The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-10
DINNER TO JUSTICE HARLAN.
GREAT GATHERING or EMINENT
JIRISTS PRESENT.
18th Anniversary Of His Coins on supreme
Court bench speeches BY Justice
Harlan. President Roosevelt. Sen.
atOr HOar and Others 500 Present.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 9-The twenty -fifth
anniversary Of the ascension Of Justice
John Marshall Harlan to the Supreme
Court b 'nch was celebrated this evening
by banquet given him by the members Of
the liar of that court The affair was ma
tional in it's character, and the committee
having il in charge, which was heade! by
Attorney General Knox, represented every
one of the nine judicial districts under the
Supreme Court. embracing every State in
the Union
The occasion brought together probably
the greatest gathering of distinguished
Jurists that was ever held in this country.
The list included the President Of the United
States and his Cabinet, the members Of the
Supreme Court of the United States. the
Supreme Cour, of the District Of Columbia,
the Judges of the Court Of Claims, Senators
and Representatives.. who are members Of
the Supreme Court bar, as well a. jurs,s
from all parts Of the country.
Attorney General Knox was to have pre-
sided, but he is i'll in Florida q rent a
telegram of regret a hi ina iI,tyto be pres
ent, which was read by Wayne MacNeach
Of Philadelphia, who presided in his stead
ABOUT wv guests WeT" IfPSeil.
Three SONS Of Justice Harlan sat AT tie
table with him Tie late Thomas b Reed
was one Of the subscribers To the banquet
and Wa to have been one Of the sTea%ers
The banquet began promptly at 7'5
and all the courses had been served when
the President reached the hall at 0 90
Pre- id Roos,v II was +, lived with
applause. He said:
consider i q personal privilege 10 be her"
honored America. II is not an idle boast Of
this country when speaking of the court or
which Justice Harlan sits. to sayit !. the most
illustr ious and important court in all the civil
lied world II l. not merely our own people
who say II. for II i the verdict of the other
nations Of the, world a. we'll
Justice Harlan has served FOR a quarter Of
q century on that court and for a quarter OF
century he has "Ne1cl~ed powerful lnnn,
under our form OF government
Following the President. speech Mr..
Ma, V'agh spoke.
Justice Harlan, after expressing his
graft ude for the great honor done him,
said II was more than his poor services
deserved Mr.. Harlan referred 10 the
fact that Their" had been no moment dur
ing his term of service when he Ind not
been deeply sensible of the awful respon-
sibility resting upon every member of the
court and said:
The power OF the supreme Court for good
a. we'll Hs for evil can scarcely he exaggerated
II IT canlo actually shap" the destiny OF our
country II can exert a commanding inhu'no"
In that direction IL can 10y its Judgment
siren CITIZEN our Institutions in IT." ConfdcnC"
and affections of tn" p"opl" or more easily
than any other department of the govern
mnnt
II can undermine tho foundations Of our
Coyernm-n, .vs,nm II can undo tho work of
TT HOY no. al rgf - nj tN nj
-titut iounl construction thot have helped 10
make this N" forHmo't nation Of the earth.
II can 70 Use the words of Chief Justice
Marshall Explain away the Constitution
OF our country and leave II magnificent
structure indeed. TO look at.'hu, totally unit
for use
But we all rejoice that it has IT in itsrow"r
to hold and In the Judgment of An"rica II
ha~ -turdily held, the country in tn" path
Of safety
II our Institutions should he a--ail"d and
overthrow no matter by whom or in what
way whether by arbitrary noN"r nv cor;
ruption or hy lawles-noss the last citadel
to be taken by the aS-Hilnut- will be our in
comparable judicial ORGANIZATION.
Chief Justice Fuller followed and raid a
sympathetic tribute to his associated
Senator Hoar Of Massachusetts, after
expressing his pleasure at this opportunity
TO honor Justice Harlan, said:
n great tribunal. w ich keeps the force.
Of State and nation alik" viii In their ap-
roiHted bounds, must depend for its authority
uuon the respect and confidence Of the poo
pie That respect and confdcnc" OF N"
reople must In my Judgment dep"nd upon
tho influence of the legal profession \
court which has their supl ort viii endure.
\ court Wit ont their respect will lsrish
The bar and the court must stand by one an
other An INDEPENDENT judiciary and an W.
right and fearless bar are equally essor,itl
TO the administration Of Justice, according
10 the system We have Inherited from our
English ancestors. and which We q ink bet
ter than any other
Their" il. IL seems to me everything in
the office of Justice Of the supreme Court
to satisfy the loitisst desire OF which human
nature Is capable. In IL unite digr itv.
authority, pcrmanence. security. honor. last
ing fame. the most LOFTY of intellectual oc-
cupatons rendered delightful by lofty in
tellectual Companionslip and the conscious
ness Of being among the great hsncfaCtors
Of mankind And when, after twcrty-nve
years of service We say of any man that he
has vorthily filled tla' place. there is moth
ing moro TO b" said and thcr" is nothing moro
to be desired