The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-14
BUTTE News.
FROM EX-JUST|cE FIELD
To Members of the Ninth Judi
cial Circuit Bar.
EXPRESSES HIS THANKS
A Letter Was Sent Him on Thanksgiv-
ing Day Conveying the Good
Wishes of the Members of the
Bar on His Retirement.

Hon W. W. Dixon. a member of the
state bar committee. which recently adj
dressed a letter TO stephen j. Field, the
retiring justice of the United States
supreme court expressing respect for
the eminent jurist, yesterday received
an autograph letter from Judge Field.
addressed to Messrs. w. F. Sanders, w.
W. Dixon and Edwin w. Toole. Ii
reads as follows:
Your joint letter of NOV. %, on be-
half of the members of the bar of the
Ninth circuit, residing in the District of
Montana. expressing their good wishes
upon the occasion of my retirement
from active service on the bench, has
been received. and ] can hardly ex-
press to you the pleasure and gratifiea-
Iion it has given me.
Il trust that you viii convey TO the
members of your bar, who SO kindly re-
membered me. my expression of sincere
appreciation of their courtesy. and as
sure them that l shall long cherish the
sentiments of friendly regard which are
contained in your letter"
The letter from the bar committee was
sent from Helena on Thanksgiving day,
and was as follows:
The members of the bar of the Ninth
circuit in the District of Montana, de-
sire to express to you, on the occasion
of your retiring from active service on
the bench, their qualification at the
quality of that service, so fearlessly
and inteiligently rendered for SO many
years in such important periods of our
national history. The tribunal in which
YOU have been an active force for so
many years and from which you now
retire, needs no words of praise from
us. IT has nobly fulfilled the great
function which in our governmental
economy was assigned to 1t, and 1t has
added by its wisdom and learning re-
nown TO the American name. Called
by president illustrious in our annals
TO the discharge of high duties, you
have survived all your official contem-
poraries, and now. crowned with years
and with richly deserved honors. you
retire TO enjoy that merited repose
which. with the accompanying graft
tude and affection of all your country
men, lis your exceeding great reward.
Your fortune 1t has been tn illumine
with your wisdom new and difficult
problems of government and law. to
tame with your miidness the passions
of war. and to set before mankind an
inspiring example of fearless independ
ence in the discharge of public duty. A
career of such splendor is one of the
precious inheritances of mankind.
Among the great lawyers who have en-
larged human liberty, widened the con-
ception of individual rights and given
potent direction to human history by
patient toll and unfailing conscientious
ness, YOU have indelibly inscribed an
other name.
We profoundly feel the great conse-
quence of your career. and so we mem
beers of the bar in your circuit would, at
9he close of your judicial career. bring
10 you the homage of our admiration,
affection and gratitude. BY no act or
word of yours has the republic received
detriment, nor by any circumstance
controlled by YOU has any citizen put on
mourning. The wilds which under your
observation and solicitous care have
grown to mighty states. will count it as
one of their proud triumphs that they
contributed you to the service of the
republic of their pride,
An ancient adage commands the
Withholding of praise from those whose
unfinished labors leave room to mar the
structure but in entire confidence that
no event will require any modification,
we send you from our faraway home
these words of measured praise and
congratulation and thankfuiness. In
the chronicles of the Kings 1t Is per-
mitted, if not commanded. that he who
taketh off his harness may boast him
self, and you may usefully recur To
your great service to the republic with
complacency, thereby being a praise TO
them that do well.
THAT YOU may long live 10 enjoy the
fruit Of your labors. the gratitude of
your countrymen and your well-earned
reposc. is the wish of your fellow -coun-
trymen, and we are deputed by the
members Of our profession to salute
you on this occasion with their profound
est respect, their most grateful thanks
and their warmest admiration.