The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-31
THE BUSY life
Led by Justice Field Since Ills
Thirteenth Year.
lie WILL Be EIGHTY YEARS OLD
On tho Fourth OF Soyrmbsr.-A ppointrd
10 thu bench by Lincoln Some Of Ills
Notable DSeisions--A ldh' Fall orinci-
drm.-tio.ing Years Ola Great Jurist.

New York Times, The eightIcth birth.
day Anniversary OF Justice stephen
Johnson Field. on November I, will be
observed Informally at his home, In
ush!ngton. 1t Is expected that all Of
his associates on the supreme court
bench, his relatives. and a few OF his
intimate friends will be present. The
Rev Henry NJ. Field OF this city. the
only remaining brother OF thu venerable
lnaIStc, said yesterday thai the guth-
crins would not De III the nature 81 u
celebration, but would be q simple re-
union Of those persons who have been
closest TO hin In his .long aud active
career.
Justlce Field Is In GOOD health, aud,
Notwithstanding his age, his capacity
for lnbUr IL unlmpalrcd, He was 80
frall In infancy that his NE, was de
SPARED of, but tho temperate habits In
which IL was trained ana the careful
development of hIs powers during his
youth have made him In his old age
much more vigorous than the average
man Of sixty,
Since MS thirteenth yenr, when he
sailed for Smyrna with his sister, the
Wife OF the Rav. Josiah brewer, his
life has ahounded IN striking Incidents.
Whom he entered Williams College, IN
1885, he was already Il thorough Greek
scholar, with Knowledge also OF Italsin,
French ana Greek. He graduated In
1851, and began the study of law in the
office OF his brother. David Dudley Field
IN New York. He was his brothers
partner seven years, ending in 1915. A
year later Mr.. Field went TO California.
and soon took his first official position.
that OF Alcade OF MdrySville. Upon
the organization OF the state govern
ment he entered tho legislature. In
1867 ne was elected judge Of the su-
premc court " the state. Upon the
death OF Chief Justice Terry he be-
came chief Justice and filled that Of
flee until he left California,
Appointed Ju.tieo by Lincoln.
President Lincoln appointed Mr..
Field the tenth justice OF the United
States supreme court In 1853 when
Congress passed the law creating Il
new district on the Pacific coast, lie
took the oath .. office May 20. 1869.
fancy was then chief justice, The as-
suCIatc justices were: Wayne, Catron,
Nelson, Grlpr. Clifford. Swayne. Miller
and Davis, One or the firSt cases before
the tribunal after Justice Field took
his seat was the famous NIlligan case.
Justice Field was one Of the i've Jus
tees who In this case declared the civil
authority OF the government 10 be par
amount to tho military.
In the "leSal-tendcr" cases OF war
time, which are OF special interest by
reason OF the present hnancIal CAM
paign, Justice Field stood with CHIEF
Justice Chase against the constitution
atty OF the act OK Congress, making
the promises OF the government n leg
al-tender FOR the payment OF debts.
Justice Field believes that II the SUI
preme court had 50 decided. the hnan-
rial uncertainty following the war
would not have existed. lie opposed the
subsequent reversal OF the decision.
Justice Fields rule OF thought IN the
Interpretation Of constitutional qucs-
tons. and the rule that has given rise
to the chief popular discussion OF his
work on the bench, are summed up in
the record" OF the family written by
the Rev. Henry ". Field. his brother,
as follows:
Ideas TIA. Guided Him.
First. the preservation from every In
OF all the powers and functions alot-
ted to the national government and the
stutoc governments; and second. the
perfect security and protection OF pr!-
vale rights from all entertainments. ell
Their by the United States or by the In
GNldual states. These two Ideas he has
steadily kept In view. and has made the
bass OF his decisions. He has demon
StratCd that 3 constant and firm main
tenlnce Of the powers justly belonging
to the federal government Is not In
compatible with an equally firm up
holding Ct the powers intrustcd to the
states, with an undertaking adherence
10 the sacred doctrine OF local selr-guv-
eminent, and with jealous protection
Of private rights, because all. In fact,
rest upon the same foundation"
He disSented from the decision OF the
electoral commission In 1877, which
awarded the presidency TO Rutherford
b. Hayes, rs against Samuel J. TTdeu.
His opposition to the Republican policy
OF reconstruction after the war drew
upon him the eyes or the whole coun-
try. and made him the candidate OF IL
strong faction for the Democratic nom
lnatIon for the presidency in 1880 lie
ascribcs his defeat to the divisions In