The sun., 1893-07-08
Samuel Blatchford.

Samuel Blatchford.
SAMUEL BLATcHFoRp was great lawyer
and fearless Judge. In knowledge Of the
law OF admiralty he had no superior, II he
had any equal. on the bench or at the bar.
He rose through all the grades OF the Fed
eral judiciary to the highest place: and
| when. in 1889. President ARTHUR appointed
| him Associate Justice OF the Supreme Court
| Of the United States. the appointment was
| universally commended.
Yet, less than nine years before, Judge
BLATCHFORD. sitting In the District Court
OF tho United States In this city, had made
n decision which, according to the current
opinion OF men in those times. was destined
to put an end to oil hope OF advancement on
his part in his chosen judicial career.
The Federal Judges are appointed by the
President Of tho United States, with tho
| advice and consent OF the Senate. great
General had become President. He was
under tho influence OF corrupt friends and
advisers. This newspaper made public
some of tho misdccds OF the rulers Mt
Washington. The men thus exposed sought
to silence The Sun by q gross abuse OF the
forms Of law. In Washington there was n
petty police court upon which Congress
had assumed, in violation OF the Constitu-
tion. to confer jurisdiction to try criminal
prosecutions for libel. without jury. A
complaint was laid before that court.
charging the editor of THE Sun with the
crimo OF libel. and an application was
mado to the District Judge of the United
States for tho Southern District Of Now
York for q warrant to remove tho defend
Il. t,s,
All the power which the GRANT Admins
trntion could exert was brought to bear in
order to make this application successful.
Counsel were sent on from Washington to
assist the United States Attorney here. and
the aid Of JOHN l. DAVENPORT was invoked
to carry out the nefarious plan Of destroying
the liberty of the press and the right OF
trial by jury. in one and the same proceed
ing. But that plan was thwarted. Those
who originated and matured the scheme
did not believe that Republican Judge
could be found in those times who would be
strong enough. and brave enough, and
sufficiently true to his oath. to ignore tho
obvious wishes OF the Republican Admins
tration at Washington. In this belief they
were mistaken. SAMUEL BLATCHFoRD un-
doubtedly was an ambitious man. and
before then had doubtless contemplated tho
possibility that he might in the course Of
timo be promoted to the bench of tho
hisnest triounal IN inc iand' put he was
VIKING 10 risk everything IN that respect
ioi Ine suho Vi uoinS right. Anu 80 oh
July 49, 1873. he rendered this memorable
decision in the case OF Mr.. DANA:
ut is matter OF history that tho offence of libel
v,s ,,w,.. ,r,,l,. .nd ,r,o, n, tn ~, ,n.r,or
an. =, Oh. ,-,mo. .h,,, ,,,., ,,, ,h. ca,..,,,,,,
h. triad nv inrr TIL. .c, n, 1870 nror,,. th.t ,n
information in ,h,s cns. ,hal nor he tried nv inv
nr, ho,I h ,r,, ~. ,n Cn, u,. ,.,h, 4, ,.
.,t ,nn. 49, y.s. y, ...i -. M =. -, ,
,.h.,. Oh. in rrorm,,,or ,nr., -, ,sI, ~. . t n,
,,i. ,o, 40, .,,... ~. s,,..,,a =, c .
ii. . ,o,,.r "a ,.nr,,. Oh. a,.n,,, ~, ,, -, ,
,r,ai hr i-r ,,r m. ,i,i an, 81, nm, him 10 oon,i.,.n
N an .r,.,, ~ ,no,ha. .onr, 20 ,,.I ~, t.
:, &, ,in,ou,, ;" -. ,rn, =, ~. ~, .,.. ,,
g., nr,s. o., .a, ,,, 49, -, -,,,, ,
o -, ss., - -,,,. n,S ,,. 49,
,r,,I nv ,rr,
~ H. ,.r;.,,a h, .o.r, ,, m.. =, ~ ,,.,.,.y ~, .x
but acqun,d ia IL. r tanco jnrv A.
therefore the defendant. IL removed to the District OF
m ~ r'ea II, man"e. oFo.aasn oy 'n'
:. =. ,,,,",.,. .,,.-,
.,,., H u! 10 ~ uto' W ,'",'A' "nu
.un' ,,.., "pp.o 'Ao .'."s anoo Y, viz i'u-
o. 1 " ,a,,,., IT. aI .n9 '.mo WIZ 'uuso
~ ueivo'ou '"ie ee,ooi",ouo opin
4on. MI. iihDEN ci'"ruc'eri~eo ~ Hos1
po"eriuliy Ill Ills spee'h acceP'lhR Inc
oeinocra'i' ! o. hoiiiiiiation ior e'o'erhor III the
ioiio"ins year. WHEN he saio:
The Federal Government Is drifting Into greater
:. nna.r,rp.. ,o S,rs", ,ns h"s,0.. a., n"t
vduas oy tarlhs not intended for legitimate taxation
W M" W u"h"P