The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-08-10
GAVE LAW
To HAWAII

CHIEF Justice Frenr yesterday huns
upon the wall Of the Supreme Court
library crayon portrait OF the father
OF Hawaiian statutory law. Hon. John
Rlcord. II occupies n place on the
makai wall and close to portrait OF
John Marshall. the father of American
! constitutional law. The picture is a
copy of n portrait in the possession
Of Miss Helen Judd, sister of the late
Chief Justice Judd. Justice F'rear feels
that the legal fraternity in general
should feel proud of this valuable ac-
QUESTION, as John Ricord rendered I'M
portant legal service to Hawaii.
John Ricord was native of New
York State and was well up In both the
common and oivI law. He took a
prominent part In the formation of the
republic of Texas when 1t seeded
from Mexico in 1886. He afterwards
had more or less of an adventurous
career in South America and along the
North American coasts. He was of an
adventurous spirit, but a man of high
purpose and of great learning and
ability.
In 1874 he came to Hawaii from New
York. He was passing through here at
the time on his way elsewhere and |
at the period when the Hawaiian gov
eminent was in a great many diff
culties with foreign governments and
when there was very great need or
a legal adviser. Mr.. Ricord was in
duced to remain here by Or. Judd. The
king was little suspicious of mali
hinis and refused at first to appoint
Mr.. Ricord as Attorney General. but
did so when DIR. Judd said he would be
for him.
In little over three years Mr.. Ric-
ord did a marvellous amount of work
and among other things he provided
the three organic acts of 1857. or
the various departments of
the government.
These acts have been the foundation
Of Hawaiian statutory law ever since,
so he may be we'll called the Father
IF Hawaiian statutory law" Among
,ther things contained in these acts
was the creation of a land commission
% quiet land titles In the change from
he old feudal system to the present
allodial system. He himself was ID
member of that commission.
The presence of the picture In the
library is accounted for through a con-
,ersation of Justice Frear with Miss
Judd over old-time people here and
Mr.. Rcord was referred to. Miss Judd
remembered coming across a photo
graph in a bundle of old pictures. 1t
vas an engraving from a line copy of
.l,.t, \, 10,
inc one, done in colors. From this an
was made by j. j. Will
Jams for the court library.
When shown to various persons by
he Chief Justice they were asked Who'll
It was Some said 1t was Seward
,thers Ralph Waldo Emerson and other
Americans We're named.
Few people, even kamaainas, knew 1t
o be a likeness of the first Attorney
General of Hawaii. 1t certainly does
,ear a strong likeness to Seward, Lin
oln's Secretary of State.
The Supreme Court library, by the
way, has undergone an immense i'm
Chief Justice Frear, as
veil as the other justices, have in
crested themselves in its rearrange-
nent and now all books are shelved ,,
n a manner most calculated to be +,
cadily accessible to users. The con- i,
ulting table occupies the center of the
Dom. The cases are on either side.
from Waikiki TO Eva. The
nds of the cases bear labels show ,
ng in alphabetical order just what
looks are on the shelves.
The library is half century old and
ow contains about 5000 volumes. For :
he convenience of those who burn the
oil, incandescent lights have
cen distributed about the room and
here is a telephone connection with
he clerks Office. Books are grouped
y subjects as well as by states and &
ations. The Chief Justice feels that
he library system has been simplifed
nd that with its great number of
ooks forms a most valuable refer
nee to law cases of every description.