The herald., 1897-10-15
HAS LEFT
THE BENCH
After Thirty-five Years of
Service
JUDGE FIELDS RESIGNATION
FORMALLY ACCEPTED By THE
PRESIDENT
Attorney General McKenna Will Sue
ceed to the Position-Other Ap-
pointments Not Decided On
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14.-Associate
Justice Stephen ]. Field today formally
retired from the supreme court of the
United States after thirtyfour years Of
service in that tribunal. The corre-
spondence betweega Justice Field and the
president, which was made public to-
day. shows that his resignation was
tenderea in April last. Mr.. Mckinley,
however, did not respond until October
8. While Justice Fields resigna tion
does not take effect until December 1,
he will not, it is understood, again sit
in the supreme court lis colleagues
Of the supreme court today called upon
him and expressed their regret at his
retirement and extended their congrat-
ula tions upon his long service of an as
sociate justice-the longest on record.
FIELDS LETTER
Supreme Court of the United States,
Washington, D. c., october IA, 1897.
Dear Mr.. Chief Justice and Brethren:
Near the close of last term, feeling that
the duties of my office have become
too arduous for my strength, l trans
mitted my resignation to the president,
to take effect on the first day of Decem-
ber next and this has been accepted,
with kindly expressions of regard, as
may be seen from a copy of the letter,
which is as follows:
Executive Mansion, Washington, Octo-
ber 9, 1897.
THsa1S "a
tice Supreme Court of the United States.
Washington, D. C.-My Dear Sir: In
April last Chief Chief Justice Fuller, ac-
companied by Mr.. Justice Brewer, hand
ed me your resignation as associate JUS
tice of the supreme court Of the United
States to effect December l. 1897. In
hereby accepting your resign alton, l
wish to express my deep regret that you
feel compelled by advanced years to
sever your active connection with the
cort of which you have 80 long been a
distinguished member Entering upon
your great office in May. 1863, you will,
on the first of next December. have
served upon this bench for period of
.hirty-four years and seven months,
term longer than that Of any member of
the court since its creation, and through
out period of special Importance in the
history of the country, occupied with "a
grave public questions as have ever con-
fronted that tribunal for decision. 1 con-
graduate you, therefore, most heartily
upon service of such exceptional dura-
ton, fidelity and distinction. Nor can
overlook that you received your COM
mission from Abraham Lincoln and,
graciously spared by kind providence,
have survived all the members of the
court of his appointment. Upon your
retirement both bench and country will
sustain a great loss, but the high char
acter and great ability of your work will
live and long be remembered, not only
by your colleagues but by your grateful
fellow countrymen.
With personal esteem and sincere best
wishes for your contentment and happi.
ness during the period Of rest which you
have so we'll earned, l am, dear sir very
truly yours, WILLIAM M'KINIEY.
My judicial career covers many years
of service Having been elected men,
ber of the supreme court of California,
[ assumed that office October 49, 1851
holding it for five years, seven months
and five days, the latter part of the time
being chief justice. On the 10th of March
1863 l was commissioned by President
Lincoln as justice of the supreme court
of the United States, taking the oath
of office on the goth day of the follow
ing May When my resigna tion take g
Effect my period of service on this bench
will 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 compari
son with the brevity of human life,
though in retrospec; it has gone with the
swiftness of a tale that is told l have
not failed, to declare, in every case COM
ing before me for decision, the conclu-
sions which my deliberate convictions
compelled me to arrive at by the con-
scientious exercise of such abilities and
requirements as | possessed.
II is a pleasant thing in my memory
that my appointment came from Presi-
dent Lincoln, Of whose appointees l
am the last survivor Up to that time
there had been no represen tative here
from the Pacific coast. A new empire
had risen in the west whose laws were
those of another country with lar'o' titles
from Spanish and Mexican grants both
of which We're often overlaio by claims
Of first settlers. To bring order out of
his chaos, congress passed an act pro-
viding for another seat on this bencn,
with the intention that it should be
flied by some one familiar with these
conflicting titles arc with the mining
Jaws of the coast ard as ii so happewAed
that 1 had framed the principal of these
laws and was moreover chief justice of
California, it was the wish of the sena-
tors and representatives of this state,
as we'll as those from Oregon, that /
should succeed to the new position. AT
their request Mr.. Lincoln sent my name
to the senate and my nomgaatior was
unanimously confirmed. This kindly
welcome was extended in March. but I
did not at once enter on the discharge of
the duties of the office for the reason
that, as chief justice Of California,