The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-29
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Diack 5 uISIlCt OuO was w uiS
Graham, of Franklin county, tn,
other Democrat, James X. Nc
Clenahan, of Somerset. The latte
took umbrage because the appoint
ment was made without any con
ference of the administration with
him, and the Wings found in hil
dissatisfaction fine chance to rejec
partisan opponents appointment
John Strohm, of Lancaster, then {
leader among the Wings, entered
eagerly into the scheme, and pro
test against Black s confirmation wa.
sent to Somerset to be signed by th,
Whig members of the bar. In it.
stead came back their unanimou.
request for his confirmation. Mean
while Graham had been of the samt
mind, and bv the aid of his vote thu
Democrats confirmed the appoint
ment. For nine years he served the
people of that district, his fame
gradually spreading beyond its Dor.
ders, his opinions attracting atten
ton for their vigor and judicial ripe
ness and his popularity increasing
by reason of his rare social qualities,
for the exercise of which his enlarg.
ed duties furnished new occasion
The country was then thinly settled
and the modes of travel were primi-
tive. Judge Black rode on horseback
from Somerset to Bedford, from Bed
ford to McConnellsburg, and thence
to Chambersburg. His arrival at
each place was an evnt of interest
beyond the opening of court. He
rode powerful black horse of great
spirit, and as he went up and down
the mountain sides he took a fierce
delight in the onset of his impetuous
charger. 1t required the main
strength of two or three men to hold
him while his rider mounted and
when Judge Black was fairly in the
saddle it is well authenticated that
often he could not curb his speed to
stop at the top of the mountain for
dinner, and he never slackened his
pace until he brought up at his des-
tination.
1t was during this period that his
eulogy on Jackson, delivered at
Bedford, attracted wide notice and
comment and though the published
collection of the Jackson eulogies
does not contain it, it was the most
notable tribute paid to his memory.
Certain traits of character in COM
mon peculiarly fitted him to form
and express correct analysis of
Jackson's genius and a proper esti
mate of his public services.
Under the Constitutional amend
ments making Judges elective Judge
Black was chosen, with Lewis, Glib
son, Lowry and Coulter, to the Su-
preme bench and, the respective
lengths of their terms being decided
by lot, he drew the short term of
three years, which made him Chief
Justice at once, and in 1854 he was
reelected by large majority, the
wave of know,Nothingism. then
sweeping over the land never reach-
ing the hem of his robe. His decis.
ions are ornaments to the reports
and are familiar to lawyers, being
distinguished by all the virility of
his later style. His eulogy On Glib.
son has long been famous as one of
the most eloquent of forensic efforts.
When did orator more gracefully
blend modesty of self-allusion with
high praise to his subject than in
this sentence: "When he was NOM
inally superseded by another as the
head of the court, his great learning.
venerable character and overshadow-
ing reputation still made him the
only chief whom the hearts of the
people would know" The eulogv is
classic. 1t has long been upheld as
a model Of composition and at that
day took It's place in the readers as a
model for the schools.
IN THE CABINET.
After two years Of sesvice in the
term of fifteen years for which he
was reelected, when Mr.. Buchanan
was elected President, he called
Judge Black from the bench to his
Cabinet as legal adviser, and he con
tinued in that position until Decem-
Der, 1860, when he became Secretary
of State, and SO remained until the
end of Mr.. Bhchanan's term. As
Attorney General of the United
States his most conspicuous servi-
ces were rendered in the protection
of the settlers under government
patents in California against fraudu.
lent land grants, purporting to be
of Mexican origin. In the treaty
due respect to genuine original Mex
lean land grants had been guaran-
teed, and this offered great incentive
to the fabrication Of bogus grants,
against which the government in
terposed to protect the settlers un-I
der its own patents. Attorney Gen.
eral Black won all these eases for
the government and its settlers he
exposed the forgery and perjury of
the false witnesses, settled the prin-
ciples by which the courts were
guided in their judgment. and pre-
pared for the ready use of the court
a huge chart of the professional wit
nesses who were relied on to swear
the cases through. The city Of San
Francisco was covered three. deep
with these bogus grants and Attor-
ney General Black saved the city
from confscation. t..a.I "A
1t was his association with him in
these cases tina: directed Blacks at
tention to Edwin NJ. Stanton and
when he took the portfolio of State
it was at his suggestion that Mr.. |
Buchanan appointed Stanton Attor.
ney General. mainly with a view to
a successful continuance of the de-
fense of the California patents which
Mr.. Stanton successfully carried on. !
As Secretary of State Judge Black
made vigorous opposition to the
secession movement. He led the
Northern wing of the Cabinet in
favor of reinforcing Fort Sumter.
He issued instructions to our foreign
representatives to recognize no dis
integration of the Republic, declar-