Evening journal., 1888-08-28

gitiye slave code. His grswth In law
practice and public favor was steady, and
as carly as 1860 his "reminiscences OF the
war of 1912 were quoted with much in
terest. His childish memories Of the be.
ginning and progress of that war were
comparatively few. but those of the sensa-
ton created in America by the news of
Napoleon's return from Elba and final
overthrow at Waterloo are most vivid.
The British peoples have made
history very fast since then, and Mr.
Field can justly claim the distinction of
having lived through the most momentous
century Of mans career on earth.
Several cases in which Mr. Field was
leading counsel have become noted as
epochs in constitutional history. In 1S64-5
a military commission in Indiana tried
and condemned to death Messrs. Bowles,
Milligan and Ilorsey on charges of con-
spiracy TO set free the Confederate pris-
oners" at indianapolis and otherwise
hinder the prosecution of tho war. The
president committed their sentence to life
Imprisonment and soon after the war
closed application was made for their re-
lease on the ground that military commits
sions were Illegal in a state where the
ordinary courts were open and no state Of
war prevailed Mr.. Fields opinion ex-
hausted the subject; it was adopted by
the Federal supreme court as the substan-
tial law, and the men were released. He
was counsel in the noted Erie suits"
which resulted in taking the Eric railroad
out Of the hands of James Fisk and Jay
Gould. la the agitating controversy be-
tween Mayor Fernando Woods municipal
police and the metropolitan police, which
al sfrItf ffrsil ~, hTrrr-
York city, he acted for the metropolitans.
Another famous case in which he took
part was that of the state of Georgia
against Gen. Grant and other generals.
In 1876 he was elected to congress and
took an active part on the Democratic
side Of the controversy over the presiden-
tial count of that year But the great
work of his life, the ono on which no
prides himself, is the preparation Of his
noted CODES. His Penal Code is the law
of his state, but his Civil Code, after
nearly forty years agitation on the sub
iect, is still rejected by New York. This
is an attempt to codify the common law,
to sweep away the cumbrous old English
forms, and express tho law in language
SO plain that any man of fair education
can understand it and draft a legal docu-
ment. 1t has many times been before the
New York legislature, and twice passed
both houses, but was vetoed. once by Gov
enor Iilden and once by Governor Cor.
nell. On other occasions it passed one
house only. II has. meanwhile, been
adopted almost word for word by several
new states, and mado the basis Of the
code in others.
On Feb. 1S, 1888, Cyrus w. Field gave
o reception at his house in honor OF Da.
vid's oOth birthday, and there the latter
gave q full account of his methods OF
maintaining health and vigor. Besides
recommending temperance, cheerfulness
and habit Of hoping for the best, he
said:
when l was young man had very
severe headaches In 1916 / bought
horse, and / have not had headache
since. Every morning arise at o'clock
have done so for forty years. take an ic,
cold bath, dress myself, jump on hors,
at o'clock and ride for an hour. / ther
breakfast and work at my house till 1,
o'clock, when / walk down town. dis
tance of four miles. remain at nv officl
until cock, then walk homo and din,
at G. At sleep for half an hour, afte
which am ready for anything. retir,
between 10 and II o'clock. / have dom
this for over forty years. attribute m,
hardihood to horseback riding"
lie has q reputation as lawyer secop,
10 none in the world, and it may elmos
be said that the fire Of his eye is not dim
med nor his natural force abated