The times., 1897-08-15
Justice Fields Long Service on
the Supreme Bench.
SURPASsEs ALL RECORDS
A Career FuIl of Incident and
yariety-Eariy Days in Asia Minor
"A California Pioneer-Not Moved
by Popular Prejudices-Two At
tempts on His Life.

OF the United States Supreme Court, Will
have served on the bench of that dis
tinguished court longer than any other
member since the foundation of the Govern
ment and the establishment of the court
He will then pass the long judicial career
OF John Marshall, the most eminent chief
justice.
Marshall, the interpreter OF the Con-
stitution, served from 1901 TO 1882
Field, from 1853 10 1897. Marshall vas
appointed while still Secretary of State, 70
by deducting that time, the term OF service
of Justice Field viii, on Tuesday, exceed
that or Chief Justice Marshall by one day
The subject of this sketch comes irs'In
a nscst distinguished family Il family whose
name is hhked with the history OF this
country n such a way as to make it long
remembered. The associate justice wih Do
eighty-one years old in November. lie is
one of four brothers, each OF whom has
achieved merited fame. The judicial and
legal training OF that family did not ex-
haust itself in the male line. A sister OF
these brothers. Mrs. Josiah Br ever, /, is the
| mother Of Associate Justice Brewer of the
Supreme Court. who sits on the bench with
his illustrious but now aged uncle,
Va Lille DIOLnEIb ", W as
Cirrus W. Field, who, after many trials
and the surmowting of apparently in
surnassable obstacles laid the Atlantic
cable; David Dudley Field, one OF Americas
most celebrated lawyers, and Henry Mar
| tyn Field. the widely y-known preacher and
editor of religious newspapers. Justice
Brewer, who is entitled to rank as
member OF this celebrated family, was
= AZ
there as missionaries Justice Field also
lived in Smyrna with his aunt. He lived
long enough in the Leyant TO become ia
nliliar with the modern Greek, French,
Italian. and Turkish languages. On ac-
| count OF his early acquaintances with
these languages, particularly the Turkish.
| he is one OF a small group OF statesmen
and Jurists which last winter devoted it
/ self TO the study OF Oriental languages
\ Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, who wiz
| be seventy-one years old on the 29th in
slant, was member OF the group. AL
| though these men are above the three-score
and ten allotted to man, they are still
pursuing knowledge.
Way Judge Field does not retire is
question often asked He is above seventy
years OF age and has served more than
/ INA- ECdA- nc I44i%At ldNE lGbA tN III
years ago on full pay, for tile country
! Teckons that b man capable of sitting On
| the Supreme Bench is entitled to such
| liberal treatment. 1t is well-known that
any member OF the court is capable OF
| Gaming more than the $4,000 a year
salary which is paid When, therefore,
noted lawyer goes on the bench he
sacrifices money for his ambition The
tees him against want Through this he
is induced To give up his large practice and
| accept position OF the highest honor
| within the gift Of the United states, with
an annuity attached His large income in
| private station iF sure only when he is
vigorous; tie Government, after he has
given his best years to its service assures
him his salary so long as he may live
There is one great reason that actuates
| the associate justice TO remain on the
bench. He is afraid that IL he retires and
stops work, with his mind unoccupied, the
body viii give out and he VIII soon die
His ow observation has shown thefutility
OF an old man trying TO rest after spend
| ing so many years in active work.
Il want To wear out, not rust out"
the venerable justice has said on more
/
youth who helps him robe and ,iisrobe.
This attendant the justice is in the hahiv
OF calling the boy" The average age
OF the nine justices is sixty-four years
White, of Louisiana, being only fffty-two
Is the youngest; Peckham, the junior as
Sodate by term OF service is fifty-nine,
Brewer is sixty; Brown, sixty-one; Har-
Ian, sixty-four; Shiras, seventy y-five; Gray,
/ ci
four. and Field, eighty-one. Mr.. Field is
the only one On the bench who shows
the infirmity Of years. The boy" asst sts
hIm to his carriage and otherwise sees
that he gets through the crowded halls
with the least difficulty.
| There are other reasons also, why the
justice does not retire. He would not re-
tire while Cleveland was President for he
diAiked him, and would not give that Presi-
dent the opportunity of appointing his sue
cessor. Mr.. Field had an inkling that if
he retired certain high official in the
Democratic party was to be put in his
place, and the justice could not bring him.
self TO be content with the idea Of his
place being filled by this probable choice Of
Mr. Ceveland's- Now that Mckinley is
President it is said that Mr. Field is still
/
reasons. Periodically the story that he IL
about to leave the bench is put before
the public, but 1t is always quickly and
| emphatically denied.
This summer MIR. Field Is spending the
Court vacation, from June to October. at
Spring Lake, N. j. In other years he has
spent 1t at his home III California. His
declining years made it impossible for
hlm to Undertake the long journey this
year. But he writes from New Jarse
that for years he has not felt SO wen
"a at the present time. Last spring, while
in California, he had protracted sick
ness, and his life was despaired of for
some time.
Distinguished as has been his career. there
is one lasting disappointment to his life.
from which he has never quite recovered.
he hoped and expected to be named as
Chief justice in 1888, when the last va
oancy occurred. Cleveland was then Presi-
dent, and Field was Democrat. He had
however higher claim than that OF mere
political affiliation. He was, by fourteen
years, the senior associate Justice. His
friends Were led to expect that he would
be thus honored. The President however
passed over his head and appoir; ted Mel.
vile Weston Fuller. Mr.. Field and his
friends We're greatly grieved and disap
pointed.
This slight the aged Justice never forgot
aud never forgave. 1t was the cause fo,
his antipathy TO Cleveland referred to be
fore. During Clevelands second tern
1