Silns Wright
who won his spurs in the STATE Senate. GulianC.
Nerplanck. the learned Inrist and editor Of
Chief Justice Erastns Corning, and Daniel =
Dickinson, or the Wings we name William II.
Seward. who also won his spurs in the state
Senate Albert II. Tracy. whose intellect was Of
the finest texture. and Joshua A. Spencer and
Ambrose l. Jordan whose names - nre sprinkied
These names will be- instantly recognized by
oil who ARE even moderately acquainted with
the history OF legislation In New York.
THE OLD AssENBIYMEN.
The task OF selection il moro difficult In the
Assembly. In earlier days. when the fathers
laid the foundations whereon their sons have
| buildcd. the ablcst men in the State coveted
seats In the Assembly. and there sought distinc-
ton. Most at me senators whom we have
| stone e. the upper chamber.
Under tn" first Constitution the Assembly
chamber OF the old Capitol for many sessions
| echoed the voices of two nntives OF Columbia
| County, whose great powers wer" OF the most
| diss inilar description. Each gained marvellous
| victories at tho bar: Daniel Cady 10y luminous
logic. Elisha Williams 10y dramatic cloquenco
| Cady and WILLIAMS served often IN the Assem-
| bly, together and were the Federal leaders. A
full-length portrait Of Judge. Cady hangs IN tho
friend Van vechten. In the Assembly Of 1912
| and 1913 sat John W. Taylor, wise young
and twice Speaker, Of tie House Among. tho
Se A s es0FP MTS G'a nGa nR
| Pitcher. who took the Executive chair. made
vacant 10y the death OF Clinton David H. Ogden
and Thomas J. Oakley both eminent at the bar.
| and John savage and Green Z. Bronson. each
hfterward Chief Justice OF the State.
| The list Of men OF mark under the second
here and there, Al tho head Of the honored
low Weed. Francis Granger Henry whea,on.
the celebrated writer on International law Ben
@s g@ N1S an ndg Gs1
mouE, John Young Johp 4. Dix. and samuel
John Tracy. Luther Bradish. George W. Pat
terson; sanford Z, Church. and Thomas O..
n men o. The period under review stand lie
veteran Michael Hoffman Of Herkimer. Ira
Harris. Judge OF the ,sugTeme Court and Sen:
ator in Congress- Ogd'n Hoffman the brilliant
Attorney. General. and ArphaSad LOOMS. one
u the authors OF the Code Of Procedure.
riaIs Of wien I the s Seaaie aud Assembly We're
| composed during this period. when we say that
. | II would De eilNl 70 ~eftt announcer llft OF MEM
bers. and still another, rs distinguished as
those We have mentioned; and We have, not
turned over the leaf 20 scan the names Of those
who have figured m the Legislature under our
present Constitution
CONSTITUTION MAKERs.
Since New York ssceded from the British
crown ~ has framed FOUR coh-Huuons 81 gov
eminent; Three ot these originals in the As
sembly chamber Of the old Capitol.
The State Convention that framed the COnsu'
tuition N 1921 was composed OF delegates who
We're Mt least the peers In legal attainmenis
forensic powers aud varied accomplishments
pendence or formed tho Federal Constitution
Chancellor Kent, Chief Justice Spencer Vice
President IompSl n9 s., an Tos Marin Van Buren,
The Convention ot ls46 WIS Teul-te with wis
dom and courage. With large experienro Of the
future. IL guiding light was Michael Hoffman
Samuel Nelson and Charles OConor wore mem
bers as were Churchill c, Cambrellng ant
Samuel J. Tiiden. The product Of their labors
has illustrated the fundamental truth that a
good. honest. economical government depends
less upon Us framework than upon the agen-
Only a small section Of the Constitution
adopted. Horace Greeley. William NJ. Eyarts
Sanford J.. Church. Samuel J. Tilden. and vii
liam A. Wheeler were among the delegates,
THE OLD JUDGES AND LAWYERS.
Tho highest courts in the State have Away
sat In this famous building The decisions @
the courts % New York have, from the FIRST vol
ume ~ johnson downward. held superior ranl
in the Judicial tribunals Of the Union. and hay
been quoted with APPRECIATION at London. Paris
and Berlin. In 1914 James Kent, the new Chan
cellor. took his seat in ono Of the small room
~ the building. Throwing its doors wide open
he caused the proceedings Of the court to b.
regularly reported, and thus poured Hood o
light along the track OF equity jurisprudence IL
this country
( Tho Old Supreme Court the Court Of Errors
and the Court Of Appeals. in the opinions pro
nouncrd by Kent Spencer. Thompson, Nelson
: Cowen. Sutherland Bronson DEMO, and SOM
| u their associates have illuminated all branche
~ the law in n style worthy OF the best efforts o
I Mansfield and Marshall
II would be impossible 10 summon 10 our ale
| any mode Of condensation or classification
| whereby we could convey An adequate idea o
| the long line Of eminent lawyers who hay
J | aided the bench Of this State in erecting Il
: judicial system on solid foundations. tn
. bench Of course. has been selected from til
| bnr. Besides this. the profession in Now Hnr
, | has furnished one Chief Justice and four As
J | spciate Justices 10 the Supreme Court Of I'll
United Statos AMI four Attorney Generals.
OF the early lawyers whose presence wa
' familiar IN tho old Capitol, il must suflce {
) mention Aaron Burr, Abraham Van NechtcI
; Ambrose spencer. Elisha Williams. DAM,
y | Cady John Y. Henry, a model advocate lIcfor
| the Court in bdHcD. and Thomas Adds Emme
= ! the eloquent Irish refugee
j 4 little further down tho limo we recoRn2
l.rffl md ca ~ Ia