The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-30
Long Service of the Vet
Gran Justice Field.
Present Members of the Ma
tiOn'S Highest Court.
Though Past Eighty Justice Field
is Not Oldest Man on Bench.


service upon the bench of the supreme court
of the United States. The veteran justice
though showing the effects OF time, Is In
good health, and among his friends not
doubt Is entertained that no will surpass
all achievements Of the past in the line OF
long service upon that great court. The
honor Of longest service now belongs TO the
memory OF Chief Justice John Marshall,
the "father of the supreme court" and
godfather OF the constitution, as he has
been called But Justice Field will, If his
life be spared, soon take the record away
from him.
Chief Justice Marshall served from Jan
81, 1901, to July 6, 1885, or "a years,
months and days.
Justice Fields service began March 10,
1868, and on Aug. 10 his total service will
be "a years months and days.
A Remarkable Record.
II Justice Field lives out the remainder
of the century, as there is every chance
that he will, wo shall have the following
remarkable fact:
Three men upon the supreme bench
of the nineteenth century-John Marshall
1901 to 1885; james NJ. Wayne, 1885 to
1867; Stephen j. Field, 1868 to 1900.
If u fourth name be added, that of Will
liam Cushing, who served from Sept. 81,
17S9 to Sept. 10, 1910, we have four men
whose service, interlapping represents the
whole life of the government from its foun-
dation to the present time
The United States supreme court is re-
markablc for the length of service of many
of It's justices. No fewer than / l men have
sat upon tho bench more than quarter of
u century each These are:
Chief Justice Marshall, 81 years
months; Justice Field, "a years; Justice
Story, 80 years months Justice Wayne,
32 years q months; Justice Mclean, 32
years l months Justice Washington, 81
years months; Justice William John
son, 30 years 4 months; Chief Justice
Taney, 2S years MONTHS Justice Miller,
2S years 3 months; Justice Catron, 2S
years 2 months; Justice Nelson, ~ years
10 months.
Five justices served more than 90 years
and less than 25. as follows:
Justice Clifford, 23 years months;
Justice Grier, 23 years 6ls months; Jus
tice Duyal 23 years l month; Justice
Gushing, 20 years IL months; Justice
Thompson 20 years months.
The aggregate service Of these 16 jus
tices is almost 4J3 years, or an average of
more than % years each.
Including the present members of the
court, 81 men have sat upon tho supreme
bench, Of whom were chief justices.
The oldest man upon the bench at time
of appointment was Justice Hunt, who
was 81 years, b months and ~ days The
youngest was Justice Story, 32 years and
3 months.
Age on the Bench.
Justice Field, though several months
past 80, Is not the Oldest man that ever sat
upon tho bench That honor belongs to
Chief Justice Roger B. fancy, who was
just 80 when he went upon tho bench and
remained there 28 years and q months,
making him 81 years and months old
before death took him from his seat. 9th
er men on the supreme bench have been
Justice Duval, S2; Justice Nelson, 81;
Chief Justice Marshall, so; Justices Ca
tron, Grier and Bradley, TO- Justices
Wayne and Clifford, rs; Justices Mclean,
Daniel and Swayne, 10, and Justice Miller,
20.
bench was that OF Justice Thomas johnson
OF Maryland, who sat only "a year and "a
half.
Quite number of men have declined
places upon the supreme bench One man
presided over tho deliberations OF the court
without being actually member of 1t.
President Washington in 1895 commission
ed John Rutledge of South Carolina to be
chief justice, and Mr.. Rutledgc presided Mt
the October term of that year The senate
refused TO confirm him, and no had to step
down. On the organization of the court,
six years previously, Mr.. Rutledgc had de-
clinod an appointment rs associate Justice
William Cushing while serving as asso-
ciate justice, was offered the chief Justice.
ship by President Washington, but declined
and remained ID years an associate Justice.
John jay, The first chief Justice, served
four years and half and resigned in 1894.
Six years later he was offered his old post,
but declined In 1882 Robert II. Harrison
declined commission as associate Justice,
n did Levi Lincoln in 1911, John Quincy
Adams I'm the same year, and William
Smith in 1887. IN December, 1869, Edwin
Nj. Stanton was commissioned an associate
justice, to take effect the following Tcbru-
airy, hut he died meanwhile. Roscoe Conk- |
ling was appointed and confirmed an asso-
ciatc justice, but declined All these dec !
linations refer TO appointments actually |
made by nomination To the senate and not |
TO the largo number of Instances i'm which |
presidents have informally asked lawyers |
" go upon the bench, but have been met |
with dcclination.
VIII Die In Harness.
There has been great deal Of talk 70 !
the effect that Justice Field will resign |
now that Mr.. Cleveland Is no longer in the |
White House That Justice Field dlslikes
Mr.. Cleveland is we'll known. and the |
cause for 10 generally credited is Mr.. Cleve-
lands refusal 90 promato Justice Field To
the chief justiccship when Chief Justice
Fuller was appointed. MIR. Field was un-
willing To retire when Mr.. Cleveland could
hll the vacancy. But thcrc il no prospect |
Df his retirement even now. lie intends to