The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-15
JUDGE FIELD RETIRES.
Oldest American Justice in Point Of
Service.
RECEIVED HIS APPOINTMENT
FROM PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

The Veteran Jurist's Letter to President
McKiniey-Review of His Career on
the Bench-The Presidents Reply Ac-
cepting the Resignation.
! Washington, October 14.-It was an
| nounced at the Supreme court today that
Justice Stephen j. Field of California,
had notified President Mckinley of his
intention to retire as member of the
court, and had informed his colleagues
of this fact. The members of the court
after adjournment at four O'Clock today
| will call in a body on the retiring justice
to pay him their respects. 1t is expected
that his successor will be nominated by
the President Immediately after the re-
assembling of Congress in December, and
that Attorney General McKenna, also Of
California, will be named for the office
| Justice Field, it is learned, not flied the
| President last April of his intention to
retire, but the President did not aoknow-
ledge it until October 9.
The following letter was given out this
afternoon:
| Supreme Court of the United States,
| Washington, October II, '97.
| Dear MIR. Chief Justice and Brethren:
| Near the close of last term, feeling that
the duties of my office had become TOO
arduous for my strength, ! transmitted
my resignation tosthe President, to take
effect on the first day of December next,
and this he has accepted, with kindly ex-
a copy OF his letter, which is as follows:
1 ftryo
Hon. Stephen J. Field, Associate Justice
of the United States Supreme Court,
| Washington:
My Dear Sir:-In April last Chief JUS
ttce 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 l, 1897.
In hereby acoep ting your resignation, l
wish to express my deep regret that you
| feel compelled by advancing years to sever
your active connection with the court of
which you have SO long been distin-
| guished member.
Entering upon your great Office In
May, 1868 you will, on the first of Decem-
Der, have served upon this bench for a
period OF thtrty-four years and seven
months-a term longer than that of any
member of the court since it's creation
and throughout q period Of special I'M
portance in the history Of the country
occupied with as grave public questions
as have ever confronted that tribunal for
decision.
| II congratulate you therefore, most
heartily upon a service OF such exception
al duration, fidelity and distinction. Nor
can overlook the fact that you received
your commission from Abraham Lincoln
and graciously spared by q kind Provi-
dence have survived all the members of
the court Of his appointments.
| upon your retirement both the bench
and the country will sustain great loss,
but the high character and great ability
memb bered, not only by your colleagues,
but by your grateful fellowcountrymen.
| with personal esteem and sincere best
wishes for your oontentment and happi-
ness, during the period of rest which you
have so we'll earned, I am, dear sir,
'' ''uis aWM. MN M'K1NLEYn
Justice Field in his letter says, in part:
''My judicial career covers many years
of service. Having been elected MEM
| Der of the Supreme Court of California,
assumed that office October 13. 1857, hold.
! ing it for five years, seven months and
| tive days, the latter part of the time be-
ing chief justice.
ION the tenth of March, 1868, I was
| commissioned by President Lincoln q JUS
t1ce 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 life will have
embraced more than forty years. / may
be pardoned for saying that during all
this period, long in comparison with the
| brevity of human life, though in the re-
prospect it has gone with the swiftness of
tale that is told, have not Stunned to
declare In every case coming before me
for decision. the conclusions which nv
deliberate convictions compelled me to
arrive at, By the conscientious exercise of
such abilities and requirements as I pos
sessed.
| sit is a pleasant thing in my memory
that my appointment came from Presi-
dent Lincoln OF whose appointees am
| the last survivor. Up to that time there
had been no representative here Of the
Pacific coast.
''This kindly welcome was extended in
| March, but did not at once enter on
the discharge of the duties OF the office for
the reason THAI as chief justice of Cali
fornia I had heard arguments In many
| cases, in the disposition of which and
81 ecially in the preparation of opinions,
1T was fitting that I should participate
before leaving that bench; and l liked the
Goth of May as the day of which to take,
as did, the oath, because 1t was the Send