The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-04-23

L Oolorsd Han In Washington Whom Law.
ysrs all Over the Country Know.

1 oo,or.d Man in washaneton Whom Law.
ysrs all Over the Country Know.
Opposite the winding staircase which
iisoends to The rotunda, and directly
p*eneath the supreme courtroom: writes
). Washington correspondent to the
New York Sun, is the finest law Il nbrary
"a this country, It contains $4,000 yol-
ames, and the annual additions amount
10 about two Thousand volumes. Though
nominally q part of the miscellanyas
library, and under the jurisdiction of
Mr.. Spofford, it has had Tor years
It's librarian and separate accom-
modations. Within : the portals
,f this vast collection the profoundest
lawyers of the United States have Ia
boriously traced legal principles and
marshaled arrays Of authorities: The
eule of silence is without breech. In
this legal reservoir there is that quiz
which rests upon the waters in WI
depths genuine tears al one are 1f
The legal explorer meets with be
annoyance. There is not gas-J
lamp within the room. No empl
dare even carry a match. After
fire in 1851, which proved so disastf
Z statute was enacted prohibiting
use Of combustibles Of any Kind Wi TIN
the libraries. And thus; when dusA
prevents the eye from longer follow
ing the studied text, the doors are
closed and, perhaps in the middle OF
sustained argument which the rea
would fain pursue to conclusion, s4x-
volume must be resigned:
The assistant law librarian, John
Francis Nicholas Wilkinson, is col
ored gentleman. He is the Oldest at
taehe in either library. For twenty
eieht Years he has been the familiar
purveyor of the Jaw books, and IN ever
leading office of the larger citie>
could find a lawyer whom he XII
No abbreviat1ons of the law reporte,s
,tagger him. He refers to no dictionary
TO discover the meaning of the initials
OF condensed names used, but prompt J
xees TO the proper alcove and unerrlne-
Iy brings forth the desired report,
whether it be one of a musty British
series. or some earlier state collection
Of opinions whose editor sought to EN-
blaz0n his own name upon 1t rathe-
Chan employ the modern convenience
Of consecutive numbers. It is this per
feet familiarity with the library which
impresses Mr.. Wilkinson upon the
visitor. The pages of the supreme court
justices are momentarily coming down
with acquisitions for authorities tina
may range from the ancient Breton laws,
| l. or
The court de cessation to the whole do
main of American decisions. With the
precision of Swiss bellringer, Mr.. Will
kinson draws out the required works
II om the shelves, But what is more re-
narkable as feat of memorizing is the
tccuracy of his recollection of cases.
he has no need of recourse to digests to
.ocate the leading cases of our jurispru-
lence. The library has grown during
Mr.. Wilkinson's incumbency from Is, :
700 to sc, 900 volumes, but he has kept
pace with it.
For six generations back Mr..
Wilkinson's ancestors have been
:ree. He has African, Indian 81 ,
white blood in his veins. In 1881,
when the fear of a slave 1nsur-
tection terrorized the south and the free
negroes were driven from Virginia,
Wilkinson's father became resident OF
Washir gton, where he was caterer to
the leading statesmen who messed to-
gether there. The son was early placed
in brick-yard, and followed brick
making until he was % years old, filling
The winter intervals with catering and
plaving in band. In 1857 he was en-
ployed as 1aborer to assist in cleaning
the general library. Congress made an
appropriation for an additional laborer,
and Wilkinson got the permanent job.
Wilkinson was soon detailed to the law
library, and there, through the grades
of laborer, messenger and assistant
librarian, he has served ever since. In
1862 Mr.. Lincoln removed John S.
Meehan, the law librarian, after thirty
one years service, and appointed DR..
Stevenson of Terre Haute in his place.
The new appointee discharged every
employe except the younger Meehan.
Wilkinson WAS told that it had been de-
cided to employ no colored help. But
he was restored in few months, and
the supreme court and Reverdy john
son. then on the library committee, re-
quested that he be never removed.