The Portland daily press., 1881-07-29
NATHAN CLIFFORD.
Funeral Of the Late Justice.

The funeral Of the late Justice Clifford took
place from the First Parish church yesterday
afternoon at o'clock, after preliminary SER
vices at the house of his son, Mr.. VIM. FL.
Clifford on Vau CHAN street. The body pews
on the right of the broad aisle were reserved
for the family, and those on the left for the
distinguished strangers and members of the
Bar. The ushers were Hon. w. W. Thomas,
Jr., Geo, E. Bird, Edward P. and Franklin G.
Payson.
The members of the legal profession met at
go O'Clock in the United States Court room,
where they were formed in procession under
the marshalship of Gen. Nathaniel P Banks,
.. S. Marshal of Massachusetts,, in the absence
of Marshal Murray Of Maine, and proceeded to
the church. We noticed among those present
Judge Sanger Of Boston, j. W. Bradbury of
Augusta, Ex-senator of Maine and President
of the Maine Historical Society; Judge Blod-
get OF Chicago, U. S. District Judge Of Illinois;
j. P. Knowles, ex-Judge of the .. S. District
Court, Providence, r. l.; District Attorney
W. f. Lant, Portland; John Stetson, Clork q.
S. Circuit Court, Boston; R. D. Smith and
Joshua D. Ball, Boston; U S. Marshal Coggs-
we'll of Rhode Island; W. ii. Hackett, Clerk
q. S. Circuit Court, Portsmouth, N. H; Gen.
J. A. Beaver of Bellefonte, Pa; Hon. Ira T.
Drew of Boston; the Judges of the Supreme
Court of Maine; Joseph and Orville D. Baker
of Augusta A. II. Davis, Clerk Of the U. S.
Circuit Court, Portland; W. P. Preble, clerk
of the U. S. District Court, Portland; q. S.
Deputy Marshals Smith and Townsend Port
land; Hon. VIM, Emery, Alfred; Hon. d. Il.
Hastings, Oxford; John S. Derby, Esq, Saco;
Hon. Thomas B. Reed, NJ G. First District
Maine; Geo. T. Emery, ex-clerk o. S. Circuit
Court, Maine; Hons. Nathan Webb and Geo.
f. Talbot, ex-District Attorneys for Maine; S.
c.. Strout, president; W. L. Putnam, vice pre-
sident Of the Cumberland Bar Association;
Gen. S. j. Anderson; Hon. S. G. Andrews;
Judge Bonney and ex-Judge Goddard Of the
Superior Court, Judge Peabody and ex-J udge
Nathan Cleayes of the Probate Court, Attorney
Gen. H. B. Cleaves, Hon. M. P. Frank, ex-
Speaker Of the House; Hon. j. FL. Drummond,
Gen. James ID. Fessenden, G. f. Libby, Esq,
A. W. Coombs, Gen. G. 2. Mattocks, Hon. j.
J. Perry, A. A. Strout, George T. Holmes, B.
| D. Verrill, Hon. L. D. M. Sweat, Hon. George
Walker, S. L. Larrabee, e. NJ Rand, Lewis
Pierce and many others.
| At the church we noticed Hon. John Lynch,
ex-Governors Washburn and Perham, Ezra
Carter, ex-collector of the port; Col. John M.
Adams of the Argus; Mayor Senter and several
| Of the memb ers Of the City Government The
| galleries were occupied chiefly by ladies'
| On the communion table, in front of the
| pulpit, rested superb floral design represent
| ing the scales of justice, and upon the scales
| lay a broken sword. The design was some
three feet in height, and two feet in breadth
| at the base. There was also a superb floral
| pillow bordered with rosebuds and bearing in
| violets on white ground the motto, ellis
Labors Done" The casket, an elegant metal
| lie one, was placed in front Of the table and
bore on plain silver plate the inscription:
Nathan Clifford,
Born August ID, 1903,
Died July %, 1881.
| On the casket was placed a beautiful floral
sickle enclosing a sheaf of wheat
AS the procession entered the edifce the
choir of the church sang Barnby's "Sleep the
Last Sleep. The pastor, Rev. DR.. Hill, then
| read passages from the Scripture, followed by
the Booth Hymn Infinite God! Thy greatness
| spraed," tn music by Kotzschmar. DR.. Hill
then delivered the following address:
ADDRESS OF DIR. HILL.
