The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-15

ing letter was given out this afternoon:
Supreme Court Of the United States,
WASHINGTON. d. c., Oct II, 1891
Dear Mr.. Chief Justice and Brethren:
Near the close of last term, feeling that
the duties of my office had become too
arduous for my strength I transmitted
my resignation to the President, to take
effect on the first day of December next
and this he has accepted. with kindly ex-
presslons of regard, as will be seen from
a copy OF his letter which is as follows:
Executive Mansion,
| WASHINGTON, ID. O., oct. 8, 1897.
"Hon, Stephen j. Field, Associate Justice
OF the Supreme Court OF the United
! Stntes. Washington, u. O.
MY Dear sir:--In April last Chief JUS
tlce Fuller, accompanied by Mr Justice
| Brewer, handed me your resignation as
associate justice OF the supreme court OF
| the United States TO take effect Decem-
| Der 1st, 1897. In hereby accepting your
resignation I wish to express my deep
regret that you feel compelled by ad-
Vanclng years to sever your active con-
| nection with the court Of which you have
| so long been a distinguished member.
! Entering upon your great office in May
| 1868, you will on the first Of next Decem-
| ber, have served upon this bench for a
period of thirty-four years and seven
months-a term longer than that OF any
member OF the court since its creation,
and throughout the period of special I'M
portancc In the history or the country,
occupied with as grave public questions
as have ever confronted that tribunal for
| decision.
81 congratulate you therefore, most
| heartily upon service OF such excep-
tlonal duration, fidelity and distinction.
Nor can / overlook the fact that you re-
celyed your commission from Abraham
Lincoln, and graclously spared by kind
| Providence have survived all the MEM
bers of the court of hts appointment.
Upon your retirement both the bench
and the country will sustain n great loss.
but the high character and great ability
OF your work will live and long be re-
membered, not only by your colleagues,
but by your grateful countrymen.
with personal esteem and sincere
best wishes for your contentment and
happiness during the period OF rest which
you so well earned. am. dear sir,
Very truly yours,
WILLIAM MCKINLEY"
Ny judicial career covers many years
OF service. Having been elected mem
Der of the supreme court OF California, 1
assumed that office October 13, 1851 hold
ing II for five years. seven months and
FIVE days, the latter part Of the time be-
Ing chief justice.
on the 10th Of March, 1863, I was COM
missioned by President Lincoln a justice
OF the supreme court Of the United
States. taking the oath of office on the
Goth day Of the following May.
When my resignation takes effect my
period OF service on this bench will have
exceeded that OF any OF my predecessors,
while my entire judicial ITO will have
embraced more than forty yearG may
be pardoued for saying that during all
this period, long In comparison with the
brevity OF human life, though in the re-
trospect II has gone with the swiftness
OF q tale that Is told, have not summed
10 declare IN every case coming before
me for decision, the conclusions which
my deliberate convictions compelled me
10 arrive at by the consclentiousness OF
such ability and such requirements as /
possessed.
a PLEASANT MEMORY.
1t is a pleasant thing in my memory
that my appointment came from Presl-
dent Lincoln. OF whose appointees am
the last survivor, Up to that time there
had been no representative here of the
Pacific const. A new empire hid risen
In the west whose laws were those Of an
other country. Land titles were from
Spanish and Mexican grants. both OF
which were often overlaid by the claims
OF the settlers. To bring order out OF
this confusion Congress passed an act
providing for another seat on this bench
with the intention that II should be filled
by some one familiar with these conflict
ing titles and with the mining laws OF
the coast, and as II happened that | had
framed the principal OF these laws and
was, moreover, chief Justice OF Callfor-
MIA, II was the wish Of the senators and
representatives Of that state az well IA
those from Oregon, that ! should succeed
TO the new position. a their request
Mr.. lincoln cent my name to the senate
and the nomination was unanimously
confirmed. This kindly welcome was oN-
tended in March, but ! did not at once
enter on the discharge or the duties OF
the Office for the reason that az chief iuq- |
tlce OF California I had arguments In |
many cases In disposition OF which aud |
especially In the preparation OF opinions
II was hitting that | should participate |
before leaving that bench; and | fixed
the Goth day OF May aR the day ON which |
to take. as dld, the oath. because II was |
the cighty-sccU-d birthday Of my father |
who lndulgcd o Just pride at my acccB. |
sion TO this exalted position.
At the head Of the court whom | be-. !
came one of lls members was the vcncr. |
able Chlcf Justice Tancy, and among |
the uHHoclntc Justices wnF Air Justlcu |
Wnync.who rat with chief Justice Mar. |
ahnll, thus constituting link between |
the uhst and tho future, ana, nB II wore !
birding into unity nearly an entire |
century Of the life OF this court.
During my lncumbcncy three chief |
Justices nnd sixteen associate Justices |
have passed awny leaving me precious |
romcmbfhnceH " common lhbnra md !
Intimate nnd agreeable cumpnuOnship |
IN THE MIDST OF WAR.
when cnmo hero the court was In
the midst OF war Washington was one
Ercnl camp. ma npw aud ihpn The !
boom NJ cannon could bo heard from tho |
other side of the Potomac. mt we
COULD not ray "lntcr arm IA Hllout loror'
This court met In regular session,
once fnlllng IN time or place. nnd ila |
Won, went On M lhDuHh ihnrn Nrro no J
sounds NJ battle. Indeed. tho war Itself
simply added ~ iho iiigntlbn hbfo az
elsewhere Hut tho war ended In "A
couple Ul wears and then pnnU Tho |