Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/140

 The Supreme Court of Louisiana.

117

secretary to his uncle, Governor Eustis, then a young man. In 1845 he was appointed an minister to the Hague, where he began "his Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. legal studies. He came to New Orleans in His industry, research, learning, and great 1 8 17, and was admitted to the bar in 1822, ability, his firm and serene bearing, un wearying patience, and conservativeness, and served several terms in the State Legis lature. He was afterwards Secretary of State, gave great force and authority to his opin ions and decisions. As Chief-Justice pre Attorney-General, and member of the Consti tutional Convention of 1845, and Chief-Jus siding over the new court of 1852, Thomas tice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana until Slidell added to the great reputation he had



gained by the dis 1852. His judicial charge of his duties as opinions show a com Associate Justice. In prehensive intellect, this position he served cultivated by long until 1855, when by study and familiarized the most disgraceful with the sentiments occurrence in political of the great writers annals his career was and expounders of the law. They were, as abruptly interrupted and eventually termi it became them, more nated. Those were the solid than brilliant, Know-Nothing times. more massive than showy. They are like The most prominent granite masonry, and citizens and highest of have served as guides ficials were subjected and landmarks for to indignities and vio years past. lence. On election day In 1850, Mr. Justice Chief-Justice Slidell King having resigned, was warned of the Isaac T. Preston was danger of going to the appointed to succeed polls, but his fearless him; and in 1852, the character would not latter having died, Mr. suffer him to shrink William Dunbar was from his duty as a commissioned in his citizen. He passed WILLIAM B. HYMAN place. through the crowd and In 1852, a new Constitution having been deposited his ballot. He was about to re adopted, a Supreme Court was thereby tire, when some ruffian delivered a blow of a created, composed of five members, to be heavy brass-knuckled fist on his head, and elected by the people. On May 4, 1853, knocked him prostrate. The injury proved the Justices elected — Thomas Slidell, Chief- a serious one. It compelled his resignation Justice; Cornelius Voorhies, Alexander M. of the Chief-Justiceship, and his return to his native State of New York, where he died Buchanan, Abner N. Ogden, and J. G. Camp bell — took their seats on the bench, and in 1860. He left a widow, who was of the proceeded to business. Isaac E. Morse was distinguished family of the Collenders of New York. The handsome estate which fell Attorney-General. Thomas Slidell, a fellow student of Judah to the widow of his son was afterwards in P. Benjamin at Yale College, was a native of charge of Charles Francis Adams, of Boston. New York, but came to Louisiana when still The only portrait of the Chief-Justice extant