Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-02-28
A NOTABLE GATHERING OF
JURlSTS,

The fortieth anniversary of the SER
vice of Charles G. Mott, chief justice of
the United States Court of Claims, upon
the bench was commemorated last
Thursday evening, Feb. 90, by BAN
quet at the Raleigh, in Washington, d.
e., rendered by the members of the bar
OF the Court of Claims. Judge Nottse-
ceived his first appointment to the
bench at the hands of President Lincoln
and has since served continuously.
Our fellow townsman, Louis A. Pradt,
figured conspicuously in the banquet.
The Washington Star, in its write-up of
the event, among other things, says
'The banquet hall was handsomely
decorated with flowers of the season.
American beauties, white lilacs and
carnations being the principal blossoms
used. About the table sat a distin-
guished company of lawyers and judges,
some OF them formerly soldiers in the
opposing forces of tn. civil war. Assis-
tant Attorney General Pradt occupied
the central seat as POSTMASTER, while
on his right sat the guest of honor, who
served as colonel in the Union army
during the war. To the left of the
POSTMASTER sat Mr.. Justice Harlan of
the Supreme Court of the United States,
who also commanded a regiment in the
same army. Hilary A. Herbert, form
erly Secretary of the Navy, and James
Loundes, each of whom were officers in
the confederate army, were seated to
the right and left of the gues+ of honor
and Mr.. Justice Harlan" The other
guests included about twenty gentle
men of national reputation.
The Star further says: Emusic was
played during dinner by an orchestra
and at the conclusion of the feast the
toasts were responded to by the selected
gentlemen. 1t is Needless to Make the
Speech Long, was the text of the toast
masters Introductory address, taken
from Sparks agt East Tennessee Rail
road Company, 50 Georgia, 1876. at the
opening of the banquet the POSTMASTER
offered the toast The President of the
United States, which was drunk stand
ing. On the menu card was a phrase
from Lectures on Constitutional Law
by Mr.. Justice Miller: The experience
of century of the operations of the
government has shown that there has
never been the slightest danger to the
liberties of the country from this quar-
ter.
The POSTMASTER read letter from
President Roosevelt, expressing regret
that he was unable to attend the dinner.
With reference to Justice Mott, the
President said: Il wish it were possible
for me to be present in person to testify
to the regard and esteem l have for
him, and to say now | appreciate what
his services on the Court of Claims have
meant to the government
A letter of regret was also read from
Grover Cleveland, the only living form
er President of the United States, in
which Mr.. Cleveland said: Il am in
thorough sympathy with such a recog-
milton of long and conspicuous public
duty well discharged, and | hope the
occasion will prove no less gratifying to
the recipient of the honor intended than
to those by whom it is to be
rendered.
For his work as POSTMASTER MIR. Pradt
was most admirably qualified, inter-
jecting wit and humor into the more
serious vein of his praise of the guest of
honor and for the court over which he
presides. He said the work of the
court would remain as a monument
upon which Judge Mott had left the
impress of master hand in a record
so worthy, so stainless. 1t is much to
have served so long,, he added; 1T is
more to have served so well al all times
to have been righteous judge He
told the guests that the business of the
court was varied far beyond the COM
prehension of most persons, and re-
ferred to case which was dismissed
the other day which involved $50, 600, 00O
This case, he said, involved the property
OF man in Wisconsin, who when he
MADE his will, forgot that he owned it
and therefore did not mention it in his
last testament. He made a compli-
mentary reference to the military rec
ord of the chief justice, saying that
he went through the supremest test of
serving under his countIy's flag in his
country's cause, and since that conflict
closed be has won the affection of the
men of the South who fought against
him in those days"
Mr.. Justice Harlan responded to the
toast, 1.-The Supreme Court and Chief
Justice Mott"
MIR. James founders spoke on behalf
of the claimants before Justice Motifs
court, being introduced as "a man who
can charm bird off bush"
Several other notable gentlemen re-
sponded to toasts, among them Judge
Mott. The hosts of the occasion num-
bered about one hundred. 1t was a
notable event at our nations capitol.
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES.