Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-30
CUNNING BEDFORD, JUNIOR.


G.. Conrad read the following paper on
Cunning Bedford, ,1f.
The first Judge Of the United States
District Court for the District of Della
ware was Cunning Bedford, Jr., no
having been appointed by President
George Washington in 1889, soon after
tho formation Of the court by act of
Congress. Both the father and grand
father of Judge Bedford were named
Cunning, the family coming from Eng
land, the first American branch set
thing at jamestown, Va, in 1921. The
grandfather seems to have been a resi-
dent of Cecil county, his remains being
inferred at North East River in that
county. The father of the judge was a
captain in the French and Indian war.
followed tho trade of an architect and
was resident OF Philadelphia, having
been an alderman in that city for
several years previous to his death in
1902, at tho age of 81; and the mother
of the judge was Susannah Jacquett.
There were IL children, the fifth child
and second son being Cunning. junior,
the Judge, who was born in Philadel-
phia in 17i7. At the age Of 20 he en-
tered Princeton College then known as
Nassau Hall, where he graduated in
the class of It'll. He stood at the head
of the class being tho valedictorian,
| and made an enviable record as a col
lego student Among his classmates
were James Madison, who afterwards
became President of the United States,
and Hugh NJ. breckenridge.
| He studied law under Joseph Reed,
an eminent Philadelphia attorney, and
about 1878 moved to Delaware, and
| settled at Dover, where he was admitted
to the bar under date of August 4th,
| 17I9, in Sussex county.
After brief residence at Dover, find
| ing that the climate did not agree with
him, he removed to Wilmington. Win
| ming high reputation by his scholar
| ship and oratorical ability he was early
recognized by the people and was soon
honored with official station. In 1888,
he was elected member of the CONT
mental Congress from Delaware, and
served for three years. On April Goth,
1881, he was appointed attorney general
of the State of Delaware, where he
served with marked ability. On June
18th, 1IS6, he was elected with George
d2cssas Jacob Broom, John Dickinson
and Richard Bassett, as commission
\ to meet commissioners from the
:, other States in the Union for the pur
pose of forming II system of commercial
regulations bewteen the States, which
were to meet in Annapolis on the first
Tuesday of September of that year.
His high rank as professional man is
shown by his association with the most
distinguished men of his time. The
same men who were delegated to attend
the Annapolis convention were selected
year later as delegates from Delaware
L 10, ESQ, In irct (tAncfitt,tipr, Of ha
United States.
In this Constitutional Convention
Mr.. Bedford was a prominent figure
Its membership represented the master
minds of that day. Cunning Bedford,
Jr., frequently took the floor and
argued questions brought before the
body with marked ability and force.
He combated strenuously the efforts
made by the members from tho larger
States whereby they sought to give the
more populous States a representation
In both houses Of Congress, based on
population. He frequently crossed
swords with Alexander Hamilton, a
member from New York and James
Madison delegate from Virginia, and
it was largely due to his personal
efforts, and eloquent appeals, that the
provision of the Constitution was
adopted whereby each of the States was
accorded the same representation in
the United States Senate, the wisdom
of which provision the experience of 9
century has fully vindicated.
A recent article which appeared il
Munsey's Magazine on THE Making
of the Constitution, from the pen Of
Hon. Thomas b. Reed says: 1.-THE
Constitution of the United States was
not the work of inspiration, or even o.
genius. 1t had it's origin in the gooc
sense Of able mon applied to the prac
tical work in hand, in a keen apprecia
tion of the dangers already existing
/ and the greater dangers to come, anc
IN the spirit of Cancellation forcet
upon it's authors by the over presen
nature of the troubles TO be avoided.
"A little. less than four months o
! almost constant discussion covered the
, period between the 10Th of May, whei
they began, and the 18th of September
when all but three, who were present
signed and recommended the Constitu
tion to the people of the United States
: There were % members present wher
thoy organized and during the foui
, months. from time to time, came il
: other members to the number of IS
l Fifty-two men, therefore, contributed
their wisdom TO tho final result,
though only 80 certified by their sigma
; lures to the Unanimous Consent of thu
States Present. -
Mr.. Reed pays deserved tribute t,
: tho members of the convention ant
commends the faithfulpess of theii
work in his concluding paragraphs, q
follows: Nevertheless, the reader q
the debates arises from their pcrusa
with increased repsect for tho wisdom
and foresight of the men of whom
Madison justly says. There mover wa
an assembly of men charged with
! great and arduous trust who were NOR
u pure in their motives, or more eXclu
!. sively or more anxiously devoted to tn
o object committed to them Peace t.
. thoir ashes. Reverence to their mem
e cries. If their work should not b
7 eternal, that work and its results vii
! have educated their children to NEE
!, successfully the problem of that futur
!. into which they could not penetrate.
j. 'tHow earnest they We're, and hoy
8 doubtful was the issue, how often the.
: were alternately torn by doubts ant
difficulties, and reioioed by successful
coping with their hazardous problems
was voiced by the many sided intellec
of the great DIR. Franklin.
whilst the last members were sign
: ing, DIR. Franklin, looking towards tn
. Presidents chair at the back OF whic
q rising sun happened to be painted
2 observed to a few members near him
that painters had found it difficult t
distinguish in their art, Il rising fror
: a setting sun. Il have, said he, ofte
and often, in the course of the session
ard IL, tho u:nicGitulaS nf INV hnpe