The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-07
A TRIBUTE TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

TRIBUTE TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE.
Portland, Maine, Oct 20. A. ID. 1899.
Hon. John A. Peters,
NV dear and respected Chief Juktice:-
should feel my salt hearilsss III per-
United the occasion of Jour retirement
from the Bench TO 70 by without sending
you and my brethren OF the Bar. NJ
least "a feel l. word In recognition OF the
prseminent services you have rendered
the State, through so many years.
1t is a moral aud political Obligation,
that ali citizens owe TO "a faithful pubic
servant, that ne receive that Just com-
mendation from those whom he has
served, which no one can have the con-
seriousness Of deserving 30 well as himself,
who as ever underworld to conserve the
public good In his ffic ell life.
When n distinguished public career Is
about to close. we all naturally become
reminiscent and look back upon II, and
sorutlnzs 1t, aud when our sincerity
compels US TO render our judgment
unqualineo ly &c its favor, we cannot. We
will net stop snort of giving such express
sion TO IL ~ We may lie aeih eAon in
our own peculiar way.
For nys; If 1 make my scSnowledg.
ments to yoa for the great contributions
you have made TO the judicial Literature
and principles emblazoned upon the I'M
perishable page. of our legal reports.
May 1 remind you that these are In a
generations O: lawyers will d'aw inspira-
tioDs from presidents which are fortified
by immutable principles stated with I'll
the clearness and nn'sh OF English class
los.
Ii Is an ambition worthy Of the great
est minds, to be abba to attain the thor
oush knowledge, philosophio CRISP and
literary six IL which acne oan render it
possible to Impress his own generation
SO profoundly, and to transmit IL TO the
far future.
Having said thus much and SO justly,
brethren, concerning his well assured
past we add our congratulations, and
make the great officer our atisctionate
and cheerful adieus. But not so to the
man. He is stn with us In all his men
tai vigur.
Some old men are like aged heml,eks,
they begin to die at the tap. Not SO our
venerable Chief Justice. do Is rather
like the ok to which public reference
has been made as OF his own Planting,
whose l,ltiest boughs are still green and
growing with every promise of still
broader and higher growth.
There never WAS q more .opportune time
for a schol ar and thinker TO retire from
his prof, ssionHl pursuits. that he may
enjoy at his leisure the study ana con
temptation of our age when the entire
civilized world seems to be- awakening to
an intensity and grandeur OF enterprise
tinent and i'll IS OF the sea.
; A new oycls h,s begun. and We are liv-
ing amidst the Rreatest events and aetivi-
ties. Provinciallsm has been outsrown.
We have taken our seat In the great par
Ifamsnt of nations never to step down,
much les, to be expelled therefrom.
I Our interest, our pItsrprise and our In
daence are not to be confined 20 our
Am erioap continent. The great powers
of Europe recognize our hepuhlio, mot,
indeed, as one II them, but AS anotbsr
great power which holds the torch of
liberty, but which on that account must
be II the more seriously reckoned with.
New ana interesting questions, pro--
foundly affecting I'll welfare OF our coun-
try and mankind, are rapidly and newt
ally pressing upon the attention oil
thoughtful and rhilosophio statesman
ship.
How delightful to witness the unfold
Ing Of the nav evolution, which Is as IT.
repressible as the tclenoes, tle enterprises
ths activities and the nliyhtsnments
which const. tuts that evolution. 10 the
sage thinker and widely informed Il is
still more grand to he living now.
therefore heartily congratulate you
on accopnt OF the snjoy able opportunities
fortunate IL and btnshcently opened TO
you by your retirement. fortunate senex.
May you SO much outlive the present
century M to SOC the superb beg innings
of the next century we'll under way in tine
new greatness and glory OF American
citizenship, safsguarded as hitsrto by our
written constitution and still more vast
unwritten Constitution. still and ever
dominant aud triumphant everyw here
within our American Jurisdiction; while
at the same time wherever our flag Is I'M
furled the torch Of liberty shall be set up
beside 1t. enlightening the peoples OF
our provincial possessions, preparing
them, If We may, for their own ultimate
free and beneilcenJ sway.
1t is superb, especially for great Ameri-
cans to be living In our age 1t Is salts
faction and glory for them to be part
of 1t.
L. b. BENNETT