New-York tribune., 1901-03-01

three highest honors he ranked the list,
being of the three high oration'' Mr.
Pierrepont and Mr Waite were the other two, hav
ing equal grade
Samuel j. Tilden member of the class Of
1887 for few months. and Yale University after
ward conferred the degree of Ii. D. him
member of that class: but Mr.. Evarts did not
know Tilden in college, and later had recollec-
ton of having him in New-Haven-
While at Yale Mr.. Evarts member of the
Lnonian Society. and when the centennial cele-
bration of that society took place in 1853 he
chosen as the orator. and delivered address
Public Life"
BEGINNING HIS LEGAL CAREER.
In 1888 and 1889 he attended the Harvard Law
School, and during this period he for a time made
his home elsewhere than in Boston The catalogue
of the Connecticut Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa
Society. bearing the date Of August. 1888. contains
the name of William Maxwell Evarts. Windsor,
VT" When he entered his legal he came
to this city and entered the Office of Daniel Lord.
Mr.. Evarts told in his quantity interesting
way the circumstances in which he started in life
in New-York
1T happened to me-" he said, to become ac-
quainted with Mr.. Lord. the first among the law
yers in New-York that I knew. During my
college residence New-Haven had become
quanted with his person. which had been pointed
out TO me in of his occasional visits that
city, the seat of his college education. Some cir
curistances of family connection led afterward,
wien student at Cambridge upon the casual sug-
ges ion of comrade that 1 should my
tenhon TO New-York rather than remain. had
expected to do in Boston. think. as a possi-
bility. that my acquaintance the means that
had TO make the acquaintance of Mr.. Lord. then
eminent in his position at the bar might give me
an Introduction TO his care and attention. and
might AFFORD me opportunities of education under
circumstances which required me to be very care
Iul IN regard to expense and risk in any step that
l should take which might lead me to venture 70
become an aspirant for the distinction and sue
cess OF the profession in this great city. I there
Tore feel that Mr.. Lord really the reason the
occasion, the opportunity. the means by which I
was permitted to be introduced TO any degree of
professional labor and prosperity which may in nv
own sense or that of any about me. have attended
me remember very well the kindness with which
he received me, and the willingness which he ex-
pressed TO receive me into his office and when at
the appointed time the succeeding summer that
OF 1889. 1 presented myself. he said:
We'll. Mr.. Evarts, you have come to begin
your studies and be lawyer in New-York'; and
1 replied. doubtingly perhaps. as I suppose mod
esty:
I have come to try
We'll. sir said he. If you have only come to
try. you had better go back. If you have come to
stay We shall be glad 10 receive you
And when 1 amended my answer by the in
formation he gave me-that it possible for me
to stay, that I had come to be lawyer-he re-
ceived me cordially; and from that time TO the
time of his death he my friend my supporter
and my guide
UNITED STATES DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Beginning his career under thes9 favorable cir
cumstances-although his early success was prob
ably due 10 the friendly aid and furtherance of
Mr.. Lord in less degree than he himself was
modestly inclined to attribute it-Mr. Evartss
progress at the bar rapid He had distin-
gushed himself by several marked successes when
in 1919 he was appointed Assistant United States
District Attorney in this district Two years later,
when only thirty-one years Of age. he chosen
United States District Attorney. His work in this
Office and Opa Of he
most prominent cases which he then prosecuted
for the government grew out OF the Cuban
Cleopatra expedition. John L Sullivan, a jour
nalist Of some reputation. organized hlibustering
crew, which in the early spring of 1851 was TO
start the ship Cleopatra assist the insurgents
in Cuba. When the warrants of arrest were issued
the vessel was the point of sailing. and they
were served board. The trial In the criminal
branch of the United States Circuit Court lasted
more than four weeks and attracted wide atten-
ton. At the end the jury failed TO agree.
The celebrated Lennon slave up in
lso5 Mr Lennon was the owner of certain slaves
who were brought this city in transit from one
OF the more northern slave States Texas. They
had been set at liberty by one of the inferior
courts. on the principle that slaves could not be
taken through free State and remain slaves.
Court in this city that decision was affirmed in b..
December 1851 1t finally reached the Court of APP
sci for the slaves, and Charles o Conor for the
interest was felt in the subject the case attracted
wide attention Mr.. OConor felt himself bound
he contended that property in man rested on the
bass Of all other property, and that no State
its claim. He boldly affirmed that slavery was
nature or Of God against slayeholdlng
Mr. Evarts's answer 70 this argument was con
sdered one Of the most complete and mastery
statements of the attitude of the friends the
slave that up to that time had been made. No
comfy, he urged, required the people of New
York 10 allow an act here by citizens. Of another
would be felony. Judges DEMO and Wright
wrote elaborate opinions sustaining the courts
below in freeing the slaves, and Judges Davies.
Bacon and Willis concurred. Judge Clerke wrote
a long dissenting opinion, in the general spirit
and Judge Selden content to join, although
the two judges last named acknowledged that
they had not had opportunity to give the matter
careful study The disposition made of the case
ton to the friends Of the anti-slavery movement
and the result served vastly TO increase Mr..
Evarts's reputation.
FOR SEWARD AGAINST LINCOLN.
Mr. Evarts had been associated with the Repub-
lican party practically its first organization,
and in 1860 he recognized of the lead
of the party. Substantially his views concided
with those OF William H Seward. for whom he
entertained great admiration as well
personal friendship In .ommon with many others
he looked Seward, whom he regarded the
greatest political philosopher and statesman of the
time pre-eminently qualified for the Presidency,
and member of the New-York delegation went
to the-convention at Chicago with the full deter
Of the most enthusiastic Of the delegates,
whom he leo IN that historic convention, and who
united in their supp prt of Governor Seward
When the nomination of Lincoln was finally an
was a r rea EpaTs whG b2 m9Dea e TO mars
seconded by the other members of the delegation.
heartiest support to the candidacy of Lincoln, al
though he could not conceal his regret that the
candidate put forward on behalf of the State of
[lg had lEGrr Taa =