The Washington critic., 1886-10-13
TOPICS OF THE DAY.


two years was promoted to the Chief
Justiceship of that State He fillel
this position for three and half years,
when without solicitation he was ap.
pointed by President Lincoln in the
spring of 1868 rs Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court of the United
States, and Is ranked only In length of
service by Justice Miller, who
was appointed in 1862. Hence he
has served . on the bench Of
the United States Supreme
Court twenty.thrcc years and six
months. He said TO Colonel Ayrcs of
the Kansas City Times the other day
that he was wholly out of politics, his
sole desire being to see good men ap.
pointed to public station, the republic
thrive and prosper and the people made
happy and contented His recent
fore N experiences impress him more
than ever with the greatness and superb
ority of America and her free institu.
tions. 1t is his intention to remain on
the Supreme Bench year and half
longer, so that when he shall complete
q service of twenty five years as mem.
Der of that august tribunal he can then
retire with the judicial labors Of a
quarter of century as national law
giver to his credit
~
Justice Field was also seen by cor
respondent of the New York Sun day
or two ago, to whom he said in the
course of general conversation: at
was the custom in older times for the
President, beginning with George
Washington, to visit the Capitol in
State at the opening of the sessions of
Congress, and there to deliver person
ally to the two Houses his annual mes.
sage. The heads of Departments made
formal calls upon each other at the be.
ginning of new Administrations, and
the court then began its practice of
visiting the President and the Vice.
President. All these formalities have
since terminated, with the exception of
the visit of the Judiciary. Jefferson
was, l believe, the first President who
did not visit the Capitol at the begin
ming OF the sessions of Congress to pre-.
sent his annual message. Jefferson
could not make public address of five
minutes duration, and he determined
to send in his message in writing by a
secretary. This was done, and since
his time no attempt has been made to
revive the old custom. The heads of
Departments af,crward ceased their
formal calls"
~
"The busts and photographs which we
see of ashington,' continued the
Judge, "are not, think. accurate pic.
lures of the man. IIoudin, YOU will
remember, took a plaster cast of Wash
ington's face and the remainder of his
head was filed in according to the i'm.
agination of the sculptor. IIoudin 8
original plaster cast of Washington is
now in the possession of our famous
American sculptor, now living in Lon.
don, Mr.. Story. lie obtained 1t at q
sale of the effects of some of Houdin' S
heirs. saw the cast in London this
summer, and in it | can trace but slight
resemblance to the traditional features
of Washington as seen in the histories
and libraries of our public schools.
told Mr.. Story that he owed it to his
counirymen TO make from that plaster
cast bronze bust of Washington tina
should be set up in the National Mu
scum at Washington, but / suppose
that a fire or accident will happen some
day in Story's studio and the plaster
will be destroyed"
~
/ heard q story the other day, says
writer in the New York 7riJune of {
remark made by President Cleveland
to a young actress who had called OF
him to solicit his presence at theatre
whirI in1inntno chat hn h,o al 4,
found out that married life has its dutie
as well as the Presidential Office Ii
response to the young lady's invitation
he said: 81 declare, between you an(
o,her ladies aud my wife | begin to fee
us If l was getting spoiled. was ou
to lie theatre with Mrs. Cleveland las
niclt. She wants me to 90 again TO
night, and you would like me to go to
morrow night. guess will have t,
refer you to Colonel Lamont, and If III
can arrange it, all right"
~*w
81 was under the impression" said
Northern gentleman in an Atlanta
bookstore, "that you Southerners wer,
hard up for reading matter during tn,
war" "a big mistake" was the re
ply, as reported by Constitution maj
near by; "there was never more intel
lectual activity among our people, an
our printing presses were taxel to tn
utmost. The only difficulty was to &c
enough white paper to print on an,
enough wall paper to bind the books.
"Do you mean to say that the war dc
unlnnnI n litarntIrn In an GA,,,I, y
"No, but it was developing It, O
course we had to borrow from othe
countries. A Richmond house pub
lished Victor lIugo's Les MlSerables,
in five volumes. The books had stii
brown paper covers, and sold at tw,
dollars and a half apiece Tn
same house published Willie Col
Inns No Name Miss Brad
don's EleOnor's Victory, ant
The Captain of the Vulture,' A Mo
bile firm published Dickens 'Grea
Expectations Miss Muhlbach's DO
seph the Second, and Miss Braddon'
Lady Audleys Secret There wer
numerous strictly Southern books w
had 'Pollard's History of the War,
The Aide de Camp by McCabe; Nor
gan and His Men, by Mrs. Ford; Mas
ter William Altten, by Judge Long
street, and several other novels Tn
poems and dramas have dropped on
of my memory. We had flood o
pamphlets, some advocating the Con
federale cause, and Others devoted t
the currency and such matters. Tn
military publications were too nu
mcrous to mention. Something, too
WAS done in the educational line
recollect Confederate primer,
geography and spelling book, The,