The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-10-29
Vermont Bar Association.

The annual meeting of the bar association
was held last evening in the court room,
Hon. BE. Fifeld, the president, in the chair,
George w. Wing, Esq, secretary, Hon.
Hiram Carleton, treasurer. Chief Judge
Royce, and Judges Redfield, Ross Powers,
Neazey and Rowell were present and
among the well-known members of the bar in
attendance We're the following: Hon. Luke
7. Poland, Colonel Aldace f. Walker, Hon.
w. III. Walk +, Hon l.. III. Thompson, Hon.
George W. Harmon, Hon. H. c. Ide, Hon.
Roswell Farnham, Hon. Walter G. Dunton,
Hon. j. +. Dickerman, Hon. f. j. Ormsbee,
Hon. Daniel Roberts, Hon. w. c. French,
Hon. 5. NJ Gleason, Hon. S. b. Hebard,
Hon. j. j. Wilson, Colonel Joel c. Baker,
T. NJ. Harvey, Esq, Hon. Charles W.
Porter, Hon. +, Henry Powell, Hon. n. L.
Boyden, Hon. Henry r. Start, ID. Curtis
Smith, Esq. A. p. Cross, Esq, W. II. II.
Bingham Esq, Heman A. Royce, ESD.
Alexander Dunnett, Esq, Elisha May, Esq.
Hon. William =. Dillingham;, f. NJ. Butler,
Esq, p. Redfeld Kendall, Esq, f. w. Nc
Gettrick, Esq, Hon: George A. Ballard,
Hon; R; c. Abell, L. F. Wilbur, Esq, Rob
ert Roberts, Esq, J. G. Martin, Esq,
J. X. Darling, Esq, w. w. Stickney, Esq,
H. c. Bates, Esq, S. c. Shurtleff, Esq, II
A. Huse, Esq, c. II, Pitkin, Esq, II. w.
Kemp, ESD, Hon. c. III. Heath, j. A. Wing,
ESD, 7; +. &C., GordSn, Esq, Hon. o; o: Z Z.
H. Kenfeld Esq, E. F. Palmer, Esq,
George NJ. Fisk, ESQ, John II. Senter, Esq,
James c. Barrett, ESQ. John II. Watson,
ESD, Hon. c. b. Eddy, Colonel A. NJ
Dickey, William E. johnson, Esq, w ii.
Rowland, Esq, Ashton Il. Willard, Esq,
a. X. Brown, Esq, Hon. Norman Paul W.
d. Wilson, Esq The meeting was called
to order by the president, and the minutes
OF the last meeting having been read by the
secretary and approved, the president read
his annual address
ABSTRACT OF MIR. FIFIELD's ADDRESS.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Fiield con.
sidered the necessity of government and the
purposes and aims of the founders of our
constitution. OF the three branches of gov
ernment he placed the judiciary at the head
explaining that its functions demand the
strictest purity and greatest abilities, and
unlike the executive or the legislative
branches, corruption in it results in lasting
harm and strikes at the very vitals of our
freedom, for the entire administration of the
law is in our hands. Our Judges" he said
are brought daily into contact with the af-
fairs OF men, where life, liberty and prop
erty are at stake, and as they pronounce the
law to be, so il is" They determine the
right; all order and stability hang upon their
integrity and wisdom; their position is
treated with commanding respect akin to
Veneration. OF the courts of Vermont he
said "They have always been of the high
est character, respected and honored by the
public, and their judgments have ever
been received with trusting acquiescence. "
Launching into the heart of his subject he
reviewed the judicial system in Vermont
admitting that, as a rule, it had worked
well and that eminent gentlemen in the pro-
fession were not difficult to find, willing 10
take the honors and responsibilities of a
iudgeship; TO perform the duties of chancel-
lor, circuit and supreme court Judge, and 20
submit, bennially, to the uncertainty of re-
election for $500 year, the compensation
provided by law. Security being the best
ally of independence, he held that the Judge
must have it, The judiciary he thought
should be appointed by the executive, dur
ing good behavior, subject TO confirmation
10y the senate and subject to removal foT
cause by address to the legislature, and that
their compensation should be generous in a
degree corresponding with the dignity OF
their position; and, he added, 81 say this
not ON their account alone, but in the inter.
est of the public as we'll" Mr. Fiheld's
ideal judge is above the reach of suspicion
He knows no favorites, no foes. He grants
no favors and asks none. He administers
justice with an instructive sense of the right
Above all other qualities of his character is
his independence, and " his duty is TO know