The age-herald., 1897-08-15
AS ID FIELDS RESIGNATION. The California Judstice Has Been
 on the Bench LONGER THAN. MARSHALL Growing Old and Feeble Now Though He Still Likes the Duties of the Office He
 DisIikes Newspapers.
From the Galveston News.

From the GalVestOn News.
 Washington, D. C., Aug. 9.-The rumor that Justice Field will shortly resign his seat on the supreme bench has been again started. It is observable that when congress is. not in session, and times are hard for the correspondents here in the way of getting up news for their papers, Justice Field and his supposed resigna- tion are drawn on. Witf- the past ten years this rufnor, now current has had its day and it's death time and again, and Field is still on the bench The ba- sis for it, generally is that he is very old man, and the correspondents think due. To this reason for his resignation that his time for resignation ought to be others are added. according to the abili- ty of the correspondents to hunt up re- mote facts or indulge in imaglnings.
 According to the newspaper men, who have been greatly interested in what course Field ought to have pursued and should pursue, such interest being acute in times like, the, present, when there is no news, he should have resigned during Harrisons administration, he having then become old enough to retire. But he did not, retire, then, and a reason was imagined for it. This reason was that he is democrat, and he would not step down from the bench and permit Harri- son to. place. a republican in his seat Then, when. Cleyeland came in, it was, said he was. sure to resign. But again he disappointed the newspaper cores pondents.- Some reason had to be given for his failure to, do what was desired of him, and it was found in the conjecture that Field e, Cleveland and therefore would not grati- fly him, by leaving the bench and permit ting him to appoint some friend in his stead.
 The present rumor of the retirement of Field started wholly from the fact that in few days he will have been on the supreme bench longer than any man who ever sat on it. Chief Justice Marshall occupied place on the bench longer than any other judge, but Field will have passed him in. length of service within a month. Now the .supposition is that Field has all along been anxious that his name shall go down in history as the one of longest service, and therefore the information was sent broadcast through out the country that he would in a very short time hand in his resignation to Me Kinley.
 Those who have read the newspapers that he will resign have noticed that he is not quoted in the matter. His future has been dispos:d of without any consult tation with him. There may be some surprise at this, but the question is nat ura1. Why has he not been asked what he intends to do? The following may show why he has not be:n interviewed on the, matter: When this periodical re- port came up a few years ago. one of the most impudent. rather. imprudent, men on the press w=nt-to his house to ask him about it,. It is perhaps appropriate to state here that at that time Field was very weak physically, as he is now. He is accompanied everywhere by stout valst. He. walks with two canes and totters as he creeps along. His house is on the spot where the old capi- tol prison was located. It Is large and .commodious. There are winding stairs through the hall to the second story, where he has his bed and sitting room. There is a ,rotunda on the second floor, surrounded by balustrades. The doors of his rooms open into this TO- tunda. The newspaper man rang the bell, and when the servant came he made. known his desire of seeing Justice Field. The servant said that the justice had issued orders that no one should b4 all lowed to see him, or even send up his card, as he had retired. The newspaper man insisted that his business was im- portant,. and finally said it was connect ed with the press. The servant was stubborn and the newspaper man insist ent. Field, from his room above, heard what was said. He came to the balus- trade, and leaning over, yelled in the highest anger, 'L=t the blankety blank scoundrel in and up stairs, so that can throw him over these balustrades and break his blankety blank neck" When it is remembered that-h can hardly walk, and could not throw feather pil-s low over balustrade two feet high, something of his, character and of his feeling toward newspaper men can be gathered. No newspaper man has gone into his den from that time on, and per- haps no one will evsr again attempt what this imprudent fellow attempted.
 tas~S
 He may resign at any moment. though. because he Is man of his own mind. He has been at times so disgusted with
 
 differed with him in his construction of the law, or rather because of the dispo- sition of some of them to lsgislate, that 1t was thought thathe would quit the bench, but he has always reconsidersd his half expressed threat when time per mitted him tQ .copl. The reason why he does not resign Is that he fears that if he once, throws off the harness which has been on him so long he will die The work Of the court is his life itself To hear the lawyers argu5jt to see the crowd which assemblies in the court room, to feel that he is in the full discharge of duty-these renew day by day powers that he may think are failing. and which, if hs were removed from or deprived of, would leave him unemployed and at the mercy of death, which is kept off by ex- citement. His lifesnas been a remarka- ble one. 1t has ben a stormy orc. It has heen one of everlasting actiyty He has never laid for a moment under the shade of the trees. Wh he does so liz, death will claim him that moment. And so I will not place any confidence in re- ports of his resignation.