ALLOTMENTS, ETC., OF THE

JUSTICES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES

AS THEY STOOD DURING THE TERMS OF 1876-7-8, TOGETHER WITH THE DATES OF THEIR COMMISSIONS AND TERMS OF SERVICE, RESPECTIVELY.

MEMORANDA FROM THE RECORDS.

Monday, March 12, 1877. The court has received through the Chief Justice a letter from Mr. Justice Davis announcing his resignation of his office as one of the Associate Justices, and have transmitted to him a letter expressing their feelings on the occasion; and direct that both letters be entered upon the minutes which are in the words and figures following, to wit:

Washington, March 5, 1877. My Dear Brethren: - My official connection with the Supreme Court of the United States closes to-day.

Monday, March 19, 1877.

Retirement of Mr. Justice Davis. Mr. Attorney-General Devens presented the resolutions of the Bar, adopted at a meeting held in the Court Room on the 17th instant, and made the following remarks:

I have determined to accept a seat in the Senate with which I have been honored by the Gen"I ask but a single moment's delay in the busieral Assembly of the State of Illinois. Having ness of the court, that I may, on behalf of the passed all the years of my active life at the Bar Bar, present to Your Honors certain resolutions, or on the Bench, it is not without serious mis- expressive of their respect for the Hon. David givings that I enter upon a new sphere of pub- Davis, late an Associate Justice, and of their lic service; but I have not felt at liberty to de-regret at his retirement from the duties of the tline the honorable position to which I have been

invited.

high office which he has so long and ably filled. If these resolutions shall in any way be found obnoxious to just criticism, it will be because In severing the relations which have existed they err on the side of too much repression. between us for so many years, I beg leave to The Bar have preferred this, rather than it bear my testimony to the eminent learning, abil- should be said that there has been any exaggerity and integrity which have characterized your ation in their expressions of respect for him, or judicial labors. From the organization of the regret for his departure to other fields of labor Government, the Supreme Court has been com- and duty. They are quite well aware that the posed of able and upright judges. In my judg-time for the full consideration of his many ment, it is now as worthy of the confidence of claims upon their respect and gratitude, and of the American people as it ever has been at any his just eulogy, has not arrived; and they earnperiod of its history. Since I was invited to its estly hope that the hour for this may be long councils by President Lincoln, six of its mem- postponed. But they are unwilling to part from bers have been numbered with the dead. I take him in the chamber where he has so long listengreat satisfaction in the reflection that my re-ed with patience and decided with justice, withlations with them, and all my associates, have been uniformly kind and cordial.

In offering you my parting salutations, I beg you to be assured of the respect and sincere good wishes with which I remain your friend and servant, DAVID DAVIS.

To the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices
of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Supreme Court of the United States,
March 10, 1877.

Dear Brother Davis:-We have received, with sincere regret, your letter announcing that year official connection with us is closed. During the fifteen years in which you have been a member of this court, questions of the gravest character have come before it for adjudication, and you have borne your full share of the labor and responsibility which their decision involved. We shall miss in the conference room your wise judgment and your just appreciation of facts; and in the reception room, your uniformly kind and courteous greetings.

With the hope that your life in the future may be as useful as it has been in the past, and that the ties of personal friendship which now bind

out an assurance on their part that they appreciate his industry, fidelity and ability, in the many harassing, grave and important matters which have been passed upon by this Court while he was one of the associate justices.

The monument of his reputation is to be found in the volumes of reports which have followed the time of his appointment, and which are to stand permanently. To discharge the duties of a magistrate of this Court, to the considerate acceptance of those who have conducted the controversies before it, is no easy task. The fame which is embodied only in our somewhat shabby sheep-skin volumes seems but a dusty immortality. There is nothing to please the ear like the triumphs of eloquence in the halls of debate, or delight the eye like the victories of martial glory, in these calm, closely reasoned judgments. Little read although they may be by the masses of the people, yet they reach every man in his property, his life, and everything that life holds dear. And we would willingly believe that the fame won by an upright and able judge is equally honorable and dignified with that which can anywhere be won by faithful public service. Conscious of the purity and ability of Mr. Jus

tice Davis in the great task which he has been Resolved, That they desire to record their high heretofore called upon to perform, the Bar have sense of the learning, ability, love of justice and desired to place upon record their sense of obli- | fearless independence which he brought to the gation to him, and to express their anxiety that discharge of his judicial duties, and their gratehis large capacity for service may prove equal- ful appreciation of the courtesy which he haly agreeable to himself and useful to our coun-bitually extended to them. try, where he has deemed it his duty to transfer it.

Resolved, That the chairman of the meeting be requested to communicate these resolutions to I offer, may it please Your Honors, the fol- Judge Davis, and that the Attorney-General be lowing

Resolutions:

requested to present them to the Court, and ask that they may be entered upon its minutes. Resolved, That the members of the Bar of the Mr. Chief Justice Waite responded and diSupreme Court of the United States have learn-rected that the remarks of the Attorney-General ed with deep regret of the resignation of Mr. together with the resolutions of the Bar be en Justice Davis. tered upon the minutes.