The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-07-29
THE DISTRICT ArroRNEysHlP.
Proceedings at the Taking of the
oaths by Hon. George E. Bird
Yesterday.

Yesterday morning in the United States
District Court Judge Webb presiding, the
new District Attorney was installed Hon.
w. F.:Lunt, the retiring attorney in present.
ing his successor, said:
May it please the Court:
have to announce that the President in the ex-
erclse OF his discretion, has suspended me from
the office of attorney OF the United States for the
District OF Maine and designated my successor.
Seven years have glided away since your honor
stood at this bar and presented me to the Court as
your then successor. They have been eYentful
years, years OF arduous toll OF grave cares and to
some OF us, OF poignant griefS.
All OF the Federal judges who then sat upon the
bench OF this court, have passed away from this
world and naught remains of them here save their
Swallowed forms pictured upon the wall, their
opinions in the books, and the memory of their
learning, their genius and their kindly presence
cherished in the hearts of their CONTEMPORARIES
shall always be thankful that among other priv-
leges here ii was my good fortune to have been on
cesSor, Who beneath stern exterior carried
tender heart, whose talents and requirements
placed him In the front rank OF the most eminent
lawyers in the land. Dull indeed would be the
young practitioner who could not profit from such
associations.
1t gives me pleasure to express TO your Honor
my proflund sense of obligation to you personally
Tor the many kindnesSes and courtesies which yoi
have habitually bestowed upon me both before and
since your elevation to the high office Won now
hold.
My relations to the Court and all its officers
nave ever been of the most harmonious and
agreeable character. l came here almost a
stranger, with little experience at this bar
How difficult and laborious my duties have been
now now strehu0usly | have endeayored to perform
them all, only those with whom have here been
daily associated can know. For whatever meas
ure OF success has rewarded my efforts, | ac-
knowledge my great Indebtedness to the officers
OF TINS court for their hearty and intelligent coop
Grafton.
In retiring from this office, it gives me
pleasure to present to your Honor, my successor
George Il. Bird, ESQ.,, a member of this bar whom
we ali respect and esteem. cordially hope his re-
latlons to the Court may be as agreeable as mine
nave ma, Deen, and tnat he may be most successful in
the discharge of the duties of his office.
Judge Webb, in replying to Mr.. Lunt's re-
| marks, was exceedingly felicitous, and we
regret our inability to report his reply in full
He took up the line of thought advanced by
Mr.. Lunt in which reference was made to
the illustrious lights of the court now extin-
guished by death, and most gracefully paid
tribute to their learning and their personal
attributes. He spoke most feelingly of the
efficient and noteworthy services of Mr.,
Lunt, and said that if the gentleman had
to retire from the Office he knew of no one he
| more gladly welcomed to the position than
Mr.. Bird.
Mr.. Bird then advanced, took the oaths of
office, and said:
May it please the Court:
l do not feel it necessary to make any extended
remarks at this time, but would express through
the Court, my qualification at the kind and elo-
quent manner in which the former district attor-
ney las presented me to the Court. | can assure
your Honor that shall spare no pains to salts
factorily discharge the duties of MY office and l
shall be satisfied if at the expiration of my term
Shall nave, IN any respect equalled the success
ofmy predecessor in his conduct of the business
before this court.