St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-01-27

can party, we both became and con-
tinued of that faith. In IS4S | was
elected to the bench, and from that
time till 1857 Judge PierpOint practiced
his profession in courts where | presid-
ed, or in which | sat as a member of
the supreme court. Our acquaintance
became extended, as we met more fire.
quently. But my real intimacy with
Judge Pierpoint dates from his election
to the bench in 1857. From that time
till | resigned my place in 1865, little
more than eight years, we were asso-
ciated on the bench, and our intimacy
and friendship became as close and
cordial, believe, as such things can he.
He was very charming socially; had a
great fund of quiet, quaint wit, and
relished good story or IA good joke.
He remembered every piece of wit and
| fun he had ever seen or heard, and
hardly anything occurred but put him
in mind of something which he would
relate for the amusement of us all.
From 1860, when became chief JUS
tice, till my retirement, the court re
manned without change. Adds, Pier
point, Barrett, Kellogg and Peck were
my associates, and although it may he
IA little foreign to what | am writing,
want to say that there was never a
more perfectly harmonious court.
never knew of the slightest jealousy or
| i'll feeling between any two of the
members. We did not always agree
about cases, and we argued and debat-
ed them stOutly, and hotly sometimes,
but no wounds were left to heal. Very
likely others may not think so highly
of that court as | do, but that will
hardly change my opinion. | can hard
| ly speak of the character and quality of
Judge PierpOint, without substantially
repeating what others have said. His
character was as open as the day !;
there was no pretence or make believe
about him. Any discerning man could
see Just what manner of man he was.
His manners and: habits were of the
| plainest and simplest. At the head of
the highest tribunal of the state, he
was as modest and retiring as any pri-
vate citizen could be. He possessed IA
peculiar amiability. He not only
strictly regarded the rights of others,
| but he regarded the feelings of others
as well, and the humblest party and
the crudest lawyer who appeared be
fore him were treated with the same
kindly consideration which he accorded
to those of the highest rank or the
greatest ability.
Judge Pierpoint was not boOkish
| lawyer and did not excel in technical
learning. But he was thoroughly
grounded in the great foundations of
the law, and his great quality as a
judge consisted III applying general
/ IN nd
multiform condition of human action
and dealing. He had, too, an Unborn
sense and love of justice without
which no man is really fit for Judge, J
and his administration of the law was
always accompanied by sincere de-
sire to produce justice in the given
case. He had Il great hatred of all
mere shams and devices, and rare
faculty, which seemed at times an in
stinct, i'll discovering them, and when
he did, woe to the offender. The mild
and kindly chief justice would deal
heavy blows on his head. Judge Pier
point was perfectly cOntcnted with his
position on the bench. His mind was
not distracted by dreams of political
ambition, nor soured by political dis
appointment, like Chief Justice Chase,
and many others of less degree. His
only ambition was to do his duty faith
| fully.
Since Judge Pierpoint became chief
Justice | have often appeared and ar
gued many cases in his court, and
though the old intimacy of colleagues
was gone, our most familiar friendship
has continued undated. No man
whom have ever known have loved
and respected more sincerely, and no
man whom | have ever known was
more earnest and sincere in his friend
ship for me. But he is gone gone full
of years and honors. Had he lived to
serve out his term he would have
served IA quarter of a century, the same
length of service with Chief Justice
Royce and Chief Justice Redfield. His
term of service as chief justice eX-
ceeds that of any other. He was the
last of those with whom | served, and
the court consists now wholly of Judges
who have come to the bench since
left it. How rapidly time changes
things, and especially men. | have
seen for some years that the labor of
his office was too heavy for the feeble
health and increasing years of the
chief Justice. There was constant
look of painful WEAKNESS about him.
At the last session of the legislature |
aided what | could to have him reliev-
ed from it. Had he then been relieved
from labor and care, think he might
have lived for a much longer period to
enjoy the love and respect of his many
friends, and the veneratiOn of all the
people of the state.
The memory of Judge PierpOint will
be very sacred to those who knew him
and his lOvable and amiable character.
His fame in after times as a jurist will
not be cOrrespondingly great. He was
not the author Of any of those great,
learned, commanding judgments which
have made some men, of less real use
fulness, famous in the annals of the
law. There is no great opportunity
for such things on the bench in a quiet
agricultural state like Vermont. But
the lamented judge had no ambition
III that way. He did his utmost to be
a practical, useful judge among his
fellow-men. The idea of winning any
fame for himself never entered his
mind. Long will it be before we see
another so rare Il man.