New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-22

The school was established in 1858, It's hrst sesnous
being held in the rooms Of the New-lork HISTORICAL
Society from which il removed to Great Jonesst ana
a few wears ago to the fine new building on the
Columbia campus The prevailing prejudice IN favor
81 office training had defeated several previous at
tempts 10 found law schools in TINS CITY, Dut 'he
Iec Stature having been induced 10 allow graduates vi
the new Institution 10 be admitted TO the bar on pre-
sentation Of their diplomas TO the proper COURT Io
school started thirtyfve strong. When the mehoers
of the first graduating class presented menseiVe''
dlplomss in hand the supreme Court refused 70 ads
,ben, 10 the bar alleging that the law was uncon-
etitutl6nal Mr. Dwight carried the matter 10 the
Court OF Appeals and broke down the hrs' d"u nioss
formidable barrier to the schools progress Sln'c uS'
time the Institution has grown steah! ana heai'''
lis first graduating class, in 1850, numbered twenty
seven men and its last, in 1850, 10 men. mo
latter total has been exceeded four or hve uhes'
rising 10 267 in 1877, when the largest class
In the schools history graduated on tie
rolls OF the school the names Of more thah ooo
students 246 Of them college graduates REPRESENTING
sixty-fve colleges. The reputation oil the toiumpia
Law School Is National its graduates, nearly 3Soo ih
all are be found everywhere ana e9lch one Pie"@
ATTEST recollection of his preparation for the law mas
heen Of the man who In his time was at the head q
the school-who the school
Professor Dwight's unailing courtesy TO the sue
cessive classes with whom he has been Drought in"
relations his rule OF treating them as gentleman
treats gentlemen. his wide acquaintance among ueh'
his kindly greeting on meeting one, and his helpfuness
~ those in perplexity or difficulty have endeared MN
70 the students as fully his mystery OF the law ana
his skill in eypounding It has won their afmirauon
t,r his intellect His interest In their anarS was
,hown-to give instance out OF mahy-ih MS eofA
approval OF the plan for starting Inc La" lines
which for four years has been the Official organ OF 'e
law school, and his revising the notes OF MS
which Tins made omcal.' are published monthly 10
that paper. - ,,.
Wbur Professor Dw1ght's name and fame are linked
with the school of law, which he may be said TO nave
created and which he has increasingly fostered nc A'
achieved a high reputation a practising lawyer az
well. lie has been engaged In many leading cases.
largely involving the validity Of trusts or OF fouhdar
tion, of charitable Institutions Inc most recent Case
Of public interest in which he has acted as counsel
is the Andover case i'll which he appeared ior Inc
professors and which is still pending before me
supreme Court of Massachusetts,. lie mas acleu -
referee in many great cases among them the MARIO
Garrison suit In 1874, on the nomination OF "oV.
ernor Dix he became a member OF the commission %
Appeals body similar to the present second D'iS i
OF me Court OF Appeals, ana served uhtil Jus,
1873 when the commission was dlssoNou' III nc raV 49,,
"A large number Ol the deC!sloh' "Sny y, ~ iS
amt6ortyT ever since. one dissenting opinion, III
which the four other judges Were asS,n9 ms, nnrcns
Court For many years he was one OF the editors
of :. The American Law Register tor which he wrote
Unmeron, Articles lie also legal editor OF John.
sons Cycopeda, dong nuch Original MorA NL oi
has also SGlleu ou IcHis
- %ncient Law, lie was NONRESIDENT professor
Of constitutional law at Cornell for several years ana
also ectured on law before the students Oh aners.
shin Of raw made by of the greatest OF American
unyer.es Ito received from and H tSe ,ame honor
was conferred on him by Columbia in the following
With all his engrosslng duties as lawyer and pro
fes,or-fo for years he lectued six hours day at te
law school-Dr. Dwight has measured up 10 the iull
,i,ndard of the public pirted citizen. lie has been
especially Interested in tho affairs Of benevolent ana
reiormaory institutions. and for many years mas peen
president Of the Ncwiork Prison Association, OF winch
some Of the most prominent men III INC state arc arc
members A stanch Republican from the birth OF tho
party. his interest in the uplifting Oh the unioc.uta.S
and the reformation of the vicious has been recogle1
hy Governors OF both political parties. Governor non
man appointed him member OF commission OF nve
to establish reformatOry which by MS decding votc,
the state Constitutional Convention Of 1867, being
chairman of it, Committee on Charities, and member
of lis Committee judiciary. Two years later Gov
ernor FentOn placed him the GARD Of state Chair
ties Of which he became the vice president In le!e.
he State of New-York at the International Prison Con-
eress in sweden. He also took an active part IN
organizing the state Charities Aid Association
DR.. Dwight has striven urceasinsy, WIN voice ana
pen and influence, for the publication OF municipN
politics in the y m s ts1 1 nS o the he Ses
on legislation OF the famous Committee OF seventy
Which 1pned in at spas Ii Wase relentless
war on the Tweed Ring; and nnaiiy vanquisned sna
the most man eSes S%nderd s% ASer
city, For years he earnestly sdvSeat sf. the me- sop
fon of the system that now ODlfu- III uis 'itl
in prookIyn by which the sole power Of appointment
OF heads OF city departments and the responsibility Tor
their Official acts. lodged in the Mayor. 80
In spite OF his lab0rs as educator, lawyer ana eli'
zen DR. Dwight's devotion 10 scholarly studies has
never been interrupted. lie has delivered many lt-
eary addresses and is master OF the Greek Latin,
German and Italian languages. The Dante society,
organized I'm this city few months ago chose him as
its first president. He has declined the presidency OF
a number of colleges and many offers OF high political
place lie the first president OF the University
Club OF this city. and has been long member OF tho
Century Cab
He ha- been an active tWIstee OF Hamilton College,
the American Geographical Society, the New York Ju
venie Asylum. etc. member of various societies for
political REFORM and IS first vice president OF the Bar
Association In religious belief he Is Presbyterian,
attending DR.. Parkhursts church.
While of venerable appearance, with snowy hair and
beard Professor Dwight is at sixty nne still In ugors
Gus health. and his eyes have never needed the aid
OF glasses. The reasons for his retirement from the
law school have not been made public: and his plans
for the future not known but II is not improbable
that after welearned rest perhaps spent In travel
he may resume the practice OF his profession