Huntsville gazette., 1889-04-20
STANLEY MATTHEWS.

lANIEY MATTHEWS.
Hne Resolutions Adopted by the Bar o
sne United States Supreme Court Pre-
na s,n, In Court by Attorney General
- .'ner-Remarks by tho Latter aud tho
nesponse OF Chief-J nstice Fuller,
WASHINGTON, April Attorney Gen.
eiai miller yesterday presented in the
supreme Court Of the United States ths
euioglstlc resolutions recently adopted by
'.e oar OF the court touching the death
" associate Justice Matthews, and asked
that they be placed on the records Of the
court In presenting them Mr.. Miller
said:
1n .n's august presence, all human visitor
stano uncovered and bow with reverence. Bul
no~ ana agnin your precincts are invaded by
ene herald OF a power which knows no rans
OF dignity; in whose court magistrate
ano private citizen, jurist and rustic, are upon
plane OF absolute equality. Answering the
s2mons OF this power. your eminent associate
a"oftny successor OF the long line OF tilustri
GUS men whose virtues and learning have
aaorned this great tribunal. has gone to tha,
country whose mystery Is no nearer solution
'pah ~hen. in the childhood Of the race, death
snatcheo brothers life, by brothers hand,
OF "hen the poet-King, bewailing his child
ni.u, Dat ne shall not return to me-"
we mourn the departure OF your associate
uor Drorher, not for his own, but for thecoun
try ssaKe. True, his life has gone out when al
the zenith OF its brightness While not
young man, Justice Matthews was upheld by q
spirit SO buoyant that it mastered difficult
questions and wrote great decisions so easily
tnat no one thought OF him as old in years. I;
Ii the dull, uneventful day which drags and
seems long. The day or the life full OF great
thoughts, crystallizing into great deeds, seems
Always short. Even the heather has d better
measure OF life than years. Seneca says: awe
must not care for length Of life, but for life suf
heient for its duties" Measured by this stand
ard, the life We mourn had no further need OF
years or earth
For ourselves and the country we regret tha,
we coald not have the benefit OF further exer
tions OF his splendid powers: but for himself
MS ire was full. He has gone over to the ma
loTaty-to the majority OF the great and good OF
az time the majority of the associates Of his
early lie, that period in which most lasting At
tachments are formed; to the majority OF his
own kindred
My personal acquaintance with him was
slight. While he was at the bar occasionally
met nlm- but only as man at the bar meets i
great lawyer. Since he has been upon the
bench have only seen him in the discharge Of
outy' ofhis personality, therefore, 1t does not
become me to speak, nor Is this the time, or
am the person, to indulge in extended eulo-
gies on his career.
Ckief-Justice Fuller responded and
said:
lne Court entirely concurs Ia the sentiments
expressed IN the resolutions which have been
reao, ana In the observations OF the Attorney
General accompanying their presentation. Be-
1tSd "A
POLITICAL professional and judicial. acquired
eminent distinction, and displayed the qualities
which invite attention and command admira-
tion and respect, while as member OF the bar
his conspicuous ability, faithfulneSs and In
tegrltS had given him rank second to none,
the felicity was also his OK having rendered his
cQGntry gallant service ns soldier.
He brought the garnered wisdom OF
years OF varied experience, and constantly
added to 1t the fruit and cultivation
in this exalted field OF exertion, whose margin
faded before him as he moved, growing In
strength with extgences requiring the putting
focta Of all his powers In listening, patient
and sympathetic; in intercourse with counsel,
cordial but digniiied; conscientious in investi-
cation; honest and impartial In judgment; fu4l
OF resource in supporting given conclusions oy
accurate and discriminating reasoning: ample
in learning, and comprehensive in scholarship;
luminous In exposition and apt In Illustration,
he demonstrated such atness for this spoore Of
action that his removal in the midst OF bis use
fuluess can not but be regarded as Q severe
loss to the bar, the Judiciary and the country.
To the associates, to years OF personal
companionship in the administration OF
Justice, that loss Is quite raspeakable.
The ties between those thus thrown into close
intimacy are extremely strong, and whom one
is taken away upon whose painstakinR scru
tiny, clearness in explanation and fullness o
knowledge, reliance has been justly rcposcd by
his brethren, and whose Rmenity OF temper
and i.indliness OF heart have naturally inspired
Affection. keen sense OF personal berea7e.
ment mingles with the com rnon sorrow. II
view OF a life like this. crowned with the suo
cess that waits upon absolute devotion to duty
how false the depending exclamation OF the
Preacher that that which now Is In the days
to come shall oil be forgotten" The renem
brance of the just and the wise is with the gen
erations always; and the works OF the faithful
public servant will follow him 'in the days Il
come" now that he rests from his labors
The court has heretofore adjourned as I
mark of respect to the memory OF decea sed
and attended the funeral ceremonies In Ohio
The resolutions presented, and the marks o
the Attorney General, will be spread upon th'
records, and the tr butte of the bar OF St. Louis
which has been transmitted TO the court snt
such other commemorative proceedings As ma!
be received, will be placed upon the hles, With
q proper minute in regard to them.