Wichita eagle., 1889-04-17
STANLEY MATTHEWS.
The Tributes Paid the Memory of the
Late Associate Justice.

Late Associate Justice.
WASHINGTON, April 16.-Attorney Gen
eral Miller yesterday presented to the
supreme court the resolutions adopted at
the meeting of the bar of April 6, to take
action upon the death of Hon. Stanley
Matthews. The resolutions were ordered
spread upon the court records.
In his address to the court Attorney
General Miller said
MAY it please the court-In this august
presence all human visitors stand uncoy-
cred and bow with reverence. But now
and again your precincts are invaded by
the herald of a power which knows no
rank or dignity. in whose courts
magistrate and private citizen, jurlst
and rustic are upon a plane of
absolute equality. Answering the sum-
mons of this power, your eminent asso-
ciate, a worthy successor of the long line
OF illustrious men whose virtues and learn
ing have adorned this great tribunal, has
gone to that country whose mystery, SO
far as human effort is concerned, is no
nearer solution than when in the child
hood of the race, death snatched a broth
ers life by a brothers hand, and when
the poet king, bewailing his child, said all
that can now be said: 1 shall 90 to him,
but he shall not return to me- We mourn
the departure Of your associate, our broth
er, not for his own but for the coun-
try's sake True, his life has gone out
when at the zenith of its brightness.
While not young man, Justice Matthews
was upheld by spirit so buoyant, mast
cred difficulty questions and wrote great
decisions so easily that no one thought of
him us old in years. 1t is the dull, I'M
eventful day which drags and and seems
long. The day the life of great thoughts
chrystaliZing into great deeds, seem al
ways too short Even the heather had a
better measure of life than years. Seneca
says: we must not care for length of life,
but for life sufficient for its duties. Life is
long if it Is full; but it is full when the
soul that completed its development hath
shown all its latent powers. Measured by
this standard the life we mourn had no
further need of years on earth. He has
gone over to the majority; to the majority
of the great and good of all time; to the
majority of the associates of this early
life that period in which most lasting at
tachments are formed; to the majority, of
his own kindred; to the majority, | had
almost said, of those who as associates,
extended TO him the hand of welcome
when he first took his seat as justice Of
the court.
''My personal acquaintance with Judge
Matthews was slight. While he was at
the bar occasionally met him, but only
as young man at the bar meets great
lawyer; since he has been upon the bench
| have only seen him in the discharge of
his high duties. Of his personality, there
fore, it does not become me to speak. Nor
is this the time, or am / the person to in
dulge in extended eulogy on his career
and character. Others better fitted by in
innate personal and professional associa-
ton and by gifts of speech, have already
performed this pleasing duty. This
much. however, l may say in the way of
Characterization. The mind of Stanley
Matthews seemed to be deeply original.
He pioneered. He studied principles more
than presidents; he surveyed the field of
Jurisprudence with the eye of a statesman
as well as lawyer, he took his direc-
ton in the law by the compass and stars
rather than by the uncertain way of the
prints and marks on the trees blaZed by
his predecessors
Mr.. Chief Justice Fuller responded;
The court entirely concurs in the senti-
ments expressed in the resolutions which
have just been read and in the observations
their presentation. Before he came to n
place upon this bench, Mr. Justice
Matthews had a high public place, polit-
ical, professional and judicial, acquired
eminent distinction and displayed the
qualities which invite attention and COM
mand admiration and respect; while, as a
member of the bar, his conspicuous abil-
lty, faithfulness and integrity had
given him a rank second TO none.
and the felicity was also his of having rem
dered his country gallant service as SOL
der He brought here the garnered wis
dom and varied experience, and constant
ly added to it the fruit of cultivation in
THO exalted field of exertion, whose mar
gin faded before him as he moved, growing
in CT orr ha
putting forth of all his powers. In listen
ing patient and sympathetic; in inter-
course with counsel cordial but dignfied
conscientious in investigation; honest
and impartial in Judgment, full
of reserve in supporting given conclu-
sions by accurate and discriminating .rea-
soning; ample in learning and comprehen-
sive in scholarship, and apt in illustrs-
ton, he demonstrated such fitness for this
sphere of action that his removal in the
midst of his usefulness can not but be re-
garded as a severe loss to the bar, the ju-
dietary and the country.
TO the associates OF years of personal
companionship in the administration
of justice that loss Is quite IN
speakable. The ties between those
thrown into close intimacy are
extremely strong, and when one
is taken away upon whose painstaking
scrutiny, clearness in explanation and
fullneSS OF knowledge reliance has been
Justly reposed by his brethren, aud whose
amenity of temper and kindness of heart
have naturally inspired affection. a keen
sense of personal bereavement mingles
with the common sorrow. In View OF life
crowned with the success that waits upon
absolute devotion to duty, how false the
disposing exclamation of the preacher that
that which now is, in the days to come
shall be forgotten
The remembrance of the just and wise
Is with the generations always, and the
works of this faithful public servant will
follow him ia the DAYS 10 come. now that
he rests from his labors. The court has
heretofore adjourned as a mark OF respect
TO the memory Of the deceased and attend
ed the funeral ceremonies in Ohio. The
resolutions just presented and the remarks
OF the attorney general will be spread upon
the records and the tribute of the bar of
st. Louis which has been transmitted to
the court, and such other commemorative
proceedings as may be received. will be
placed upon the flies with proper minute
in regard TO them
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