New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23
SAMOA'S CHIEF JUSTICE.
WILLIAM L. CHAMBERS'S EAChIhTNi
RECORD AND THE CONFIDENCE y
PLACED IN HIM.
PLACED IN HIM.

PLACED IN HIM.
| Washington, April % tspeciaD.-Ex-See'e'a's "
| the Navy Herbert speaks in the most eoihp
| ary terms OF the capacity and ability OF C'"e' JUG
| flee william L. Chambers. OF Samoa VINO II ''o -
tho Central figures In the scene now being ehac'eu
| in the South Sea Islands Chief justice N'a'.
hose decision in favor of Malictoa and against Ma
.oa,a resulted In a serious collision between 'he VI"
| happy islanders and the BRUSH an" nm ,,,
| forces is a native OF Alabama where ne - -,
| in 1881 he was appointed American Lana Oo,""'
| sIoner OF the Islands b. President Cleveland rae
apnears TO have been qualified by educa'io" anu 90
nerience for the responsibilities he then assumed
and the higher duties which more recently ue'o''ou
upon him. His educational advantages WIZ
| ntrior he had been graduated from 'he ui''ei'
| of Georgia and Virginia taking the law cou.s7 az
| the latter institution He classmate anu per
| sonal friend of the late Henry W. Grady the 'uo'
| ., hts friends and a popular Southern writer anu
| nub,c sneaker wherever his eloquent utterances
| were known. 10,
! Mr. chambers was in 1876 member OF Ia"
| firm every member of which has since become ce,e
brated and prominent before the peope. IL was 'he
firm OF Clopton Herbert and Chambers, with onees
at Montgomery Ala. 1t this year that the
| arst-named member of the firm David Clopion' was
elected to the Supreme Bench OF the state anu ''e
| second Hilary A. Herbert, afterward secretary VI
| the Navy, was first elected TO Congress ~ Wv
same time Mr.. Chambers was chosen president VI
|
after he devoted himself financial and lnoustrui
enterprises becoming In 1856 president OF the ehe'
| field Land. Coal and Iron Company. wh'eh es,ip-
| lished number of iron furnaces ana minor mus
tries on the banks of the Tennessee RIVER III '>o''"-
| ern Alabama. - .
| when his former law partner Mr. Herbert be-
! came a member OF the Cleveland Cabinet. upon his
recommendation Mr.. Chambers was selected Us
| American Land Commissioner OF the samoan
| Islands Speaking of him to-day Mr.. Heroer' saio'
when Chief Justice lie, a Vermont Republican,
| resigned he recommended Land Commissioner
| Chambers for Chief Justice. His work I'm the ad-
iustment OF land claims and titles in the ISLANDS,
complex and difficult as 1t was had proven So s'"
orally satisfactory that Germany Great Britain anu
the United States readily agreed upon MIN as the
proper person for Chief Justice. His was among tne
last Appointments made by President Cleveland MS
name having been sent 10 the Senate on Ma'c" T.
1897 IN the closing hours OF the session. II was
well understood that he should hear the claims OF
Malletoa and Maaafa for the suzeralnty OF the ga
moan Islands. His decision had the weight Vi ("
provision in the protocol of the Berlin treaty III
serted at the instance of Bismarck and due to Ger
manys inslstence that Mataafa and his descendants
should not occupy the throne because OF the muir
der OF number Of German citizens by Malaaia
| followers l did not have copy OF the Protoco' Oc
fore me- and could judge further IMAM was SCI
out in the decision. but It seems 10 me tha' the ue
eison was paIpably correct. Besides. have CONN.,
/
| did his duty in the premises properly
| Other Alabamians In Washington who know JUS
tce Chambers express entire confidence In his cour-
age Intelligence and reaourcctulness In the present
emergency. His family wero with him IN Samoa
when the first outbreak occurred. and Mrs. Cham
bers and her children, In order to prevent thenl-
selves from being struck BY flying bullets were COM
PEELED 10 lie for hours on the floor OF the house In
which they had taken refuge. All OF the family are
now in Auckland. except tho eldest son. Ciopton
| Chambers. a youth of twenty-five years, VINO re-
NAMED with his father in Samoa.
| Mrs Chambers remembered here a most ac-
complished woman. Is the daughter OF the la:e
! Judge Clopton o. the original law firm OF Clopton'
| Herbert and Chambers. Judge Clopion married the
widow of Clement c. Clay. who for number OF
years before tho Civil War represented Ala
| bama in the United States Senate ard at the out
break Of the war joined the Confederacy, in whose
| counses he became a conspicuous 1gure. Al the
close Of the war Mrs Ton s 81 husband Eessd %
mnistration and reward OF sivOgg was offered
himself to the authorities and was imprisoned at
! Fort Monroe. from which he was hnaily released
Judge Clop,on. the. second husband. is now dead,
and said 10 be by her friends the most charming OF
the older women OF the South since the passing
years ago of the widow of James X. Polk Mrs.
Clay lives at an ideal Southern home called Idle,
! valley of the Cumberland range Of mountains as
they slope into the rolling hills and wales Of North
ern Alabama. Her homo has always been haven
of hospitality for the young people Of that REGION
and no woman is more revered by her friends and
esteemed by her acquaintance than the present oc-
cupant of Idlewild.
| The son-in-law of this famous Southern woman
was born about fort y-seven years ago ut Eufaula
! Ala. His father. William H. Chambers, a promi
nent lawyer and wealthy. DR.. Chambers. "A we'll
! known physician of New-York City. is brother OF
| the Chief Justice He has three other brothers, two
! in Mon gomery and one In St. Louis. all prominent
In business circles. Justice Chambers, after the
completion Of his services Land Commissioner in
nd kgfa hQd 81 I'm
He had been here but shor; time. when renewal
OF the trouble between Mataafa and Malietoa in his
whilom island residence again brought him into
prominence at this time conspcuousy to
make his familiar TO the three great nations
that have taken up the white mans burden In the
South Pacific Islands.