Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-17
fudge ROSS.

The news which feacHeu 1Lio ei'y
on Wednesday, pointing to the Sc
lection of Judge Ross as the new
iudee of the Federal District Court
recently created for Southern Callfor-
mia. was general surprise to the
c community. 1t was known that three
very capable lawyers OF the Los An
geles bar were applicants for the po-
sition, and it was very generaiiy
conceded that j. D. Bicknell, ESQ.,
was to be the man.
Judge Ross, only month or 30
ago resigned his seat on the supreme
bench of this State for the purpose OF
going back to the practice OF the law
In partnership with Hon. s. M.
White. The reason for this step was
that Judge Ross could not afford to
remain ON the bench at the salary at
tached to the office. He was known
not to be an applicant for the newly
created judgeship Of the Federai
Court. He probably now is utterly
ignorant of how his name came be.
fore Attorney-General Garland ana
the President. His first intlmatlon
that the place was to be rendered
him. seems to have been the tele-
gram from Mr.. Garland asking II he
would accept the appointment. The
purpose of passing over the capable
men applying for the place, and CIV
ing it to one who did not appear to
want it, is not apparent at this dis
tance.
But, great as the surprise was,
there was no disappointment IN the
community generally. II there was
any it was among the personalfrlends
of those who had entertained hopesof
securing the appointment, and even
With them there cannot be much.
Judge Bicknell will be one OF the
warmest supporters of the new Judge,
and was doubtless among the hrst
and most sincere of his congratula-
tors.
It is universally conceded that no
filter selection could have been made
to fill the bench OF the new court.
Judge Ross is one OF the most popu-
lar men in the State, and this popu-
larity rests on broader and surer
ground than usually underlies that
somewhat evanescent quality of char
acter. Ross popularity rests on gen.
uine merit, and it widens and
strengthens with each year OF his lie,
and with each more intimate acquain-
tance obtained by his friends. Frs
kline M. Ross is native OF Virginia.
He came to Los Angeles Immediately
after the close of the war. He had
but recently attained his majority,
but he had borne the rank of Captain
in the Confederate army during the
latter part of the conflict. Soon after
his arrival here he went into the
practice of the law and continued at
it for some dozen years, when, in
1879, he was elected Associate JUS
tice of the Supreme Court OF this
State. In the lots for long
and short terms the latter fell
to Judge Ross, but in 1882
he was reelected for a full term. |
Judge Ross was very young man
when he first donned the ermine, but
he wore it for seven years not only
with spotless integrity, but with
grace of learning, and wisdom of
judgment which are all the admira-
ton of the State, and the pride OF
Los Angeles. He was untiring in his
application to the duties of his office.
Above all reproach in their integrity
have been his decisions, and they
have also been based on broad and
accurate knowledge of the law, and
given with a wisdom of interpreta-
tion which have won the applause of
the best lawyers in the State. In the
of so learned a lawyer
and SO just Judge the Administra-
ton has made no mistake. Nor are
Ross merits all chronicled in the
sta tements made from a merely pro-
fessional standpoint. He is learned
in polite literature as we'll as in legal
lore; he is besides a man in all the
walks OF life, and gentleman in the
acceptation of the term.
Judge Ross brings to the duties OF
his new office the experience of the
seven years he sat on the bench of
the Supreme Court of the State; the
ripe wisdom of mature years, and the
Energy of man in the very primo of
ife. He is intimately versed in all
questions peculiar to this district, and
will without doubt prove to be pre-
,minently the very man of all men
or the place.
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A Proposition to make provision
n the new charter for the election of
y "a