The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-10-15
LONG YEARS Of SERVICE
Justice Field Retires From, the
Supreme Bench.
APPOINTED BY LINCOLN
His Term OF Service Is the Longest on
Record During His Career Hs Has
Voiced the Decision in l.o42
Cases-His Successor.

hhEhAtiiitHs WI. its-.AfrpildAF Jus
tice stephen j. Field to-day formally
retired from the supreme court Of the
United States after "a years OF service
In that tribunal. The correspondence
between Justice Field and the presi-
dent, which Was made public to-day,
shows that his resignation was tender
ed in April last. President Mckinley,
however. did not respond until oct. =.
While Justice Fields resignation does
not take effect until December. he will
not. IL Is understood. sit in the supreme
court. His colleagues uf the supreme
court to-day called upon him and ex-
pressed regret at his retirement, and
extended their congratulations upon
his long service as an associate justice,
the longest on record.
The following letter Was given out
this afternoon:
Washington. Oct. L.. 1897.
Dear MIR. Chief Justice and Breth-
ren: Near the close of the last term.
feeling that the duties of my Office had
become too arduous for my strength, |
transmitted my resignation Ia the
president. 10 take effect on the first day
of December next. and this he has ac-
cepted with kindly expressions Of re-
gard, as will bc seen from copy of
his letter, which is as follows:
4" Executive Mansion. Washington,
oct. ?.-Hon. stephen j. Field, Asso-
riate Justice of the supreme Court ot
the United States-My Dear sir: In
April last Chief Justice Fuller. accom-
panied by Justice Brewer handed me
your resignation as associate justice OF
the supreme court of the United States.
Ia take effect Dee I. 1885,. In hereby
accepting your resignation ] wish Ia
express my deep regret that you feel
compelled by advancing years 10 sever
your active connection with the court
of which you have been so long dis
tinguish,d member. Entering upon
your great Office i'm May. 1865. YOU VIII.
on the first uf next December. have
served upon this bench for a period Of
- years and seven monihs, a term
longer than that of any member OF the
court since it's creation. and throughout
a period of special Importance In the
history of the country, occupied with
as grave public questions as haze ever
confronted that tribunal for decision.
J congratulate you, therefore, most
heartily upon the service Of such ex-
ceptional duration. fidelity and distinc-
tion. Nor can overlook that YOU re-
ceived your commission from Abraha m
Lincoln. and araciously spared by
kind Providence, have survived all
members of the court of his appoint
ment.
Upon your retirement both the
bench and country viii sustain a great
loss. but the high character and great
ability ~ your work will live and long
Se remembered. not only by your coli
leagues. hut by your grateful fellow
rouutrymsu. With personal esteem
and sincere best wishes for your con-
ten,ment and happiness drring the pc
riod of rest which YOU have 81 well
earned. I am. dear sir. very truly yours
WILLIAM MkINLEy'
My judicial career covers many
years Of service. Having been elected
n member of the supreme court Of Cal
ifornia, | assumed that Office Oct. 81,
lsj,, holding IL for five years. seven
months and five days, the latter part
of the time, being chief justice. ON the
10th of March. 1868. I Mas commits
stoned 10y President Lincoln, justice of
the supreme court of the United States.
taking the oath Of office on the 10Th
day nf the following May.
When my resignation MkeS effect
my period of service on this bench win
have exceeded that of any of my pre-
doccssors, while my entire judicial liic
will have embraced more than % years,
] may be paIdoned for saying that
duling all this period. long In coinpar-
son with the brevity of human life,
though In retrnsp, ct. IL has gone VITA
the swiftness of tale that is told.
have not Stunned to declare in every
case coming before mo for decision the
conclusions which my deliberate con-
rictions compelled mo To arrive at. by
the consci, ntious exercise of such abil-
tiles and requirements as ] possessed.
1t is "A pleasant thing in my men,
ory that my appointment came from
President Lincoln of whose appointees
] am the last survivor. Up Ia that
time there had been no representative
here for the Pacific coast. 4 new crn-
pire had risen In the West whose laws
were those Of another country. The
land titles were from spanish and
Mexican grants. both of which were
often overlaid by the claims ~ the first
settlers. To bring order out of the con-
fusion, congress passed AN act provid-
ing for another seat ON this bench with
the intention that IL should be filled 10y
some one familiar with these conflict
ing titles and with the mining laws of
the coast, and IL so happened. as ] had
framed the principal of these laws and
was. moreover. chief justice Of Califor-
MIA. il was the wish Of the senator's
and representatives Of this state as Wei
as of those from oregon, that I should
succeed to the new position. AT their
request Mr.. Lincoln sent my name to
the senate and the nomination was
unanimously confirmed.
AT the head OF the court. when he
came one Of it's members. was the ven
cradle Chief Justice Taney. and among
the associate justices was Mr. Waltc
hn had sat with chief Justice Mar-
shall thus constituting link between
the past and The future, and as IL wetc.
binding in unity nearly an entire cen-
tury of lif, of this court.
During my inrumbency three chief
justices and is associate justices have
passed away When | came here IN"
country Was in the midst of wal Bul
war ended in "A couple of years. ANA
then came the period Of reconstruction
and the last amendments tn the federal
constitution. In the effort Ia rr-estah-
lish the nation. To- adjust all things 10
changed political. social and economic
conditions. questions nf far-r"nchlng
importance developed. questions IL
personal liberty, OF constitutional right,
which, after times uf heated discussion
before the people and In III" halls u
congioss. came To- us for decision | do
not exaGgerat" when ! say that no
more difficult and moment"us ques-
tions were ever pr cs,nted to TINS or any
other court. hook back With nride
and joy to tho fact thai ] Nas per