The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-07-05
Career OF Fuller.

washington. July ITO Chief Justice
Fuller fcll the honor OF third rank LOT
length Of service as presiding Justice
lu the highest tribunal Of the Ameri-
can government For twenty-five years
he was chief Justice OF the supreme
court OF the United states. but Chiet
court for thirty-four years and CHER
Justice fancy Tor twenty-ctEht years
With the future rests the determine
tion Of his rank among the eight cnlet
justices OF history for ability and ac-
Comnlfehmcnts.
Before Grover C1e-cland sent HIS
name 20 the senate on April 90. 1SSS,
for confirmation as chief justice. ne
was practically unknown except TO
members Of the legal profession.
In Maine. where he was born on FEB
ruary II. 1888. he had been known as
a well behaved, rather scholarly lad.
lie had gone 20 BOwdoin college and
Incidentally. there won most OF the
prizes for c1ocution. He had gone down
10 the Harvard law school for one year.
Then ne bloss0mcd forth as full
flcdgcd lawyer and politician OF
hf-h-minded sort In his native city OF
augusta He became an associate edi-
tor on n Democratic paper called
'The Age and about the same time
was elected president Of the city coun-
after nc left Maine for the greater op-
portunitios Of life In Chicago.
Went 90 Chicago en- 1856.
From 1856 TO 1Ses he lived in Chicago.
but attracted little attention outside
his immediate circles OF friends and as
soclates at the bar. until he undertook
the defense OF Bishop Henry pm
charge Of hcrcsy. His knowledge OF
ccc1esia8tica1 history and procedure as
tonishcd those who conducted the case
and his argument OF the cause Of the
bishop before the supreme court OK
Illinois Is referred 20 still as forensic
effort seldom ~ ever surpassed In that
court
lie was a delegate 90 tho national
conventions OF the Democratic party
in 1854. 1S72. 1876 and 1850.
The Maine boy who had gone west
accomplished much. however. notwith-
standing his quiet life. He had laid
inE OF the commercial laws OF the coun-
Try. and along this line he had per-
formed services for clients that were
estimated 20 have Melted him an an
nual income Of $4,000. These accom-
plishmcnts led the Republican senator's
from Illinois 90 urge cu the Democratic
President TIE appointment or Dir. ruler
g. tho successor OF chief Justice Waite.
Appointmcnt ns Chief Justice
The nomination Of Mr. Fuller. then SIS
50 years Of age. was followed by a
memorable contest IN the Senate. The
judiciary committee. with IT'S Rcpubli-
can majority. 10 which the nomination
was sent April 30. held up the appoint
mcut until July 20. Then the commit
tee reported u TO the Senate without
recommendation"
For three 4 ours that body debated in
executive session whether to confirm
or reject the nomination. TIE attack
on Mr. Fuller was led by Senators Ed
munds. Evarts and stewart. Senators
Cullom and Farwcll defended him. The
reports that he had been n Copper
head during the civil war. and that he
did not possess tho requisite ability as
q lawyer were gone over.
Finally. By vote OF Al TO 20. his
nomination was confirmed
Since that day the entire court. as it
then existed has nneeed awnv with the
single exception OF Justice Harlan. or
those prominent ga the fight over his
confirmation only Senator Culiom re-
mains. and President Cleveland. who
thus honored the Illinois lawyer. has
likewise gone 20 his grave
The service Of chief Justice Fuller
was noted for the dignity with which
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