New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-14
"rJCE-PgFSTDEVTr D1CTS

Ono Of the noticeable features Of the peaceful
couuter-reyolution which effected yesterday N
the senate of the United State, the good natde
amounting to hilanty, with which the Senators rC
carled the accession OF Judge Davis 90 the chair.
Mob dy felt that any harm was d0no when man So
universally liked was voted INTO ,ne chief place q
the Senate He is not one Of the veterans of tho
Chambcr-he has not vet completed his first term-but
il is hardly too much say that every Senator ~
his personal friend. lie a of peculiarly genial
and winning qualities. He WIS one OF the pioneer
lawyers Of Illinois, and although favored with
better education and wider knowledge OF the
world than that possessed by most OF ms
contemporaries. he made his way in that
most democratic of all societies by virtue 81
the Qualities of frank and genuine manhood.
He was one II that goodly fellowship OF Wing
LAWYERS which held the faith 50 stoutly fol many
wears against an overwhelming Democratic major.
ity and. when the Anti-Nebraska party grew up
ont Of the chaos into which politics in the West
were plunged by the destruction Of the Wing or
ranization and the repeal of the missouri Compro-
misc David Davis, with Lincoln, Archie Williams
Leonard SWEET, Browning. stephen ~. Logan and
others laid the foundation of Illinois Republican,
ism so broad and deep that 1t has lasted IN all IT'S
strength to this day OF all the founders of the
party. David Davis was perhaps the most uni
vcrsally popular in the state with personal popu-
larity entirely distinct from political stand
ing which in fact he neither possessed
in any great degree nor especially cared
for. We hear great deal Of iincoIHs
intimate friends the traditional i've hun
drcd' is only tho beginning of the catalogue
with which readers of newspapers arc familiar
Those who knew him well, knew how siuguiarly
narrow was the range Of his iutmacrs Few great
Il ,,,t f..tv.r sal %
first and foremost in that narrow circle was David
Davis There was something in the open, whole
some breezy large nature OF Davis which
was extremely attractive to the moro uH-
even and serious temperament of Lincoln.
When hc became Prcsldcut-an event which he
owed in great measure 10 tho mtIrng work. az Chi
cago and before. Of Davis, Logan, Marshall and
.Judd-DaYi. was one OF those who asked Tor moth
Ing and might have Thought hc was forgotten until
the death If judge Mclean made Il vacancy on the
bench Of the supreme Court. Th.Ic was great com
petition for the place, but Lincoln never haI bpt one
intention N regard TO l.. IL think that place viii
Jus, ht David DAVIS" he said, and hc gave II to him
without word of solicitation.
The Judge is the sort of man of whom stories are
SIRE TO be told The blroi Illinois and Indiana
have endless anecdotes of him 81, lawyer aud WagI5-
tratc During the campaign Of 1860 his whole
diiacy. and his mind was apt to wander in that
direction even while no was on the bench Il is
said on one occasion, when q prosy attorney
VA. darkcuiug counsel with much language that
tle Judge went Of INTO the realms oi conjecture
about the size OF thr vote that Douglas would get
The lawyer happened to say, " And now, your
Honor the matter rests IN this state The last
,yor reused the Judge from his rcyerc. Still
thinking Of the Little Giant, hc cried, "Statc!
state! be won't carry county, After his
translation to the supreme Bench, thc added
dignity was not enough TO qucnch wholly the
fir, OF his temperament. lie relates himselfa whin-
seal story of his first day on that Bench. He was
unite impressed with the Importance of his iunc-
tons and listened with all his 10 what was go-
ing ON. A Young lawyer was making what our cX-
Senator would call "a hacyon aud vocilerous"
,pcech. After the haranue had lasted for an hour
Judge Gricr. who was seated next to Davis, turned
IA if TO speak to him. Davis inclined his head, ca
pcctng 10 hear some profound observation on the
law of the case. The venerable Grcr
whispered, % that fellow! He makes such
row / can't sleep" Judge Davis soon got to be
very much at home the Bench, and especially en-
loved his circuit duties in ms old field Of work in
the West He was greatly liked by the bar, though
he had an eye like hawk for any manifestation Of
mcanncss creed. IL Is related that one occa-
sion in Indiana, when certain case was called, ore
OF the parties asked for continuance AS his counsel
was absent. The lawyer on the other side de
handed an immediate hearing Davis looked at
him with dangerous smile, and said Very well
my flcn We d 20 on if you say so. But ought TO
tell YOU tuat in such eases | always think 1t my
duty to look out Tor the side that is not represented
by counsel We had a ease OF that sort in Tcrre
Ilaute the other day, where man insisted on going
on when the other side wasn't there and singular
a. it may seem. We beat that fellow" The case
was continued