The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-05
PAPERS OF A CENTURY AGO.
RECORDS OF UNITED STATES
COURTS CHANGE THEIR HABITAT.

ferred From the Custom House to
the Government BuiIding-With
Them Went the Minutes and old
Records of Century of Judicial
DeIIberatiOn-Wash APP
pointment of One of the Early
Judges-GraDd Juries of the oIden
Time Roasted Congress and Fore
cnSted the Future.
The Offices Of the clerk of the Circuit
and District Courts Of the United States
with The records of a century of litigation
were removed yesterday from the custom
house where they have been since iis
completion in 1850 to the new government
building, where they win be In the future.
Clerk H. II. King ana Deputy Clerk s.
F. 3. Gillespie were busy all the day IN
directing the operations OF the workmen
by whom the boxes and bundles of papers
were being moved. In the long course OF
years, since the organization Of the courts
the records have steadily accumulated and
have now reached. even in extent and
weight, ponderous dignity that entities
them 20 every respect. There were rooms
whose sides were lined with boxes of Old
fury had not been disturbed; there were
old records. yellow and musty from the
fight of time and tied primly with the
red tape that was once the invariable ac-
compartment of everything that was done,
soberly and in order and with due process
Of law
Most of these older documents had found
resting places in the "belfry" of
the Custom House, where there
are several room that have been
set apart for their comfortable
reception. Here many of them will be
suffered to remain, along with the old is
sues of state banks, now bankrupt and
the other hotsam and ietsam of the adj
venturous years to whose incidents they
bear solmn and silent, but altogether re-
liable witness.
The clerk and deputy clerk of the courts
nave spacious and convenient offices in
the new building. that are located on the
thtrd floor. There are two rooms the
outer one, intended for use as the main
office, where the deputy clerk will at
tend to the Office business, Is at least thir-
~ feet long, and is fitted up with all of the
furniture adapted 10 the use of clerks of
courts ana that win serve to facilitate the
transaction Of their business The inner
A0pi4A - Shil4tWllul EHlhlltTt ana IS TO ne
used as the private office OF the clerk.
Most Of the records and documents Of like
and other character. that are to be moved
to the new building have already been
transferred and stored. This work will be
completed to-day, and tomorrow the clerk
and his office force will be finally and com
fortably located.
Piles of Venerable Papers.
The removal of the o,d records. with the
PGD ~-sf Al.
venerable backs and faces, has brought to
fight many interesting happenings of the
olden time. To him who loves to pore over
ancient ZONES and to draw from their
worm-eaten pages and faded script the
secrets of The counrys infancy, there is
much of interest in the minutes records
of appointments and other books and doc
uments Of the United States courts 1t is
said that the Circuit and District Courts
began their sessions in 1883, but for two
years after that time there appears no
record of their acts aud dongs.
The first entry in the minutes bears date
May ., 1880, when il is recited that there
was present the Honorable Nathaniel PEN
dleton, judge of the District Court for the
district of Georgia, and from that tine ON
the records are tolerably complete and
tuli. At that time, il seems, TWO or more
judges Were necessary to a quorum for
the transaction of business, and because
none other than Judge Pendleton was pres
ent, the court adjourned until the ensuing
day. Then. says the Cd record. besides
Judge Pendleion, "there were present their
honofs, john Rutledge and James Iredell
Esquifes. associate justices of the SUI
preme Court of the United States" by
whom court was held for some time.
In the early stages of their history, the
sessions of the Circuit and District Courts
of the United States We're held at three
places in Georgia. at Savannah, Augusta
and Louisville. In the ninet.es OF the last
century, three justices of the Supreme
Court, John Rutledge, James Iredeil and
Thomas Johnson, sat at various times upon
the bench for the district of Georgia. They
Were assisted by several Circuit and Dis
trict judges, beginning with Nathaniel
Pendleton. OF Judge Pendletons appoint
ment there is no record on the minutes of
the court, but there exists a cory Of the
appointment of his successor, joseph Clay.
junior that bears date Dec. 80, 1896. This
is as follows:
An Appointment by Washington.
George Washington, President OF the
United States of America, To all who shal!
see these presents, Greeting:
Know We, That reposing Special Trus.
and Confidence in the wisdom uprightness
and learning of Joseph Clay, Junr.. of
Georgia l have nominated and bv and
with The Advice and Consent Of the Senate.
DO appoint him Judge of the D.str ct Court
in and for Georgia District, and do author
ize ana empower him to execute and ful-
FIJI the Duties of that office according [,
the Constitution AID Laws of the United
States and to have and TO hold the Said
Office with all The Powers Privileges and
Emoluments, TO the same Of right apuer
tanning, unto him, the said Joseph cav.
Junr.. during his good behavior.
In testimony whereof, l have cause
these letters 10 be made patent and the
Seal of the United States to b. herewith
affixed Given under my hand, the tnir-
teth day of December, in the year of onr
Lord one thousand, seven hundred ana
ninety-siX, and of the Independence of the
United States of America, the twenty-first.
Geo. Washing on.
by the President.
Timothy Pickering, Secretary of state"
Among The presentments of the grand
juries of the early days, that are recorded
on the minutes of one or another of he
courts, are some documents that in their
character more resemble one of the Eng
Is NOT IF irfa