Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-02-02
A HIGH TRIBUTE
Continued from page ~
Whiting, Old Town; J. F. Gould Old
Town; S. NJ. Carter, Auburn

|
chief justice in highly complimentary,
terms. He referred to Judge Symonds
of Portland, as one who through the
folly of our lawmakers was forced tc
leave the bench because the Lecisla-
ture would not provide sufficient com
pensation. You stand as a monument
to the folly of our lawmakers" Mr..
Wilson said, who have failed to real
ize that it is their duty to the poor man
and the rich to put the best lawyers
on the bench"
The guest of honor. tonight" Mr.
Wilson said. at the end of an eloquent
| review of the life of eX-Chief Justice
Peters, lis known for his love of truth
and his absolute integrity of character.
His life is an open book. He has lived
in the open, never skullled in the
shade. Professional decorum would
never permit us until now to speak our
minds toward our chief But who
shall say nay to us, tonight? But il
is my pleasure and duty to give our
| order to these proceedings 1t is my
great privilege to assure you of the
affection toward you, Mr.. Chief Justice
Peters, by the members of your old
HON bar. Receive the assurance, If it
be grateful to you, that your admins
| tration will be an example for the law
yers of this State and to our children
and our children's children, will be told
| the story of our official careers
Il have left the bench. but I am sat
isiied that it has not left me-" was the
| first words of Judge Peters as he arose
| to speak amidst the cheers of the as
| sembly He was forced to wait for
| three minutes while the applause con-
| tinued
Judge Peters spoke of his long career
| on the bench, saying that he had re-
| tired because his declining years had
ordered it, This company" he said,
in the, words of Senator Hale. par
takes Of the character of the chief JUS
tice:' | am glad if it is 50.
II am the only man in New England
who ever resigned" Great laughter).
But judges. though they do not re
sign. they do die and the devil has TO
take EN-" Laughter).
The chief justice referred wittily tn
the salary Of Names judges, notably
small. ana told Of funny experiences
with judges Of other states in this mat
ter.
when | lay down the scepter in know
ing that it is going to one Of the FAM
iiy."
This allusion to the new chief justice,
his nephew. was greeted with applause.
OF his opinions he said: II put into
them all the common sense | could get
into them. | made them as brief as |
could. too, though there is such a thing
as too brief opinion. I had but one
opinion of my 600 rejected by the court
600 to one. Judge Symonds led the
insurgents. | never published a dis
senting opinion. 1t has always been
my endeavor to smother technicality
for the sake Of truth. right and justice.
II shall never forget the law and the
lawyers. | shall never forget YOU till
everything that is mortal shall pass
away forever
The speech of the chief justice was
closed in cheers, the whole assembly
standing.
Chief Justice Wiswell. the successor
10 Judge Peters. and his nephew, fol-
lowed in 4 speech in which h said that
il was not with unmiXed joy that the
members Of the Maine court assembled
to celebrate the retirement Of its for
mer head. He addressed the cN-chief
in an eloquent expression Of affection
as felt by the whole State and its peo-
pie. Gov Powers followed. He spoke
briefly as is his custom, reviewing his
personal relations with Judge Peters.
There are some men, some Of the
few who were not born to die, he
said The governor said he was op-
posed to the election Of judges, believ-
ing rather in appointment by the eX-
ecutive.
Hon Eugene Hale, junior senator
from Maine. was the next speaker, be
ing met with cheers as he arose.
Hon. Orville d. Baker of Augusta,
spoke as follows:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Bench and Bar: 1t is an honor of
which l am deeply sensible. and of
which any lawyer may well be proud,
to be asked, on an occasion like this,
10 represent the bar of Maine. After
some reflection. | determined that my
selection must be due to a fine sense of
contrast on the part of our generous
hosts. Since every other speaker has
been Judge. or at smallest an ex-
Judge. they resolved to emphasize still
more sharply the impossible barriers
between the bench and bar by selecting
10 represent the latter one who not
only never has been a judge, but never
could be one.
The bar Of Maine has been graced
by q long line Of famous names. men
daenIy nourished with learning, cogent
reasoners. acute examiners. powerful
advocates. resourceful in trials, mighty
in their grasp of legal principles. she
has had her Shepleys. her Mellen. her
Weston. her Libbey, her Walton on the
bench: her Fessenden. her Evans her
Morrill, ana her venerable Ex-senator
T;radbury at the bar, and crOWding
close upon the other and later names
whose fame and power are fresher on
our tongue.
But it is pre-eminently that the
honor we would pay. tonight, TO
Names great chief justice. should be
Maid in this county of Penobscot. ana
IN this city of Bangor. where the glory
Of the Maine bar has so often centered.
We are, tonight, almost within ear
shot OF the old court house, much I'M
changed from its ancient aspect. where
KNOWLES was wont to set himself for
trial in his formidable battle order,
where Jonas Cutting flashed the Keen
blades of the common law. where Kent
more rarely, but never vainly, shook
free his great powers. lion like, where
ArnIaton laid the foundation of his
NTorrilliS and