The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-16

law. How are our civil rights determin-
ed? Do you look at the statute DOCKS
when you want to know how they are
settled? No, you look to the civil Judges
as to what they have settled in indiyid-
ual cases. In the long run, after all, 1t
is the bar which settles the question,
for is not the bench committee of the
bar?"
Justice Collins then turned to the Court
of Error and Appeals and discussed it's
constitution. He knew that lawyers did
not like the limit of time to instruct the
Court and he often recalled Thomas Nc
Carter's remark about the Court of Err
rors that it was composed of the Cham
cellor, not law Judge; six laymen and
members of the Court below-a curious
body The trouble was that a quorum of
five Judges could give an opinion when,
if other members could be present, that
opinion would perhaps be the other way.
But with all this, the speaker said, there
wasn't the slightest foundation that each
Judge of the Court didn't examine the
cases. For four days recently they had
discussed and differed. The Court is
often divided and that argues independ-
ence. Judges, he concluded, wanted the
confidence of the bar, and thus by work
ing harmoniously they could attain the
common end-equal rights to the citizen
and justice to all. loud cheers.)
"Since Judge Collins began Mr.. Vre-
denburgh, took so kindly to the sugges-
tions of the bar, I would beg leave to
suggest that the next time he construes
the statute of costs he would remember
that under it cigars were selling two for
cent and apple whiskey five cents a
quart" loud laughter)
Mr. Francis J. SwayZe, who previously
had been receiving pointers on Circuit
Court mysteries from Judge Nevius, rose
to speak. He raised laugh by saying
that if the costs of attorneys were in
creased in proportion of cigars and whis-
key having gone up a pace, he for one re-
GREETED that he had accepted a judicial
position Until the Senate, he said, con-
iirmed his appointment, he could view
things impartially from the sides of the
bench and the bar.
st suppose" ne continued, ''you regret
my appointment (Cries of "Oh, no.")
Then after paying a graceful tribute
to Judge Child of Essex, whom he sue
ceeds, Mr.. Swayze spoke of the constitu-
ton of the Circuit Court and reminded
the bar that If it was bad to have one
Judge of that court to sit on them,
what would it be, to have the sixteen
judges to sit on them. ("That's Bryan's
sixteen to one theory" added ex-Judge
Garretson, and there was shout of
laughter)
Mr. Frank P. McDermott of Freehold
10 of a HCnIlnfV
Lawyer" and his witty speech was thor
oughly appreciative. He began by telling
a story of a yellow dog sent by express.
Some one asked the agent at the depot
where the dog was going.
g 4 don't know, he don't know, no one
don't know; he's eaten his tag, replied
the agent, and that's my case,'. said Mr..
McDermott. MY tags gone. The coun-
try lawyer has to study; the city lawyer
doesn't Laughter.l He can play at
billiards in the morning and go to the
Bon Ton in the afternoon. Gaughter)
This city lawyer needn't study or look at
his law books: all he need do is to go
around the offices and pick enough law
to go before Chancery at ten O'Clock.
lLaughter) AS to the country lawyer, ne
must go to his books. Now I notice that
Charlie Black CYells of laughter and
everyone turned to the State Tax Com
missioner, himself in fits) has been
writing a book on Ambulance Chasing as
a Fine Art in which he has quoted one
of George Tenants Sunday school stor-
les Renewed laughter), and that one IS
where he is telling about little girl at
a party Who is asked to have some cake
She replies, Thank you,' and on being
pressed to have some more, thinks OF
papa. and says, Damn it, no." Cloud and
prolonged laughter.)
Mr.. McDerraott closed a delightfully."-
breezy speech with an eloquent tribute to
the country lawyers like Parker and van
Fleet. who had attained SO much emil
nence at the bar.
Colonel Chas. w. Fuller had full lati-
tude given to him when he was called
on to respond to "What I Please" 1t
pleased the ever witty Colonel and his
audience to hit everybody all around in
the most genial way, giving point to his
sallies with a string of funny stories He
had some fun with Justice Lippincott
who. he said, was like all Judges, he
sometimes made a fearful blunder, be-
cause he refused a non-suit lately.
haughter.) The Colonel dropped his fun
for minute to pay graceful tribute
to Chancellor McGil1, and wandered into
an amusing review of the Contingent
Remainder He praised the late Judge
Knapp and as an Illustration of his quaint
humor convulsed his audience by telling
them that the Judge and John A. Nugent,
Court Stenographer then and now, were
walking down a street in New York when
Mr.. Nugent, pointing to small shoe
makers shop, said to Judge Knapp
Judge, that's where I get my shoes. ;"
ssWhati in that little placer" exclaimed
the Judge.
Mr.. Jacob Weart was the next speaker
and he reviewed the history Of the bar
from that time from which the memory
of man runneth not to the contrary to
the present date. After his exhaustive
address there were calls for Judge Blair
and Otto Grouse, but these gentlemen, on
account Of the lateness of the hour, de-
clined, and the bar dinner Of 1900, like
all things else which had beginning,
had an end
NEELY WITNESS SURRENDERED.