The record-union., 1896-11-13
Highest Leavenng SengthLatest u S. Govt Report.
R3>!a!!! g! RRskiHs Rskassz
ABSOLUTEIY PURE

(W&00~A0S
This court as you have heard Cen
eral Fitzgerald say to you, performs
very arduous duties. The court does
perhaps as large an amount of work
as any court Of last resort in the United
States. We have to devote all our time
to discharge the duties that come be-
fore us, and yet we are frequently met
with a reception of our work which is
| only discouraging to one, or to those
who are giving their best efforts to
| reach just conclusions. Now, unhap-
pily-it is unhappily in one sense-the
administration of the law cannot be
DETECTED to meet individual necessities.
1t may be likened to the progress of
car upon it's track; kept upon its course
| it carries you to prosperity and to
safety. But attempt to defect it for
the personal convenience of any indi-
vidual and it leads to disaster. The
| law is a system Of principles in a sense
| as immutable as the laws Of nature,
subject, of course, to the changes
brought about by the changes Of civili-
zation. But the court is bound to ap-
when it is unhappily called upon to de-
eide case in accordance with legal
principles, but which strikes, perhaps,
some portions Of the community with
oisfavor, it's decisions are not met with
that degree Of consideration which, it
seems to me, is due to a sense of JUS
tice toward those who are endeavoring
to do their whole duty.
am not given to speech making, and
the fact is there are few who have the
happy faculty of making dinner
speeches which in any way add to the
pleasure of the occasion. l have rare
ly heard as large a number as I have
listened to tonight.
If l We're to undertake to make a
speech l fear l would meet with some
such experience as the young Judge
whom modesty prevents me from point
ing gout-eXperienced on the first occa-
sion of his impanelling a Grand Jury.
Having had little experience in that
duty, he took occasion to very carefully
prepare his charge to the jury. The
jurors were duly summoned and sworn,
and the Judge proceeded to deliver his
charge in his most impressive style.
Just as he concluded an old gentleman
in a back seat arose and said, Judge,
I'd like to be excused from this jury"
WELL" said the Judge. Mr.. Smith, it is
rather late for an excuse. have
passed on the excuses, but what is your
| excuse?" Il am deaf, Judge" was the
reply. Well asked the Judge, "can
you not hear the ordinary proceedings
of the court?" What is that?" asked
the old man. "Have not" repeated the
Judge, been able to hear the ordinary
proceedings Of the court?' well,
have heard some things, Judge" Then
l said Qaughter)-the Judge said, MIR.
Smith, did you not hear the charge Of
the court?" What is that, Judge?'
Did not you hear the charge of the
court?" We'll, yes, 1 heard it, Judge
but couldn't make any sense out n it."
Uaughter.)
JUSTICE HARRISON.
Superior Judge Matt F. Johnson was
called on next for toast and spoke as
follows:
Mr.. President: Sacramento City has
reason to feel proud OF the position she
occupies this evening. When we come
to reflect upon the personnel of our Su-
preme Court as 1t is now constituted it
is with emotions of pride that we point
to its Chief Justice as being one of our
pioneer and respected citizens, that we
look upon it's Justice Mcfarland, one Of
our favorite sons, nor are we unmindful
of the fact that Justice Van Fleet was
nurtured and reared from boyhood IN
our midst.
While all these things are true, we
bow in Difference to our sister city, the
proud metropolis of the Pacific, and
say to her, You, too, have contributed
to that tribunal member to whom you
and the entire State of California can
point with satisfaction and truly say
that among it's members he stands a
peer and during his many years of pub
lie service he has added much to our
legal lore and placed not single stain
upon the judicial ermine
Gentlemen, l propose the health of
Justice Harrison of San Francisco.
The toast was received with pro-
longed applause, and Judge Harrison
responded as follows:
Mr.. Toastmaster and Gentlemen of
Sacramento: l never realized until
this evening how much l have lost in
the development of my life and char
acter by not having been a citizen of
Sacramento. daughter and applause)
/ have passed my career in an humble
manner in the lowly city of San Fran
cisco, and it is only in the last two
years that l have been able to look out
and see that this is the center Of the
State. l have been this evening par
ticularly entertained by the compli-
ments that have been conferred by
yourselves on the body of which / am a
member and it i'll becomes me to say
you are wrong.
/ recognize the support that you feel
inclined to give and which we do re-
ceive from citizens like yourselves, but
have this to say: When l came here
tonight it was with the expectation
that it was to be an evening Of purely
personal and selfish pleasure. I had
been told that all 1 had to do was to
sit and receive and enjoy myself.
1t was not until the dinner-if I may
call it such-had been nearly finished
that dread came over me that 1 was
expected to say something. This was
such a failure of the consideration un-
der which l came here, that If / could
square matters with you l would have
been almost willing to rescind my part
of the contract.
But not being in a position to put in
l have remained, and 1 have only to
add that the evening has been one of
such pleasure that l shall remember it