Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-24
THE NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL.
He Makes His First Appearance I'm the
Supreme Court.

Ho Makes His First Appearance I'm the
Supreme Court.
Attorney General Olney made his first ap-
pearance in the Supreme Court Of the United
States today, save on the occasion of his
formal introduction to the court by his
predecessor. The occasion that called
him out was the presentation of the
resolutions recently adopted BY the members
Of the bar upon the death of the late Justice
Lamar. In anticipation of this event there
was an unusually large attendance of attorneys
upon the sessions of the court, and the visitors
benches were also quite well filled.
Mr.. Oiney spoke easily and gracefully and
was listened to with interest. not only for his
subject, but for the way in which he handled
it. He said:
II have been requested. if your honors
please. to present to the court the resolu-
tions Of the bar upon the occasion of the
death OF Mr.. Justice Lamar. In under
taking that duty L have no hesitation
in saying that the resolutions, winch 1
shall presently read. do but simple Justice to
the character of your late associate and in no
way ,eSagserate either the great loss of the
whole community or the profound
affection of very large circle
OF friends and acquaintance. Under
this court Is of pre-eminent import
ance. Though the court remains. an
element disappears which had vitality affected
its deliberations and its results. to
be succeeded by new one different
to some extent in the nature of things. and
possibly of a wholly diverse character. Thus
as one departs and another assumes his place, a
neworder of things arises all the more surely be-
cause 1t comes insens,bly and almost bv stealth.
ut is a new order of the greatest moment, be-
cause In the scope and extent of its jurisdic-
ton and power, as touching on the one hand
oh of of ixtt,
millions of people and dealing on the
other with the collective rights Of
numerous populous committees and sovereign
states, court like it or even strongly
resembling it has ever existed among
men. To have sat upon such a court
without reproach and without discredit
may well fill to the full the measure of
the loftiest ambition. With Mr.. Justice Lamar
has passed away not merely a lawyer and a
judge but a notable historical figure. 1t may
though certainly his good fortane as
man, that his lot was cast in
tempestuous times--in times which, however,
adverse to the acquisition of technical
knowledge and technical skill always
and inevitably develop whatever there
is in man of intellectual and moral great
mess. & He was born when the echoes of the
aecs4ftsr contest over the admission Of Missouri
into the Union-that issue which startled
jefferson like a fire bell in the
night'-were still resounding through
the land. He was a mere youth when
the Missouri compromise was succeeded by
another and the spectre of disunion was laid
for a time by the mingled firmness and modera-
ton Of Gen. Jackson. He had hardly entered
upon the practice of law when the
north and south again came into vio-
lent collision over the fugitive slave law
ries. He went with his section and his
state in the civil war that followed
only ten years after. and supported their
cause with equal devotion ON the battle
field and in the forum. Always and under
all circumstances he was leader, not merely
followed and obeyed, but implicitly trusted
and sincerity loved. He continued to lead
even more decisively and on a larger field
when arms were laid down, and to
him more than to any other one man
north or south. is due the adoption by both
victors and vanished of those counsels
OF moderation and magnanimity and
wisdom which have made the edifice of
our constitutional union more impregna-
BILE to all assaults than ever before But
this eventful and stormy career these en-
crossing and exciting occupations and achieve
ments of the soldier and statesman and
patriot, necessarily interrupted and pre-
vented that exclusive devotion to the
science of jurisprudence and that constant
familiarity with its practical application in the
administration OF justice. which that jealous
mistress. the law, inexorably exacts of all her
followers.
do not believe that Mr.. Justice Lamar ever
practiced law his sole or chief occupa-
ton for any one term Of five consec-
utiWe years. l am unable to discover
that he could have made the practice
ST the law his sole or principal pursuit
for more than ten or twelve years in all. And
it is the highest possible tribute to his natural
genius, to his legal instincts and extraordinary
intellectual gifts that, in spite of all the dis
advantages under which he labored. Mr..
Justice Lamar performed his part as a men,
Der of this high court OF judicature not only to
the acceptance of the bench and the bar, but
with such intelligence and weil-directed zeal
and devotion that only failing health
and strength could have prevented
his ultimately attaining decided judicial emf
hence" Chief Justice Fuller responded to the
preference Of the request made by tine Attorney
General, on behalf of the court, i'll few words
of earnest tribute to the worth of the dead.