Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-03-24

duties of a national legislator took
rim from the bar for so long a period
ihi nS the very prime of life that his
calter as lawyer was never rounded
out 20 the full and hence il is that he
WI be remembered for his achicv-
ueAts as statesman rather than on
account of his greatness as lawyer.
IT was my good fortune to know
him personally from my boyhood. and
can speak fro n a personal and init
mate acquaintance OF his character as
friend and neighbor and a private
citizen. He was a christian gentle
man with all which that name implies,
and when | have said this ! have said.
perhaps all that is necessary. He
carried into private life and daily
walk the same virtues the same man
~ fortitude, and the same resolve TO
do his duty as he understood it, that
he exhibited in public station.
James r. Doolittle was q good man,
as we'll as great man; he honored
his state and his state does well to
honor him"
The historical exposition brought
out by the memorial on Judge Mills
was OF unusual interest, touching on
the lead mining days and the great
lawyers of territorial times. Assist
T. p. Cleary of Lancaster and Ex-
Congressman A r. Bushnell paid trl-
butes to Judge Mills. A synopsis of
Mr.. Bushnell's remarks follows:
Judge Mills was, at the time OF his
death, | believe. the Oldest surviving
member of this bar. His practice at
the bar of this court, which is but a
continuation of the territorial supreme
court, began at the July term of 1854
The marks of his legal accumen may
be distinctly traced down through 50
volumes of Wisconsin reports, cover
ing almost half a century of time; AMI
the impress of his mind on the statutes
of the state is plainly marked for a
nearly equal period While in our
legislature he introduced. and procured
Wisconsin to be the first state outside
of New York to adopt the New York
code of procedure, now substantially in
such general use in this, and other
English speaking countries.
The laws for the practical relief of
railroad farm mortgages were largely
the offspring of his mind. Among
the other laws of Wisconsin enacted
by bills introduced or written by him
may be instanced those allowing dam
ages in case of wrongfully caused
death, making parties to suits com
petent witnesses in their own behalf,
and limiting the damages for injuries
caused by the insufficienCies of high
ways
He was connected with the Sher-
man NJ Booth habeas corpus case in
the supreme court of the state and the
U?ited States. arising out of the res
cue oi Joshua Glover, an escaped
slave, under the fugitive slave law Of
1850 in which the United States SUI
preme court for the first time decided
the states righs question adversely
to his then contention. but establish
ing the doctrine upon which was after
wards fought out and Won the war of
the great rebellion. Judge Mills pos
sessed a mind of great subtley and had
little personal ambition. He was a
Jealous advocate Of the inherent rights
Of man, and his ambition seemed to be
to aid in the achievements of their final
triumph. To secure that end he
wrought in many ways that did not
bring himself into personal promi-
nence, but which were nevertheless
vastly effective
The court then adjourned until this
morning when it will meet to hand
down decisions in cases already argued
and to hear arguments in cases num-
Der 10 and numbers 81 to TO- inclusive.