The record-union., 1897-01-01
KHE OLD AND THE NEW COURT.


THE OLD AND THE NEW COURT.
With the close of this week there viii
retire from the bench he has so long
graced a jurist venerable In years, ripe
In knowledge, and bearing with him to
private practice the respect, esteem and
perfect confidence of the people among
whom he has SO long lived and has so
faithfully and unselfshly served.
Hon. A. P. Catlin leaves the Superior
bench of Sacramento County with the
regrets, but with the best wishes and
sincereSt regard of his fellow citizens.
His passing from official to private ac-
tivity in the field of the law is occasion
for open and public expression Of the
esteem in which he is held, and the CON-
fdence reposed In him. From early
manhood to this day Judge Catlin has
been the champion and friend Of Sacra-
mento. To his energy, learning. persist
ence and Skill perhaps more than to the
efforts and ability of any other man or
men, are due credit for making Sacra-
mento the Capital of the State.
He has served our people ably and
brilliantly, not on the bench alone for
so many years, but In the halls OF leg
islation, and in nearly every important
political and community movement that
has had the interests of the people at
heart His advice has largely guided
us, his counsel has always been sought,
and followed In the main In the COM
munion OF the people concerning their
interests.
Learned In the law, nlerciful, kindly,
dignified, ripe In experience unblen-
ished in character, devoted IN his love
for the county Of his home, patriotic,
faithful and public spirited, this dis
tinguished 1ur1st retires to private prac-
tioe rich In the respect of his fellow
ctttzenR
With the passing OF the old year there
refires from the Superior Court OF this
county a 1urtst whose failure to remain
upon the bench Is the cause OF common
expressions Of regret among all the
people That failure was due to a re-
narkable and unusual combination of
circumstances which in honor bound
him to accept the situation Judge A.
c. Hinlson came to the bench as the
first Judge Of ths Third Department.
II 81 simple truth to say that when he
WAS elevated to that position the
bseadkh and capacity and judicial mind
odf nhs man and his special fitness for
The place were not realized even by his
nsn1est friends, since he bad not pushed
ftuzsM into notice, while modesty
and rnpretentious bearing had kept his
real ability much In the background.
But he proved, when once on the bench,
to BE- one OF the best OF Judges.
His peculiar fitness for the judicial
ofios was ct once made manifest, his
breadth Of mind, perfect impartiality,
his fnnexibtlity OF purpose In doing
what he conceived to be duty, regard
las Of consequences. or of persons.
plaos Cur station, 10 individu-
sla enabled him to hold the
scales OF justice on such even balance
as TO elicit the admiration and praise of
even those upon whom the judgments
Of the court descended.
Aside from this Judge Hinkson be-
came known all over the State as the
modern e0emplar of judicial prompt
ness and precision. His rules and prac-
ttce IN this regard became the terror
of the laggard and the evil doer and the
admiration OF the prompt. He held that
the time OF the court is the time of the
people, and it Is no more to be wasted
and trifled with than Is the money and
property Of the people.
His infiexible demand that respect be
Maid the court and it's processes. as
representing the dignity and supremacy
of the people, was enforced with such
firmness and perfect impartiality as to
awaken attention everywhere among
the people, and win for him the respect
of the bar and the applause of citizens
r. NAV be said that those who suffered
most under his conceptions OF the maj
estv Of the law and the dignity OF the
neople's tribunal are to-day loudest IN
commanding his course.