Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-10-21
had heard arguments in many cases

tlclpate before -~aylng that bench
ana liked tie 9TH of May as the
day on which - take, as | did the
oath, because IL was the eighty-second
birthday OF my father, who INDUCED
IN just pride at my accession to this
exalted position. At the head of the
court when I became one of its mem
DeTs was the venerable Chief Justice
fancy and among the associate JUS
tlces was Mr.. Justice Waite, who had
sat with Chic Justice Marshall, thus
constituting nnk between the past
and The future, and as it were, bind
Ing into unity nearly an entire CEN
fury OF the life Of this court. During
my Incumbency three chief justices
ana sixteen associate justices
have passed away, leaving me pre-
clous remem 5.@aces OF common la
cors and Intimate, agreeable compan-
lCnsnlp. Whel. = uime here the coun-
Try was II the midst OF war. Wash
Il gton was one great camp and now
ana then the boom OF the 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
IalIlng IN time or place, and its work
went on as though there was no
sound OF battle. Indeed, the war itself
simply added to the amount of litiga-
tlon here and elsewhere. But the war
ended in couple of years and then
came the great period of reconstruc-
ton and the last amendments to the
federal constitution. l do not exag-
gerate when l say that no more diff
| hcult and momentous questions were
ever presented to this or any other
court. l look back with pride and
joy to the fact that l was permitted
TO take part in the consideration of
all those important questions
and that it was not infre-
quently that | was called upon
to express the judgment of this court
| thereon. Now that those times of
angry debate have passed it is pleas
ant to realize that the conclusions an
| nounced by this court have been ac-
cepted, not simply OF necessity, but
in the main DIS in themselves both
correct and wise. AS we all know
: the period of war has been followed
by one continuing event to the pres
ent time OF marvellous material de-
Velopment. Indeed, the conditions of
life have essentially changed from
those that prevailed prior to the war.
Cut OF this changed social and eco
homie conditionhas sprung litigation
OF character vitality affecting the future
prosperity and safety of this country.
TO this court have come for final de-
cision many of these cases. By the
blessings OF Almighty God, my health
and life have been preserved and |
have been enabled to take part in the
consideration of all these cases. Few
appreciate the magnitude of our la
bors. The burden resting upon us
for the last fifteen or twenty years
has been enormous. The volumes of
our reports show that l alone have
written $40 opinions. If to these are
added 81 opinions in the circuit court
and 365 prepared while l was in the
supreme court of California, it will
be seen that l have voiced decisions
in 1.042 cases.
las l look back over more than a
third of a century that L sat on this
bench, l am more and more impressed
with the unreasonable Importance of
this court. Now and then we hear it
spoken OF as an ariStOcratic feature
| OF republican government. But it
is the most democratic of all. 1t has,
indeed, no power to legislate. 1t can
not appropriate a dollar. 1t carries
neither purse nor sword. But it pos
sesses the power of declaring law and
in that has found the safeguard
which keeps the whole mighty fabric
OF the government from rushing to
destruction.
With this | give place to my sue
cesSor, but can never cease to linger
on the memories OF the past. Among
the compensatIOns for all the hard
DIRK that a seat on this bench i'm
poses have Deen the intimacies and
friendships that have been formed
between the members. though we
OFTEN differed IN our opinions, 1t has
always been an honest difference,
which did not affect our mutual re-
gard and respeCL. These many years
nave, indeed, been years OF labor and
Toll, but they have brought their own
rewards; and we can all join in
thanksgiving to the author OF our
Icing that we have been permitted to
spend SO much of our lives in the
service OF our country. With pro-
found respect and regard, 1 am, my
dear brethren,
Very sincerely, always yours,
stephen J. Field"
The following was the courts reply:
Dear Brother Field:-We are pro-
fOundly moved by the letter in which
you announce TO US your retirement
from the bench. The termination Of
judicial career OF such length and
distinction cannot fail TO inspire
among all of your countrymen, IN
coed, wherever the RAIN OF jurispru-
which to your colleagues assumes the
aspect or personal bereaVment For
the intimacy necessarily incident to
the conduct OF work SO constant, SO
exciting and Of such vital Importance
as ours, inevitably draws us together
by ties or the closest character which
cannot be dissolved without emotions
Of deep sadness and regret. We feel
that our parting involves not sim