The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-23
TWENTY. TOURS YEARS
Judge R. W'Hughes Has Served His C0uG-
Try on The Federal Bench. +
he. HAS SENT IN HIS. RESIGNATION
II VIII Take Effect March s-gudyc
Edmund WnddiIf His Probable
Successor Jndso Hughes Bril-
limit Hec"rd-A Journnlist, Jurist
ana BiOgrnDhcr-As Sketch.

Judge Robert w. Hughes after the
4th of March next will no longer be
Judge of the Federal Court OF the East
ern District of Virginia He has for
warded his resignation to President
mckinley to take effect upon that date:
His probable successor is Judge ed
mond Waddill, Of Richmond, to whom
| IT Is said, the position has been prom
| ised.
Judge Hughes has been contemplate
ing ms step for quite Il while, but
! ana not arrive at n definite conclusion
| until several days ago. He leaves the
| bench alter an active service of twenty
TOUR years, and With one Of the mos
bflliant records in the history of the
bench OF this country He takes with
! MIN TO his retirement the gratitude and
warm appreciation Of his Government
| me. unbounded respect and love of the
! virginia bar, and particularly the Nor
| loik par, the admiration and affection
| or ms friends everywhere ind the con
seriousness. of 4 high trust faithfully
executed and great duty nobly done.
| IN the history of the old Common
| wealth there are few Of her sons who
| can point to n career SO long, so use
iul ana 50 honorable. He is a man
whom IL is n pleasure to honor, gem
| N'N''"i' ih'ln Nioll lntJc is no puref,
| more inStinctivcly gentle, yet unyicld-
ing in duty; Il scholar of learning and
deep research; an author of enviable
lame; past master in the profession of
journalism, witty, trenohant able, a
friend to be sought. an opponent to be
feared. But the crown of his long, use
iul lie is the almost quarter Of ace u
Jury which he has spent upon the
bench, dispensing Justice in the spirit
humanity 81 mi re
the United States
Judge Hughes Is 4 descendant of n
tilgenot family of that name. He was
born in Powhatan county, Va, June
u, 1921, and is now. therefore, nearly II
years of age. He could have retired
seven Years ago on fun pay, but by re-
naming upon the bench has saved The
government So, 900
lie received his education-the edu-
cation OF his youthful Caldwell In
sttutc at Greensboro, n. c. In 1870
~ he was tutor in Binghams High
School, at t1illsboro, y. c., and prnc-
iced law in Richmond from 1916 to
1858
He was editor of Che Richmond IVA
Examiner, 1862 81 and joint editor Of
mat journal from May, 1861, till April
iS6o; editor of the Richmond Republic
1870 &c; editor OF the Richmond State
journal, 1SG9-!0: was United States
Attorney for the Western District of
Virginia, 1873; Republican candidate
Tor Governor OF Virginia, 1873 On
January II, 1874 he was appointed
Judge of the Eastern District of Vir-
Einia by President Grant ana has held
that position ever since. Judge Hughes
mad gone to Washington to ask the
PRESIDENT TO appoint another man, and
had no thought OF the place for him
self, when the President Informed him
mat he had decided to give it to him
or course" said Judge Hughes, sneak
ing or the incident. lit was courtesy
and honor l could not well refuse, so
accepted ii With thanks"
Judge Hughes is the author of bio
Eraphics of General John i. Floyd and
General Joseph j.. Johnston, published
IN Lee and His Lieutcnants," 1867: of
volume entitled "rhe Currency Cues
ton 1879; of volume entitled '.The
American Dollar" 1855, and of five vol
imcS Of United States Circuit and Dis
irlct Court reports, entitled Hughes
Reports" 1879 50.
On June 4, 1850, in the Cove ~nor's
mansion, in Richmond Judge Hughes
married Miss Eliza II. Johnston. daugh-
ter OF Hon. Charles c. Johnston NJ. c.
ana ELIZA Mary tnccj Preston and niece
OF General Joseph e. Johnston. Both of
her parents having died in her child
mood, She had been adopted aud reared
by Two first cousins OF her mother. Gov
erhor John Il. Floyd and his wife, Sally
II. tnec) Preston. Through her mother,
Mrs. Hughes Is granddaughter of Cen
cral John Preston. OF Montgomery coun-
W, Va, VINO was the head of the very
large family of Prestons living chiefly
IN Virginia and Kentucky. The father
OF Mrs. Hughes, Charles c. Johnston
Was a member of Congress from Vir-
GInia when he lost his life. by drowning
Alexandria, Va. June Is, 1922 lie was
me son of Judge Peter Johnston, Of
Abingdon, Va. and OF his wife. Mary
mee) Wood, daughter of Valentine and
Lucy Wood. the latter one of the sisters
or Patrick Henry. Judge and Mrs.
hughes have two living children, Rob
CIT NJ. Hughes and Floyd Hughes who
are prominent lawyers, now living in
Norfolk
Among The most celebrated opinions
OF Judge Hughes was that in the Ar
llhSton case, in which the family OF
| General Lee was reimbursed for the use
oil mat famnuso property as n National
cemetery The Judge has always taken
ana SUI takes the deepest interest In
.rGinia, and especially in Norfolk,
whose present and future greatness he
mas always nrophcsied ana helped to
bring about. His friends in the South
ana North wish him many years Gtill
OF health ana happiness. He has de
served them.
/