Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-01-29
Judge Bradley Dead.
Death Of an old Member Of the United
states supreme Court.


States supreme Court.
Justice Joseph r. Bradley of the United
States supreme court died at his residence
in Washington last Friday morning of the
general debility incident to old age. He had
been for some time i'm failing health. JUS
tice Bradley was one Of the ablest members
of the supreme bench, and with the eXcep-
tion of Justice Field was the senior in
years of service. having been appointed in
1870 by President Grant. He was born in
Bernr, y. Y, in 1913, and was the oldest
i'm a family of II children. He grew up as
farmers boy, doing the work incident to
the farm life of those days At one time
he drove a farm wagon into the village of
Berne. He had, however. a great love of
reading and study, especially of the higher
mathematics. The village clergyman dis
covered his aptitude for learning and offer
ed to take him into his family and fit him
for college. This offer was gladly accepted,
and at 20 he entered Rutgers college, grad
uating in 1886. lie then studied law, in
! 1880 was admitted to the bar, and in 1910
! opened an office in Newark, y. j. This
was the beginning of a 30 years career of
a steadily increasing success in his profess
sion. He at one time had some prominence
in the politics of New Jersey, and was
nominated for Congress against his own
wish. He was Wing in early life, but
! joined the Republican party at its incep-
ton, and remained true to its principles
throughout his career.
He was "A member of the electoral com
mission of 1877, performing an important
| part in the great work of that time. lie
supported the conclusions of the majority,
under which the presidency was given to
Gen. X. b. Hayes, sustaining his position
with able and careful arguments. That he
acted with deliberation and with "A con-
scientous desire to do exactly the right
thing is shown by a letter. written by him
! in 1877 in which he refuted the charge
that he had been governed by outside in
huences in reaching his decision. In this
letter Judge Bradley said:
During the whole sitting of the com
mission | had no private discussion what
ever of the subjects at issue with any per
son interested on the Republican side, and
but very few words with any person. In
deed, | sedulousy sought to avoid all dis
cussion outside the commission itself The
question was one Of grave importance, and,
to me. of much difficulty and embarrass-
ment. earnestly endeavored to come to
a right decision free from all political or
other eXtranrous considerations In my
private examination of the principal ques-
ton (about going behind the returns) |
wrote and rewrote the arguments and con
siderations on both sides As they occurred
to me. sometimes being inclined to one
view of the subject and sometimes to the
other But finally | threw aside these
! mcuhrations, and wrote ont the short Opin-
ion which | read in the Florida case during
the sitting Of the commission. This opin-
ion expresses the honest conclusion 10
which had arrived, and which. after a
full consideration of the whole subject.
seemed to me the only satisfactory solution
OF the question. And | may add, that the
, more / have reflected on it since, the more
sati SIZED have become that it was right.
In lS44 Judge Bradley married Mary
daughter Of Chief Justice llornblowcr OF
New Jersey. Their children number two
sons and two daughters.