Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-10-13

torly report on the condition and work
ing of the pension bureau, derived
from investigation by order of the
House, he soon made, and followed
this by bill which was calculated to
prevent future abuses. Bounty land
warrants, which before this had been
personal property, and become the
plunder OF a dishonest ring, which at
one single time had seized upon over
one hundred thousand acres OF land,
were changed TO reality, through his
efforts, and so guarded that only the
rightful owners, their legal heirs or
assigns, could obtain them.
His forensic ability first became
known to the House in discussion
concerning the character OF an invalid
Pension. He had asserted that an In
valid Pension, for death or disability
Of soldier in the service, in the line
of his duty, was contract right This
was denied by some of the leading Re.
publicans of the House, who alleged
it was mere gift of gratuity, and a
warm debate ensued, at the conclusion
Of which Mr., jerks made legal argu
ment, tracing the legislation on the
subject from and since the Revolution
ary war, and establishing so conclus
lively the position he assumed, that it
has not since been denied This was
soon succeeded by legal discussion
concerning the refusal of Hallett Xii
bourne to testify before a committee of
the House.
The legal prominence he had already
attained led the House to elect him as
one of the seven managers on part of
the House to conduct tho mpeach-
mont of Secretary Belknup, the others
being Messrs Lord, Knott, Lynde,
Mcmahon, Hoar and Lapham. On
that trial before the Senate the De.
fendant was represented by three
leading lawyers Of the Nation Hon.
Jeremiah S, Black, Hon. Matt Car
penter and Hon. Montgomery BLAIR
DIR. jerks was selected by the managers
as one of the Committee to draw the
pleadings. He was afterwards ap-
pointed to make one of the arguments
on the question of the jurisdiction of
the Senate to impeach after the officer
had resigned, and subsequently, in
consequence of the illness of Mr.. Lap
ham, he was selected to discuss the
facts. His legal attainments were on
this trial made conspicuous to the
Senate and the Nation, and conceded
to be unsurpassed by any in the cause.
The subject Of the distribution of
the Geneva Award came before the
House on majority and minority re-
ports from the Judiciary Committee
Mr.. jerks offered an amendment to
the majority report, and in support of
the amendment and report as amended,
made an argument involving some of
the most difficult questions of interna.
tional law. Tho report, as amended
by him, was passed by the House.
Soon after the meeting OF the second
session he was appointed by Speaker
Randall one ofthe committee of fifteen,
to investigate the conduct of the elec.
tions in Louisiana, and on his return
was appointed by the Chairman of the
Democratic Caucus, with Mr.. Field OF
New York, and Mr.. Tucker of Vir.
ginia, TO represent the Democracy of
the House preparing presenting and
discussing the facts and the law before
the Electoral Commission. Itfell to Mr..
jerks to make the opening arguments
in the cases Of Louisiana and Oregon.
While he was engaged in the discussion
of the first Of these cases before the
Commission, Senators Thurman and
Bayard sat sidc by side. Senator
Bayard passed note of admiration of
the argument 10 Senator Thurman,
and in response received the following
reply; "rhe more hear this man, the
more ! admire him. He reasons like
a Newton or LaPlacc. He has spoken
half an hour and has not uttered a
suporhuous word" This compliment.
AIRY opinion was generally concurred !
in by those who heard or read the pro.
ceedings before the Electoral Com.
mission.
In most of the legal discussions that
arose in the House Mr.. jerks partici-
pated, in addition to the full perform.
ance of his duties on the very laborious
Committee OF which he was Chairman.
At the expiration of his congressional
term, he Immediately resumed his pro.
fessional pursuits, in which he has
ever since been engaged. His extens-
i've practice has included almost every
branch that arises in the State and
covers very broad range of area.
His election TO the Supreme bench Of
the State will be but a just recognition
of his superior legal attainments.
CRIME UPoN CRIME.-Judge Black
has been liberally quoted by the Re.
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