The Portland daily press., 1882-05-11
IS More Irreverence. *
A Washington CORRESPONDENTS Off
Hand sketches IN the supreme Court
Room.


The supreme court of the United States
that great harbinger, sheet-anchor, safety
valve, etc., of our hberties-77has during the
week sat with full bench for the first time in
three years. dropped in on the court day
or two ago. What a jolly old setl There was
the chief jusice, with iron gray hair, thick and
stiff, and whiskers just the same, big nose
and big mouth, wrapped in his black silk
gown, but looking verylittle like chief JUS
tice. But he attends to his BUSINESS, leaves
politics to the dogs and is respected by his as
sociates. On his right, Oldest in commission
of any one on the bench, is Justice Miller
round and fat and sixty-four, little bald and
closely shaven face. On the bench he is as
cross as Ratchet, for he hates circumlocution
and shams land half the bar is made OF them):
but off the bench he is as jolly and kind and
gentle as any man you ever saw He has been
regarded for years as the ablest man on the
bench. The three last appointments on the
bench may change this, but I doubt it..
On the chief Justices left is Justice Field,
appointed as a Republican,, but now q pesky
old Democrat. He is tall bald headed, spec
tacled, full bearded, with Jewish cast OF coun-
tenance SDlart he is too, as all the Fields are
He writes strong opinions and Is popular. He
is most entertaining companion and great
traveller and scholar. Drink? yes, once in a
while. Mller ana El6iu respectively are tl6
two oldest judges in commission on the bench.
Justice Bradley is the next in point of rank -
a thin, refined, closely shaven, gray-haired,
scholarly, judicial looking old gentleman,
who doesn't seem to have much to say to any
one. Justice Harlan, fourth In rank Except
ling, of course the chief justice,) is specimen
Kentuckian-a giant in his way. Big body,
tibig head, big hands, big feet, long arms and
long headed, without doubt. Be is at least
six feet six inches in height He rents fur
nished house from friend of mine, and my
friend had to have made especially for the
great Kentuckian, nine-foot bedstead, with
mattresses blankets, sheets, etc., to CORE
spond, and also one for the son OF the judge,
who is tall. Judge Harlan was a strong ae-
QUESTION to the bench, and is popular on tie
bench aud off. Chew tobacco, did you say?
well should think SO, and he knows glass Of
bourbon when he tastes it. There is not much
known of Justice Woods. He is grizzly,
slouching man, whose personal bearing and APP
pearance are not at all striking. He is judge
by appointment but he doesn't look like one.
Justice Stanley Matthews is built on big
model, physically and mentally. He is self
poised, dignified and fine looking. AS an in
tellectual force he scarcely has a superior on
the bench. He is quiet in his intercourse and
does not seem to care to extend his acqualn-
lance. Justice Gray is a tall, white-haired,
peppery old bachelor, who snaps up everybody
and had rather quarrel than win cause. When
he first came on the bench here he was nearly
killed with heavy eating and drinking, but
that time is over. As the old judges are very
tenacious of the rights of seniors he is not like
ly to be popular Justice Blatchford, the last
appointment, looks like George w Childs and
is, therefore, clean, genial, affable, we'll
dressed and kindly natured-- else looks do not
count.
Chief Justice Waite lives in a handsome
house on Rhode Island avenue; Judge Miller
owns fine house on Massachusetts avenue;
Judge Field has large, well-built house on
Capitol Hill-a present from his brother Cyrus
"a portion Of what was once known as the old
Capitol prison. In this building Henry Clay
presided three terms as speaker of the house,
and in front of it James Monroe and John
Quincy Adams were inaugurated President.
John G. Calhoun died in it. Judge Bradley
owns and occupies the house on / street which
was given to General Grant and from which he
was first inaugurated. General Sherman then
became the owner and from him Judge Brad
ley purchased it, Judge Harlan lives in a
costly rented house; Judge Woods boards on
G street; Judge Matthews is building a very
imposing and costly mansion on Connecticut
avenue, opposite the British legation; Judge
Gray boards at Wormley's, and Judge Blatch-
ford has just purchased $50 600 house on *
street. The mutations of time affect even the
supreme court, for of the bench twenty years
ago not single judge remains--al dead. Only
two Judges of the bench of twelve years ago re-
main, namely, Miller and Field-alI the Others
are dead, except Davis now in the Senate
and Swayne, retired. So - l.ft