The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-15
JUSTICE FIELDS ADIEU
ATTORNEY GENERAL M'KENNA
HIS PROBABLE SUCCESSOR.
WILL Be APPOINTED IN DECEMBER
The Retiring Justice Writes About His Long
Career, Over Third Of Century,
on the United States Supreme
Court Bench.

Court Bench.
Washington, Oct. 14.-It was an
nounced at the Supreme court to-day
that Justice Stephen j. Field, of Cali
fornia, had notified President Mckinley
Of his intention to retire as member of
the court, and had informed his col
leagues of this fact. 1t is expected that
his successor will be nominated by the
President Immediately after the conven-
ing of Congress in December and that
Attorney General McKenna, also OF
California, will be named for the oince.
Justice Field, it is learned, notified the
President last April of his intention to
retire, but the President did not nc
knowledge it until October 9th
In the letterof Justice Field to his as
sociates, notifying them of his retire
ment, is copy of the acceptance of his
resignation by the President, in which
Mr.. Mckinley speaks in the highest
terms Of the services rendered by the
distinguished jurist. The letter further
says:
NY judicial career covers many years
OF service. On the tenth of March.
1863 l was commissioned by President
Lincoln justice Of the Supreme court
of the United States, taking the oath
Of office on the twentieth day Of the
following May. e
When my resignation takes effect my
period of service on tflis bench viii have
exceeded that of any of my predecessors,
while my entire judicial life will have
embraced more than forty years.
may be pardoned for saying that during
all this period. long in comparison with
the brevity of human life, though in the
retrospect it has gone with the swift
ness of a tale that is told. / have not
Stunned to declare in every case coming
before me for decision the conclusions
which my deliberate convictions COM
pelIed me to arrive at, by the conscient-
ious exercise of such abilities and re-
quirements as | possessed
1t is a pleasant thing in my memory
that my appointment came from Presi-
dent Lincoln. of whose appointets ! am
the last survivor. Up to that time there
had been no representative here of the
Pacific coast At the head of the court.
when I became one of its members, was
the venerable Chief Justice fancy, and
among the associate justices was Mr..
Justice Wayne, who had sat with Chief
Justice Marshall, thus constituting link
between the past and the future, and, as
it were, binding into unity. nearly an
entire century of the life of this court.
During my incumbency three chief
justices and sixteen associate justices
have passed away, leaving me precious
remembrances of common labors and
intimate and agreeable companionship.
When / came here the country was in
the midst of war. Washington was one
great camp, and now and then the boom
of cannon could be heard from the other
side of the Potomac. But we could not
say inter arma silent leges. This court
met in regular session, never once fail
ing in time or place, and its work went
on as though there were no sound OF
battle Indeed the war itself simply
added to the amount of litigation here
as elsewhere. But the war ended in a
a couple of years, and then came the
great period Of reconstruction and the
last amendments to the Federal consti-
tuition. In the effort to re-establish the
nation, to adjust all things to the chang
ed political, social and economic condi-
tions, questions of far reaching import
were neutrality-suspicious. OF personal
liberty, of constitutional right, which,
after oft times heated discussions before
the people and in the halls of Congress,
came to us for decision. | do not exag-
and momentous questions were ever pre-
sented to this or any other court. l
look back with pride and joy to the fact
that | was permitted to take part in
the consideration Of all those important
questions, and that not infrequently
was called upon to express the judg-
ment of this court thereon. And now
that those times of angry debate, deep
feeling and judicial decision have pass
ed it is pleasant to realize that the con-
cusions announced by this court have
been accepted, not simply of necessity
as to prescribed by the fundamental
law. but in the main as in themselves
both correct and wise.
AS we all know, the period of the war
was followed by one continuing event
TO the present time, of marvellous ma
terial development. Wealth accumu-
lated such as never before was dreamed
of in this country. Gigantic enterprises
were undertaken and carried through.
Inventions have multiplied the conven-
fences of life, as well as the possibili-
ties of achievement. Indeed. the condi-
tions OF life have essentially changed
from those that prevailed prior to the
war. Out of this changed social and
economic condition have sprung not
merely an immense multitude of cases.
but litigation of a character vitally af-
fecting the future prosperity and safety
OF this country. To this court have
come for final solution and decision many
of these questions and cases. BY the
blessings of Almighty God my health
and life have been preserved, and have