The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-06-01
THE BIG WIGS.
A Look at the Men Who Compose thu
Court Of Last Resort.

Court Of Last Resort.
H. J. Ramsdell in Philadelphia Press.
I dropped in on the supreme court a
day or two ago. What jolly old set!
There was the chief justice, with iron
gray hair, thick and stiff, and whiskers
just the same, big nose and big
mouth, wrapped in black silk gown,
but looking very little like chief JUS
tice. But he attends to his business,
leaves politics to tho dogs, and is re-
spected by his associates. On his right,
oldest in commission of any one on the
bench, is Justice Miller, round and fat,
and 81, little bald, and closely-shaven
face. On the bench he is as cross as a
Ratchet, for he hates circumlocution and
shams and half the baxis made of them);
but off the bench he is as jolly, and kind,
and gentle as any man you ever saw.
He has Deen regarded for ten years the
ablest man on the bench. Tho three
last appointments on the bench may
change this, but 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,. specialized, full bearded,
with q Jewish cast Of countenance.
o1At"A0 nc ID, toO, do I'LL olAo 1ACAuo 1A
He writes strong opinions and is popu-
ion, and great traveller and scholar.
Drink? Yes, once in while. Miller
and Field, respectively, are the two old
est judges in commission on the bench.
Justice Bradley is the next in point
of rank-a thin, refined, closely.
shaven, gray-haired, scholarly, judicial
Seem to have much to say to any one.
Justice Harlan, fourth in rank Except
ing, of course, the chief justice), is a
specimen Kentuckian-a giant in his
way: Big body, big head, big hands,
big feet, long legs, long arms and long
headed, without doubt. He is at least
six feet six inches in height. He rents
a furnished house from friend of
mine, and my friend had to have made,
nine-foot bedstead, with mattress, blan-
kets, sheets, ETC., to correspond, and al
so one for the son of the Judge, who is
as tall. Judge Harlan was strong &C.
QUESTION to the bench and off. Chew
tobacco, did you say? Well, I should
think SO, and he knows glass of Bour-
bon when he tastes it. There is not
much known of Justice Wood. He is a
grizzly, slouchy man, whose personal
bearing and appearance are not at all
stricking. He is a judge ofappointment,
but he doesn't look ike one. Justice
Stanley Matthews is built on big mod
ell, physically and mentally. AS an in
tellectual force he scarcely has q supe.
rior on the bench. He is quiet in his
intercourse, and does not seem to care
to extend his acquaintance. Justice
Gray is tall, white-haired, peppery
old bachelor, who Snaps up everybody
and had rather quarrel than win a
cause. When he first came on the
bench here he was nearly killed with
heavy eating and drinking, but that time
is oyer. AS the old judges are very to
ikly to be popular. Judge Blatchford,
own 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 hand
some house on Rhode island avenue;
Judge Miller owns a house on Massa-
chusetts avenue. Judge Field has
large, we'll built house on Capitol hill-a
president from his brother Cyrus-a por-
tai prison. In this building Clay presid-
ed three terms as speaker of the house;
in front of this James Monroe and John
Quincy Adams were inaugurated presi-
dent. John G. Calhoun died in it.
Judge Bradley owns and occupies the
house on street which was given to
Gen. Grant, and from which
he was first inaugurated
Gen. Sherman then became the
owner, and from him Judge Bradley
purchased it. Judge Harlan lives in q
costly rented house; Judge Woods
building very imposing and costly
manson on Connecticut avenue oppo-
site the British legation, Judge Gray
boards at Wormley's; and Judge Blatch-
ford has just purchased $1,000 resi-
dence on K street. The mutations oftime
affect even the supreme court, for Of the
bench twenty years ago not single
judges of the bench of twelve years ago
remain, namely, Miller and Field; all
the others are dead, except Davis, now
in the senate, and swayne, retired.