When a man of SO distinguished character
and posi- ton is called away we feel that the
| whole community has right to take part in
| the memorial services. Our friend was not
| simply citizen of our city and our State, his
labors were for the whole country and for the
| world; his honsrs and reputation were CO.
| extensive with the English speaking nations.
| Men who know nothing of the particular
| labors, the particular results, by which he
| achieved so high position in his own chosen
y~x,orr hat
| high; and that it was honestly and honorably
obtained. This is one of the public benefits of
| such character as our brother exhibited. 1t
| is a standing proof of the real dignity and
| value of simple righteousness. fidelity and in
| dustry.
Those of us who have least purely legal knowl-
| edge, and are like myself wholly Incompetent
| to judge Of the value of legal and judicial ac-
| quirements and achievements, still know that
| the high position which has honored the de-
| parted, was also honored by him; that it was
| adorned by sweet simplicity and purity of
character; by a genial temper, by heart capa-
BILE of lasting friendship by vast stores of learn
| ing; by the most unwearied industry; by
| patient fidelity to duty which was never
| shaken nor relaxed. We are not capable of
estimating the value OF his legal opinions and
| decisions, but we are capable of admiring, re-
| veripg and loving this noble character.
In early life he chose his course; it is sixty
| years or more since he set his face resolutely
| toward his goal; he would be faithful. Fifty
| four years ago he took his oath On admission to
| the bar in the adjoining county We, who
| know nothing of the details of law, know that
he has been for fifty -four years faithful to that
oath. Nothing has sullied his honor, nothing
has tempted him even to linger on his APP
| pointed way much less to step aside. He has
| devoted himself nobly to the pursuit of
| noble profession profession which is one of
| the most divine of human pursuits, turning
| the very sin and injustice Of man into means
OF furthering justice and maintaining truth.
| From seeming evil still educiDg good
And better thence in infinite progression.
Fifty-four years of such labor has brought it's
| reward, the reward he sought, and more than
| he sought. He sought to satisfy his own con-
| science, his demand upon himself, his per-
] ception that God had put US into this Eden to
| dress and to keep it, His ambition was to be a
| good and faithful servant; he would spare him
self no labor that could make his mastery of
| the facts and the law more perfect, or his ex-
| position of them more exact and clear. The
| ambition vas gratifed. He became learned he
| became able to WELD that immense learning
| with power and ease. And other rewards were
| abundantly added, the love and respect of
men, the honors of high Office worthily filed
peace of conscience, and good hope through
| grace. And if it be permitted him in the
! Divine mercy to be witness to our solemnities
here this day, it cannot be displeasing to him,
if the rejoicing in his triumph, and the proud
| recognition OF his virtues, swallow up, except
| in the hearts of his vrey nearest and dearest,
the sense of pain and loss in his removal
He has gone to higher labors, and will reap
yet higher joys. He has gone to meet the be-
loved ones of his heart, who passed through
the doorway of death before him. He has
gone to the presence of that Redeemer in
whom he reverently believed, and whose in
tercourse with the family at Bethany sanctions
and hallows every tie Of kindred. He has
gone to join the immortal company of those
who have been faithful on earth and have re-
ceiyed the crown of heavenly life. He has
gone where his vision will be wider and clearer;
and ever expanding areas of knowledge will
be mastered with more ease; where his heart
will be even kindlierand his affections take in
wider and wider circles of friends; where his
will shall be ever growing more efficient car
rying out purposes of good. The imagination
utterly fails us in our attempts to portray that
heavenly life; the figures under which proph-
cts and poets have represented it, are, of course
mere figures, and give us no real image. But
this we know and are persuaded by the Lord
Jesus, that in the Fathers house are many
mansions; that Gods power and love are more
boundless than this external universe; that
God is never weary in blessing, and that as the
real joys of our adult life exceed the childish
imaginations of the infant, so and even more
wonderfully shall the glories of the heavenly
| etc aynpad all the DraviOuS i'm aOip atio of