Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-30
WILLIAM G. MAHAFFY
RESIGNS AS CLERK
OF FEDERAL COURT
Continued from page I.

leave Of the court to present to your
Honor my resignation as clerk Of this
court. and supplement- II with "A few
words
.Thirtv-two years ago became con
nected with this court To-day marks
ia, end of eighteen years service a $
i.s clerk was young both In age
and experience when ! was appointed
deputy clerk Of the Circuit and Dis
trirt Courts for this district My
predecessor. Major S. Redmond Smith,
after q prolonged illness. resigned his
office on june 30. t903, and / succeeded
him as clerk Of the Circuit Court,
through appointment by Circuit Judges
Acheson nallas and Gray, and as
4, !, Tx Of the District Court through ap
DC ointment by District Judge Bradford.
In addition | held the office Of United
States Commissioner fer this district
for four terms, from July. 1903. to
NJ venber, 1919. through appointments
III Judge Bradford. with the approval
az the Attorney. General Of the United
states | have also received from time
to time from the circuit and district
Judges in the Third Circuit appoint
nents as special master and special
examiner in equity causes and as
commissioner in admiralty
with proprietS think / may say
that have tried to hiring to each Of
tlc, all tie fidelity, zeal and efficiency
within my power. always with the
thought Of absolute loyalty TO the
ctsurt. having at heart its dignity and
authority Notwithstanding this pur-
pose on my part. whatever nlea sure
81 success / have attained must, In
large degree. be aacTiled 10 the in
| spring influence 0f the mon with
whom ! have been brought In daily
contact by reason of the opportunities
which the holding III these oIIicea has
afforded me. Avoiding detail. desire
to express my deep appreciation Of
/ their aid and assista nee. without which
| ] feel that ! could not have had the
Same measure ~ success. Words fan
with which adequately 10 acknowledge
my obligations to your predecessors,
Judges Wales and Bradford. and my
appreciation of your own kindness and
consideration q me TO each ! owe
much for the confidence reposcd in
me desire to Acknowledge the
courtesy and kind consideration al
ways shown me hy the practitioners
III this court NV relations with them
have been OF the most cordial charac-
ter J am also indebted 10 the United
States attorneys for this district
Messrs Watson. Nandegrift and
Byrne. now deceased and Messrs
Cooper Nields. Curley and Hughes as
well as to the n1arshals Of this dis
trict, Meksrs MahaTy lannan short.
Finn and Townsend all Of whom are
now dfcphscd Marshals Fairy and
Money and their several deputies. FOR
their earnest cooperation in carry
ine on the work of the courts Ny
brother Henry G. Mahaffy. Jr.. joined
me in the work Of the clerks office
over Is years ago. and has been my
chief deputy for the past IS years
desire to acknowledge my deep appre-
cIation Of his constant, unfailing kind
ness and OF his loyalty towards the
court and 10 me in the duties of this
Office. The other assistants in the
clerk office. present and past. and
agents Of the United States from the
several governmental departments
have all contributed largely TO such
efficiency as may have been present
! in the performance of my duties.
II have sincerely appreciated and
enjoyed the privileges and duties OF
the Office Also, l have a strong sense
Of pride and gratitude in the many
recollections that / shall carry with
me"
EuIogized by Judge Morris.
Replying. Judge Morris spoke as
follows:
MIR. Mahaffy. it is with keen per.
sonal regret that l accept your res.
ignauon as clerk of this court. Yol
have been in the service of this gov.
ernment almost one-fourth of tn,
time since the Inauguration Of
Washington as its president. The
ending Of a service of such duration
cannot pass unnoticed by this court
| As clerk you have occupied an i'm
portant public office. In the per
formance of its duties you have had
ever in mind that you held in youl
/ Keeping as a public trust a portion o,
the sovereign power Of the United
States. You have realized that the
very essence of free government con-
sists in considering public Office as
bestowed for the good of the country
bent. You have been aware that this
is government for the people; thai
it was established in a place. at a tins
and under circumstances peculiarly
fortunate and without a parallel ant
that if our government fails popular
governments must be pronounced i'm.
possible and individual liberty viii
perish from the earth. You have be.
lieved that the usefulness and per
petuity Of this government depends
upon the integrity. efficiency and fl
deity TO their trust of those having
its affairs in charge. You have fel
that one who through lack Of in
dustry IS incapable of performing thi
affairs Of his office in the manner il
which they can best be performed il
unworthy Of the position that he holds
! You have at all times been mindful
Of the fact that a public officer VIII,
for private gain, beneft or rewar,
betrays his trust betrays the nation
You have been conscious of the fac