New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-26

ford of the United States Supreme Court, died az
Cornish at o'clock this morning.
Associate Justice Clifford was born at hum
pev Grafton County New Hampshire August 1S lSoo
His grandfather officer in the Revolutionary
army and served through the war from buhher III "
Yorktown. His father farmer ana MS hoV"oi We"
woman of unusual strength of character Nathan was
IN only son and when fourteen years old his mother Sc
cured him the privilege or study NJ HaVerhI
Academy remained there three years. Wncn no We"
called home by the death OF MS ia'ner III io-o
While at the Academy he had supported
himself TO some extent by teaching SCHOOL,
Tho deoth of his father prevented MN from
carrying out his cherished wish for college educao'
but his earnings the Academy had been suele' 10
enable him TO spend year at the Hampton Literary III
stitution At eighteen years he entered the ia"
office Josiah Quincy, leading lawyer oil GRAFTON
County where he remained for five years During that
time alone through the whole course Oh cocSo
study beside reading law In May 1877, ne was ao-
mtted to the bar, and at once removed TO horh oo''
Maine Soon after he married Hannah Aver, OF new
field who survives him His abilities speaker soon
brought him the local political field, ana III 1851 nc
was the Maine House of Representatives as
by large majority. In ease OF the three io
lowing years no reelected, serving the last TWO
wears as speaker In 1884 he was appointed Attorney
General for the State Maine and this Office he beld
with success for four years.
Judge Clfords career at Washington began in 1889,
when he was elected LIST District Democrat to
the xXvIth Congress He received majority of ZOOS
the Wing candidate lie was reelected to the
XXVIIth Congress, receiving n majority OF 9oo over
Daniel Goodenow (Wh). During his two terms IN Con-
gress he established reputation as an accomplished
debater and skilled parliamentarian In 1914 Judge
Clifford active part in the campaign which re-
suited in the election of President Polk and in 1916 he
appointed AttorneyGCneral of the United states,
which position he held from Deoember %, 1916. TO
March II, 1913. He served as a Commissioner to
Mexico with the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Min
lister Plenpotentiary, from March IS 1S4S to septem
Der 6, lS49.
On his return home. Judge Clifford resumed the prac
tice of Portland. on January 2S, 1858, he was
appointed by President Buchanan Justice of
Supreme of the United States, TO fill the va
cancy the resignation of Benjamin r. Curtis,
of Massachusetts. When he took his seat Judge
Clifford was in his fifty fifth year, and was the
youngest Judge then the Supreme Court bench,
with the exception of John A. Campbell of Alabama,
who resigned in 1861 to go into the Rebellion with his
State. For than decade he had been the senior
member OF the Supreme Court both in and length OF
service He of the last links which
connected the Federal Judiciary with the period
OF the last Democratic Administration. In 1878
Judge Clifford had the privilege under the law of
firing pension, but it was generally supposed that
he delayed retiring because he expected the election of
Democratic President both in 1876 and 1880
One of the famous with which Justice Clifford
has been connected was that OF Johnson against General
Neal Dow, which claim for the value of sugar and
other goods taken by the atters soldiers in Louisiana i'll
the Judgment given for the plaintiff in the
Louisiana courts and Justice Clifford, sitting in Maine
In 1876. sustained the judgment. Tho possibility that
this decision might be the entering wedge for number
less claims growing out of the the
of good deal of criticism at that time.
The went to the United states Supreme Court,
where the other Justices joined in opinion
overruling Judge Clidords decision. When the
Supreme Court affirmed i'll 1870 the consttutonahty of
the Legal-Tender acts, Justice Clifford of the
members of the United States Supreme Court who
were appointed on the Electoral Commission by
the bill which passed Congress early in 1877
They elected fifth member, Justice Brad
ley. Justice Clifford being "the person longest
commission of Justices" by the provision
creating the commission made its presiding
officer In all of the test votes Justice Clifford voted
with the Democrats or Justice Clifford presiding
officer correspondent wrote at the time that he
anlng IN LABOR dgent IN attention ana prompt and
decided III presiding; ana TO ln more than to any one
else is the country indebted for steady progress aud
Judge Clifford firm believer in Mr.. Tuden's right
TO the Presidency, and he avoided the White House dur
ing President Hayes's Administration. Justice Clifford
always took ground AGAINST the Federal idea in the
With Justice Field in dseung opinion MIN S 20 test e
SUSTAINING the Federal Election laws.
well, and continued his industrious and faithful habits
until s,TcSen With paralysis last October while return
ing TO Washington During the winter his mental facu
ties became impaired aud about the same time he had
larry I'M, spring ne Ment -, 10 Portland and
Cornish, Me- aud early this month gangrene appeared in
his foot Week before last his loot was anputated
expected az any moment. In his personal appearance
marked integrity and hard worker as a lawyer and
Judge In the performance of his duties he spared
far into the night in the preparation OF opinions which
form considerable part OF more than forty volumes of
Supreme Court Reports. In 1869 published two vol
OF United States Circuit Reports edited in
Ing law Portland, Judge Clifford possessed one OF the
best law Libraries IN Maine In his social intercourse he