Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/459

 424 the Attorney-General deputized counsel in the many of its French characteristics From different counties to try criminal causes, and this Huguenot family there came a repre Mr. White acted as Deputy Attorney-General sentative to America in the person of Mar formanyyears in hisowncounty. In 1822 this tin Ryerse, who settled on Wallabout Bay practice was abrogated by a special act of the in Long Island. Here he married Anetie Legislature, which provided that the prose Rapelje, the first white child born in Long cutors should be appointed by the quarter Island, — a fact which the Canarsie Indians sessions; but this act was repealed the next recognized by donating to her a large tract year, and the appointment of these officers of land. Martin Ryerse had four sons born vested in the joint meeting of the Legisla to him by this marriage. Three of them ture. The Constitution of 1844 provided that went to New Jersey, and settled in different they should be nominated by the Governor parts of the State, one of them finding a and confirmed by the Senate. In 1833 Mr. home in Hunterdon County. The family White was made Attorney-General, and held name by this time had been changed to the office for five years. He prosecuted the Ryerson. From this son who went to pleas in several counties, as was then the cus Hunterdon County, was descended the tom, and made a very successful officer. He father of Thomas C. Ryerson, who was preferred this position to that of Associate born on his fathers farm at Myrtle Grove Justice; but in 1838 the Legislature gave in Sussex County, in the month of May, the office of Attorney-General to another, and 1788. made him Associate Justice. He accepted Young Ryerson had at first only the usual the office rather reluctantly, believing, and not advantages of a common education, then hesitating to express the belief to others, that afforded by an ordinary school in the coun he was not fitted for the position. However, try. But when he was sixteen years old he he performed the duties of the place intelli began preparing for college, and in 1807 gently, and generally with success. He failed entered the junior class in Princeton College, in one particular, and that a most important where he graduated in 1809. He then en one : his charges to juries were neither strong, tered the office of Job S. Halsted in New nor were they calculated to aid them in the ton, where he remained for four years, — that discharge of their duties. He was a con being then the required term of studentship, scientious man, and aimed always at doing whether the student were a graduate of just what was exactly right; his honesty cer college or not. He practised his profession tainly never failed him. At the expiration at Hamburg, Sussex County, until the year of his term of office, having passed his three 1820, when he removed to Newton. In 1825 score and ten years, he retired into private and to the year 1827 he .vas a member of life, and died at the advanced age of ninety- the Council from Sussex County, and in 1834 was elected an Associate Justice of the one years. That short-sighted and wicked blunder, Supreme Court. He was not a candidate known in history as the Revocation of the for the office, and objected strongly to the Edict of Nantes, gave to this country a removal of Justice Drake, of whom he was a warm personal friend. But the Hicksites, body of immigrants of the very best char who were determined to prevent Drake's re acter, who have added greatly to the pros election, ascertained that he could be de perity of the nation. Among those French men who were driven from their homes feated with the aid of the members from and who sought refuge in Holland was a .Sussex County. They therefore nominated family named Ryerse. It soon assimilated Ryerson, without his knowledge and against his consent, as he had urged the re-appoint itself with the cold and phlegmatic Hol landers to a certain extent, but it never lost ment of Judge Drake. But the opposition