The Portland daily press., 1890-02-05
THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY.
Beginning of the Centennial ceie-
bratIon In New York.

NEW 1ORh, reDI udTv f.-DlumtQ cOuSlu-
erably by the sad events of the past few days
the celebration Of the centennial Of the Fed
eral Judiciary was this morning inaugurated.
At 1890, the procession, headed by the
judges Of the Supreme Court of the United
States in their official robes, followed by the
various judges of the FederalDistrict Courts.
the New York State Court of Appeals, the
Supreme, Superior, Common Pleas, and 9TH
er courts marched down the various aisles of
the Metropolitan Opera House, and assumed
the various seats and boxes allotted them.
The members of the Supreme Court of the
United States occupied seats on the stage,
along with ex-president Grover Cleveland
and many other legal dignitaries. The i'm
mense auditorium was crowded with nation
al and state lawmakers, lawyers, citizens
and representatives CT the profession, many
ladies also being present. When Mr. Cleve-
land took his place as president o the as
semblage, there was loud and prolonged
cheering, and it was several minutes before
the ex-President could be heard. Mr.. Cleve-
land then, In a clear voice, delivered his adj
dress. He said:
1--WE aIe accustomed to express on every
fit occasion our reverence for the virtue and
patriotism in which the foundations of our
Republic were laid, and to rejoice In the
blessings v0uchSafed TO US under free insti-
tutions. Thus we have lately celebrated
with becoming enthusiasm the centennials
of the completion of our Constitution and
the Inauguration Of our first President To-
day we have assembled to commemorate an
event connected wi b our beginning as peo-
pie, which more than any other gave safety
and the promise OF perpetuity to the Ameri-
can plan of government, and which, more
than any other, happily illustrated the wis
dom and enlightened foresight OF those who
designed our national structure. In the work
of creating our nation the elements OF free
government were supplied by concessions Of
sovereign states, by surrender of accus-
toned rights, and by the inspiration Of pure
and disinterested patriotism. II from these
elements there had not been evolved that
feature in our Federal system which is our
theme today, the structure might have been
fair to look upon, and might have presented
a semblance of solidity and strength; but it
would have been only semblance, and the
completed edifice would have had within its
foundations the infirmity of decay and ruin.
1t must be admitted that IL Is hardly within
the power Of human language so to compass
diverse interests and claims within the lines
of written constitution as to free 1t entire
ly from disputes OF construction; and
certainly diverse constructions were apt to
lurk in the diction of Constitution de-
clared by the President of the convention
which formulated 1t, to be ''the result Of a
spirit of amity and OF that mutural Difference
aud concession which the popularity Of our
political situation rendered indispensable"
When Mr.. Cleveland, who had been most
enthusiastically received throughout, had
finished speaking, Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix Of
fered prayer, invoking divine blessing on
the vast assemblage and their d0ings. He
alluded feelingly to the sad bereavements in
the families of Secretaries Blaine and Tracy,
and moved many of the audience to tears by
the touching manner in which he made men
ton Of the tragic deaths Of Mrs. and Miss
Tracy.
Judge Win. II. Arnoux followed in an ad-
dress Of welcome to the court
The next speaker was Mr.: William Allen
Butler, who delivered an eloquent address,
during the reading Of which he was fire.
queDtly interrupted by applause, on "The
Origin of the Supreme Court of the United
States, and Its Place in the Constitution"
After a selection by the orchestra (Verdi's
Aida the chairman introduced the Hon.
Henry Hitchcock of st. Louis, who made
long address, his topic being "The Suprem
Court and the Constitution"
Personal Characters of the Chief JUS
tices" was the next subject ably handled by
Mr.. Thomas j. Semmes Of Louisiana.
After an intermissi0n Of 10 minutes Mr..
Cleveland introduced the Hon. E. j. Phelps,
ex-Minister to England. Mr.. Phelps was
greeted with cordial applause. and when
this had subsided he spoke upon "The Su-
preme Couit and the Sovereignty of the
People,"
Mr.. Justice Field then, amid much APP
plause, arose, and, in his usual eloquent
style, responded for the Court.
The dinner in celebration of the centen-
nial was held tonight at the Lenox Lyceum.
Covers were laid for $50 guests and nearly
every seat was occupied. The platform ta-
BILE was set for 26 persons, and was presided
over by Jas. G. Carter, chairman of the en-
tertainment committee. Among the guests
were Chief Justice Melville w. Fuller, ex-
President Cleveland, Matthew Hale of AL
bany, president Of the New York State Bar
Association, Associate Justice Samuel +.
Miller of the Supreme Court, ex-Judge Will
liam II. Arnoux of New York, Associate
Justices Joseph Bradley, John NJ. Harlan,
Samuel Blatchford Of the Supreme
Court, Chauncey NJ. Depew,
Rev. William Il. Huntington,
William Allen Butler, Associate Justices
Stephen j.. Field, Gray. Brewer and
Lamar, Senator William M. Eyarts
The dinner opened with prayer by Rev.
DIR. Taylor Of New York. The menu was
elaborate. Before it was concluded, the la
dies began to take places in the boxes. When
shortly after 10, the chairman raped for or
der, every box was occupied. In one box
was Mrs Cleveland. The toast, "The Presi-
dent Of the United States," was drunk
standing. The toast, "The Supreme Court"
was responded to by Associate Justice Har-
Ian of the Supreme Court. Senator William
NJ. Evarts replied to the toast, The Con-
gress." Many other tcasts were given by
more prominent guests.