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 The Supreme Court of Wisconsin. later became a member of the firm of Ben nett, Cassoday & Gibbs, which connection continued until 1866. He practiced alone for two years and then formed the firm of Cassoday & Merrill, which continued until 1873. Then the firm of Cassoday & Car penter — a half-brother of the famous Matt. H. Carpenter — was formed. Though never seeking political prefer ment, Cassoday was a zealous and publicspirited citizen and

active in political mat ters. He was dele gate to the Baltimore convention, which renominated Mr. Lin coln in June, 1864. He was a member of the Wisconsin As sembly, the lower house of the legisla ture in 1865, and again in 1877, when he was unanimously elected speakerofthat body. He was dele gate to the national Republican conven tion of 1880, and chairman of the Wis consin delegation. DAVID He was "on the stump " for the Re publican party from its organization down to and including the campaign of 1880. He declined a circuit judgeship in 1870, and the nomination for attorney-general of the State five years later, devoting himself with untir ing zeal to a large and important practice. On the death of Chief-Justice Ryan, in 1880, Associate-Justice Cole became chief justice, and Mr. Cassoday was appointed by Governor William E. Smith associate justice to fill the seat vacated by Cole. He at once entered upon duty, and in the spring judi cial election of 188 1, was elected without op-

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position. Again, in 1889, he was re-elected, unopposed, to a ten-year term, which abun dantly attests the perfect confidence of the people and the bar in his work. Since 1885 he has lectured in the College of Law of Wisconsin University, upon the subjects of Wills and Constitutional law. His lectures on Wills were published in 1893, and are much in use as a text-book. At present he lectures exclusively on constitutional law, every phase of which he carefully considers. On the death of Chief-Justice Orton, in 1895, he became chief justice, by sen iority of service, and has since presided. The predominant characteristics of Chief-Justice Casso day are earnestness, thoroughness and an industry that never flags. His body, light, lithe and spare, is one of those which seem adapted to con stant mental labor, and he is always fresh TAYLOR. and eager in the in vestigation of a legal question, and never content, when it is raised, until he has analyzed the ques tion and noted all that has been decided or written upon the topic. His opinions, often commenting and distinguishing on many cases in the course of decision upon the topic in hand, attest how thoroughly he has examined all the cases bearing on the question to be decided. He takes great interest in the law department of the State University, and in the subject of legal edu cation, is helpful to young men struggling against adverse fortune in the study of the