Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-08-24

nally Democrat, but the nomination
of General Jacksof,, Ia 1924, drove him
into the Wing ranks. He TOOK much
interest In politics, and was very pop
ular In his section. For many years
he was an associate justice OF Somerset
county, and his son argued his first
case before him. In lS4l the Demo-
Gratis had determined to nominate
Jere Black for congress, and the Wing
confrerees had all been chosen to name
Joshua r. Cox. When they met, how
ever, they chose Henry Black, TO pre-
vent his sons nomination by the Dem
ocrats. Although importuned, he
would not become a candidate against
his father, and thus Henry Black went
TO congress, and his sons feet were
turned In u political direction. Henry
Black died In the first year Of his con-
ltressional term. The event which
placed Jere Black In opposition to his
father and. In an equivocal position
with his party has been referred to by
him as the most painful of his political
career. AT the aye Of seventeen he be-
gan to study law in the Office Of
Chauncey Forward, then member Of
congress. Before he had studied three
years Mr.. Forward had Mr.. Black adj
mitted, and then went to congress, GER
tilted all his clients eases to him and
left him, before he was yet of age, with
q practice on his hands which, ut the
second term after his admission, in
cluded one side of every civil and Grim
inal case on the trial list.
When he was twenty-eight years of
age he married Miss Mary Forward,
his perceptor's daughter. In lsi3 he
was appointed judge of the court Of
common pleas, for the circuit com
posed of the counties of Franklin,
Somerset, Bedford, Blair, and Fulton,
In which position he remained until
he was mnde chief justice of the SUI
preme court of the state in 1851. He
delivered an eulogy at Bedford on the
life and character of General Jackson,
which has long been considered mas
ter piece of English.
Every one who has made Pennsyl-
vania law II study knows what emf
hence he attained as chief justice. His
opinions are models OF judicial rhet-
oric. In 1854 his term expired, and
being renominated by the Democratic
convention he was triumphantly cleo
ted. He had the distinction of being
the only judge of the supreme court
ever reelected In Pennsylvania. In
this position Judge Black was not des-
tined to remain long being appointed
encouragement on the organization
Of President Buchanan's administra-
ton in 1857. He was the fourth Penn
sylvanian who had held that high
position. 1t is not too much to say
that Judge Black was the lead
ing spirit OF Buchanan's administrn-
ton. Going to Washington as he
did, the especial friend Of the presi-
dent, with II countrywide reputation
as n jurist and n scholar, 1t was natu.
raj that he should mt once take front
seat in the political counsels of his
party and first place IN the society of
the national capital rs the crisis Of
1860 drew near, Judge Black was first
called on to give an official and pro-
fessional opinion on the relations of the
executive To the revolving states of the
South, and as natural consequence,
on the retirement OF General Cass he
became secretary of state.
In this celebrated paper, Attorney
General Black reviewed at length the
whole question of states rights, and
the power and duty of the executive
in the impending crisis.
Since his tilial retirement from otli-
cial life in 1851, for the last twenty
two years, Judge Black has been ac-
lively engaged in the practice of the
law in the highest branches. He was
one of the chosen advocates of Presi-
dent johnson, but did not act.