The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-25
DAVID DAvIs,s CAREER.
Hon. Leonard SWEET Recalls Interesting In
cidents in the Jurists Early Life.

| cidents in the Jurists Early Life.
| Chicago Mail.
| Judge Davis" said Leonard Swtet, is man
about whom | am always ready to talk have
known him long, intimately and with ever-in-
/ creasing regard. Two months ago / visited him
| in his home at Bloomington. / knew then, and
his relatives knew. that his days were numbered.
My visit at that time WAS in the nature of fare
well. He knew it and l knew it. / cannot de-
scribe it, He has never been an Incorporate
| liver, but has always lived richly. OF late years
| his extreme obesity has prevented sufficient ac-
tivity, and he was never much given to exercise.
The result is that his physical condition has
| reached such torpid state that it cannot repel
| the attacks of disease. l expect to hear Of his
| death at any time.
| II have known him since 184S," continued Mr.
SWEET, lat which time he came into public
| prominence. His FIRST appearance in politics
was as member of the constitutional conven-
| tion which met that year. In the same year he
| was chosen circuit judge This was in the old
Eighth district, which comprised fourteen coun-
ties in the central part of the State extending
from Sangamon on the west to the State line
east Over this extensive district Judge Davis
travelled twice each year, holding court in differ
emit places.
Stewart, John j. Hardin Stephen T. Logan
Edward B. Baker, Edward HannIgan, Daniel w.
Voorhees,, Kirby Benedict, Edward Jones, David
B. Campbell and myself were the company that
administered law in that district. Most of the
| two and then drop out Lincoln and accom-
panied Judge Davis throughout the entire cir
cult We would travel on horseback generally,
and would invariably put up ct one hostelry.
Continually thrown in intimate companion
ship with Lincoln and Davis, came to know
both well. They were anrpodal natures, but
| the closest of friends. Davis was OF the most
positive decisive character, taking his positions
| firmly and holding to them tenaciously and dog
gedly. Lincoln was suave and more yielding
Both were princes of geniality and capital story
telers. Each had fund of stories that seemed
inexhaustible. and never lacked appositeness,
nor lost anything of excellence in the telling
| In this intimacy, formed in the Eighth circuit
may be found the foundation Of both Lincolns
and Davis's after greatness
| 'It is not generally known, but true, that Lin
coin owed his nomination in 1860 to the friends
| he made among the circuit attorneys, and partic
| ularly to Judge Davis. Lincoln had been talked
| of in the State little. but had not doomed up
prominently as the coming man. Davis had
never taken any part in national politics But
| at this time he took notion
| he wanted to be delegate-at-large
| When he came to Chicago, he appointed
| himself master OF ceremonies, called aids abont
| him and set them to work. Dick Oglesby was
| sent into the pit to work up enthusiasm. A
| committee of three was sent to each State dele
| cation to talk up Lincoln. No one ever thought
| of questioning Davs's right to send men hither
| and thither. nor to question his Judgment. He
| was the most thorough manager of men ever
| knew. He was born ruler. He was teacher
| of teachers. a man among men, a master of
| masters He never faltered. never gave up
| never made any mistakes. The result OF that
| convention was the nomination OF Lincoln.
| Two years later. a vacancy occurring on the SUI
| preme bench, Davis was appointed. II was
| largely gratitude on Lincolns part though a
| most worthy appointment.
| The strong points in Davis's character. as ex-
| hibited in his whole career public and private
were many. He had the keenest foresight
| Away back in 1910 he saw this State as we now
| see it. To-day he is very rich man, worth
| probably SIS, 00O, 000 1 don'E know; no one does
| He never made dollar in trade; never made a
| trade in which he was not worsted He did not
| know how to make a bargain. and seldom ever
| tried. He knew good land when he saw it, He
made all his money entering land. His present
magnificent farm of 1000 acres in Mclean county
| cost him about So an acre.
IT remember once of case that illustrates
| him very well. Jesse W. Fell, of Bloomington,
| was a merchant on the down-arads. MIR. Davis
received note from some Eastern party against
| Fell, which he was instructed to collect Fell
| and Davis were friends. On investigation,
Davis found there were no resources, save an
| eighty acre piece of ground near Chicago. Fell
| offered to give up the land for the note. With
out moments hesitation Davis accepted. When
| the Eastern party came out he was incensed at
| losing the note for a worthless piece of swamp.
| Davis agreed to take the land himself and pay
the amount of the note In money. This offer was
| accepted. That eighty acres lies between the city
l l
Zone of Daviss popular points when in the
circuit was his for orphans and their estates.
| He had the responsibility OF guardians burned
into him by experience; he inherited large es-
tate in Maryland, which, by the disagreement of
| the court, was lost to him. When he became
| judge he was especially careful in this matter.
| He never allowed an estate belonging to minor
heirs to be sold-never but once. It was near
Danville. The guardian pettioned for decree
to sell, and Davis agreed that it should be done.
| He would take charge Of the matter himself
| He ordered the sale and conducted it through
confidential law partner When the money was
obtained Davis sent the man off to Cincinnati to
| buy land warrants When the next term of court
came at Danville the trustee of the estate was
| presented with pockeLful of land warrants as
the proceeds of the sale The minor young
| girl. and when she came of age that land was
/ worth at least $50, 900.
Davis excelled as Judge 1t was his natural
sphere. He was more like John Marshall than
| any man the country has produced. OF Marshall
it is related that he would listen attentively to
/ an argument catch at the point and say:
| That's it. That's the law exactly. Now look
| up An authority or two It was just so with
| Davis He took the law as a greyhound takes
/ the scent. He never relied on his knowledge of
authorities, and never allowed his legal lore to
| smother his common sense perception of equity
and justice.
| eyes, Judge Davis is a man of whom nothing
| can be said that is not good. and of whom too
much good cannot be said He a large man
every way. lis kohiaiiSy Always ufo" d cro"o
| about him. His integrity was never questioned
/ it was beyond suspicion. His life has been
| clean and pure. He is Christian in the catho
| lie sense, and has given away fortune in benef-
cence. He was model man in every way.
! AS public man no one has made a better rec
/ ord"
/ Prof Wright To Go tn Johns Hopkins.
| From the Dartmouth, June Is.
! Prof. John II. Wright has been duly elected
and formally accepted the position of professor
of classical philology and dean of the COLLEGIATE