Year: 1877

l CLIFFORD, OF MAINE.

 The following brief sketch oi Judge Clifford who is Chairman of the Electoral Commission is clipped from the New York Her aid:

 l "Judge Nathan Clifford is an old man, colossal in size and weight and entirely devoted to the law. He was born in New Hamp- shire in 1903, began the practice of law in Maine just fifty years ago, and has passed the last nine teen years of his life on the Su- preme bench of the United States. His political vicisitudcs were the ordinary experiences of country lawyers who take an active inter- est in public affairs. He was first a member of the Legis- lature of his State, then Attorney General of Maine; subsequently a representative in Congress, and then Attorney General of the Uni ted States in President Folks cabinet. In all these positions he won a worthy reputation for in dustry, skill and ability, and so highly were his qualities esteem ed that when the war with Mexi- co was drawing to close, and the complications of General Scott, Mir. Trist and Governor Marcy threatened to destroy part of the fruits of our victories in the field, he was sent to conclude a treaty which should secure us the sub- stancial rewards of our arms. It was through his negotiations that California became an integral part of the United States, and he not only concluded the treaty of Quad alupe Hidalgo but..was mainly in strumental in cementing the new peace and securing the full and cordial execution of the articles of the treaty. When the Mexi- can question was no longer the interesting problem of our foreign relations he resigned hls position as Minister to Mexico, and re sumed the practice of his profes- sion in Portland. During the next few years he was regarded as among the most capable mem bers of the New England bar and when Judge Curtis resigned his place on the Supreme Bench of the United States in 1858 Mir. Clifford was nominated by Presi- dent Buchanan to fill the vacancy. He was the first member of the Cabinet ever taken from Maine, and is the only representative that State has ever had in the Supreme court. At the time of his appointment his-ss.acS-cticn was considered good oney and time has only proved the truth of that opinion. He was then fifty six years old, tall and robust in figure agreeable and courteous in ad. dress, and capable of the greatest endurance of intellectual and physical labor. His many years on the Bench have been years of stern devotion to judicial duty. Although an active politician in the earlier portion of his career and a democrat of the most un flinching faith, he has been rarely heard to refer to political ques tions Tn the many years he has occupied his present position. Tn qualities accorded him in the be- ginning-integrity and capacity have been found to belong to him in an eminent de- gree, and now, even more than it was then, it is a matter of congrat- ulation that he has another requi- site not only for Justice of the Supreme Court, but for one upon whom IS to be devolved a question of such great political moment as this Presidential issue-the pos session of strong constitutional opinions. An old man, sound lawyer, an upright judge and 8 pure patriot, the presidential question could not be submitted to safer hands than those of Judge Cl;Nnr1