Evening journal., 1907-11-18
BEDFORD In OIL
ADORNS COURT
New Castle County Lawyers
Present Portrait of First
District Judge
DISTRICT ATTORNEY NIELDS
MAKES THE ADDRESS


I
An oil painting Of the Hon. Cunning
Bedford. Jr the first United states
District Judge for the District Of Del
aware. was placed on the walls Of the
Federal Court room to-day. The pic
Iture was the gift Of the New Castle
County Bar Association and was pre-
scented in behalf Of that organization
by John p Nields, United States Dis
trict Attorney for Delaware
Judges George Gray and Edward G..
Bradford occupied the bench and there
were number OF members OF the New
Castle County Bar Association present
Judge Gray IN behalf Of the govern
ment, accepted the gift.
Y The icture hangs Immediately over
the entrance TO the court room nearest
90 the judges bench.
II is copy Of the painting OF
Younger Poale and was made by kob-
ert Hinckley
Judge Bedford was born In Philadel-
lphia in 1747 and was graduated from
Princeton in 177l. He served as AZ
torney- General for Delaware from l'tS
Ito 1889, and was a member Of the Con-
ltinental Congress from 1888 to 1885 IN
,17S7 he was a deputy TO the conVen-
ton that framed the Constitution or
1.-THE United states and I'm 1888 he was
iappointed United states District Judge
Ifo. the District OF Delaware, and while
on tie bench, died In 1912.
First Practioed Law in Dover.
bedford first practiced law In Dover
and then permanently settled In VIII
mington.
washington appointed Bedford the
United States District Judge for the
Delaware District on September 70
t7sa The commissions Of ten of the
thirteen original Districts Judges bore
that dates
The district Judges were selected on
account OF distinguished public SER
vice. Nearly all had served IN the
Continental Congress.
Tho first judiciary Act divided the
country intos thirteen districts ana
tbree circuits. Under this Act. the
District and Circuit courts were held
alternately at New Castle and Dover
Tho Circuit Court consisted of one OF
two Supreme Court Justices ana the
District Judge
Held Court in City HALL
Judge Bedford usually held the District
Court IN the city Han In Wilmington
The wilmington bar ncudei James a
Bavard Caesar A. Rodney, James nj
Broom. Louis McI.anc, Archibald Ham
nton. Nicholas williamson and Outer
bridge Horsey. The leading practitioner
were the political rlvals-James A. Bay
ard the Federaiist and Caeear AsRcdaey
+. the Republican. Bayard was probably th
abiest lawyer m. ether House of Congress
p and made the great arguments o0a'ns
/ the policies and measures of Thomas JET
feuson. Caesar a. Rodney was the repre-
sentative Of Jefferson, an Attorney Geh
oral of the United states and the lea'
of two important missions 10 South Amer
lea. Louis Mci.ane frequently a9peare
with Baynrd IN The interest Of his father
the Collector Of the Port He was sscre
! tary of the Treasury and Of state In Jack
son's Cabinet. and twice Minister TO En-
land
Now Castle the largest town. had th
e influential bar OF the state. II include
I Kensey Johns. sr.. Nicholas Van DYKE
tho younger George Read, "a, jaime
Rogers, James II. Black I>onsey joint
Sr succeeded George Read, lst as Chi
Justice in is9S and Nicholas r dgiey a
Chancellor In 1880. Nicholas Van Dyk
the younger succeeded Bayard IN IN
Senate. George Read. md was the Unite
States Attorney from the Tins of Wasi
ington unMl the time cf Monroe
Members OF the Dover Bar pgact Gin
=. before Judge Bedford were John Vinin'
2 Nicholas Rldgcly Henry NJ. Ridgsh
Thomas Clayton, Alexander R.yaold
v William c.. Frazier, James Battle, Joh
3 Fisher and willard Hail. The brilliant an
e improvident NinlHg was known in his da
as the "pet OF Delaware" Nichola
- Ridgey followed Bedford as Attorne
y General for ten years ard aftirward va
Chancellor for thirty years Thomas Clsl
n ton was for many years CHEF Justice
( Delaware and a senator OF the Unit,
States. John Fisher and willard Hall Wei
y teh successors Of Bedford as Distri
Judge.
= Prominent in Social Life.
7, Judge Bedford was a pillar IN IN
/. social life .of this community hun
= dred years ago. He was president
u the Board Of Trustees of the VIII
mington Academy.
r- Was Leading Mason.
,e Bedford was the leading member
Of the Masonic order on the death
"a Washington he delivered a eulogy /
re the Masons OF Delaware. According
as a contemporaneous account "durln
ye this discourse, which was delivere
l with great propriety and rendered stl
nj moro Impressive from tho circuu
~ stances that gave rise 10 IT, many
~ tear rolled down the cheek and man
IN a sigh sprung from the heart OF ser
sibilty" Lady Washington" gave
70 Bedford a part Of Washingtons Ma
h- sonic Vestments. When the (Grdr
'e' Lodge of Masons was established
'e' Delaware IN 1906 Bedford became n
first grand MASTER
p" The foregoing narrative OF Judl
Bedford's life Is taken from a pap
=, prepared by United States District A
torney John r. Nields.