The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-03

lucid statement AL these have passed
from among the living; but the result OF
their fruitful labors remain, and the Bar
keep bright their memories for what they
were and for what they acoomp lished. l
need not say to you how universal was
the respect which they wop, nor what
deep traces they have left Of their own
individually upon the jurispr udence OF
Maine. You know all this quite as we'll
as /. They were long the associates up
on the bsnch OF our distinguished Chief
Justice, the honored guest OF the evening,
and their names and faces reappsar al
most as Of old, when We meet to com-
memorate his great judicial career.
count myself happy that ut q somewhat
early age had the advantage Of this
high oompanionship.
But 10 10 not with memories only, or
exclusively, that our minds are busy TO-
night The future joins hand with the
past upon the narrow m argin Of the pres
emf hour. The court az changed from
my time has already won its place In our
afiection and respect and new and en-
dearing associations gather about II every
day, We have, too, u new Chief Justice
and o new Associate Justice, present
with US tonight, whom We would greet
with all favoring auspices upon the very
threshold Of their official duties. May
long life and distinguished usefulness
and honor await them. May they hold
high the old standard and advance them
to meet the new light and the new de
mands Of the future. The best wishes Of
the Bar and the community accompany
them as they snter upon their new terms
of office.
am more and more impressed with
the Importance of our highest courts OF
Justice, and with the value OF the labors
Of our judges, as among the deepest and
strongest conservative forcss In our sooie-
ty. In this vast free country Of ours, with
the fierce tides setting in this ocean OF
our democracy, where the tendency 10 to
license rather than to restraint, where
the danger is that liberty may be loosed
too far from law, the happiness ana snfe-
ty OF the people are largely invnlyed 10
thHir respect for the laws Of the land and
in their obedience 10 them. 40 advise
them OF this 10 to counsel them In the
things which make for their peace. 40.
cording to its own maxim. the safety OF
the people Ia In the last resort the highest
law, SO the law itself Is the supreme
guide aud safety OF free people. Ihe
love of liberty regulated by law and
general and habitual regard aud reverence
| FOR the con Institution and the laws are
doubtless the only ties which oan surely
bind together this vast republic. our
highest courts are places where all that Ii
valuable to the citizen, the lowest or the
| Hottest, may at any moment be at STAKE.
| They should be places OF ceremony, for
mality and dignity. Substance should
not be sacriticei to form; there should be
simplicity and direotnsss suited to the
magistraoy Of a republic, but Whatever
tends TO degrade them to the level OF the
commonplace should be studiously
avoided. II should be remembered that
the public, and perhaps all OF MS, are
more or less servile to external impress
sions, and . return to the life tenure for
our judges (from which In point OF prao-
tioe fortunately In this state we have
hardly depsrted) and to something OF the
courtly ceremony which In oidsn times
prevailed In New England would, 1 be-
lieve be to the advantage OF the profes-
sion, the court and the public. 10 10 I'M
doubtedly true that from the organiza-
tion OF the state to the present time, the
rule has been that its judges have bad In
the highest degree the public confidence.
Msy the day never come when the respect
| Of the people Is wanting to the laws OF
our country or to the tribunals which ad-
minister them.
In q Just sense, IL is not for rs to honor
the distinguished guest Of the bar to-
night. Ii is he himself who has ersoted
| the monument more enduring than
bronze, who has made his own life Illus
| trious and crowned it with honor. After
the days work done, after life rich and
eminent In all judicial achievement, may
the evening shadows fall slowly, gently
as the summer twilight. and may that
which (socording to Shakespeare) should
accompany old age, as honor, love, obedi
snoe. troops Of friends" and ali serenity
attend him. until It 10 night, and thu
| stars appear.