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 The Sîtpreme Court of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Territory, and established him self in practice at Sheboygan, on the shore of Lake Michigan. The firm of which he was the head enjoyed a large practice. A still, reticent, but patient man of untiring industry and capacity for long-continued labor, Mr. Taylor, though not an orator, was engaged in nearly all the important cases in his circuit. He served one term as district attorney. In 1853 he was member of the Assembly. In 1855 and 1856 he was sen ator from his county. In 1858 he was appointed by the governor as the judge of the fourth judicial circuit, and served until 1869, having twice been elected by the people to that office. He was in 1856 appointed a member of the commission ap pointed to revise the general statutes of the State, which produced the revision of 1858. On retiring from the bench he removed to Fond du Lac, and there entered into prac tice. But while engaged at the bar, he gave to the profession a compilation of annotated statutes in 1871, which became known as "Taylor's Statutes." In 1876, he was ap pointed with William F. Vilas, late senator from Wisconsin, as a commissioner to again revise the statutes. On this work he was engaged for part of the time for two years, upon the revised statutes of 1878. Other members of the bar, including Judge Orton, also served upon the commission, but the greater part of the work was done by Judge Taylor and Colonel Vilas. In 1878, a constitutional amendment hav ing been adopted to increase the number of judges of the Supreme Court from three to five, Judge Taylor was selected by a legis lative caucus as a candidate for one of the two additional judgeships, and was elected in the spring of 1878, and took his seat in April of that year, and served till his death, April 3, 1891. Judge Taylor's life was remarkable for its industry. He was not brilliant; he was not what is called a sociable man. He always appeared preoccupied, — cared little to

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stop and converse. But he was a man of kind and generous sympathies; and in every relation of life a just, exemplary citizen. As a circuit judge he took high rank for sound judgment and as one who dispatched business promptly and faithfully. As a member of the Supreme Court he was in valuable for his perfect knowledge of the statutes and the history of the legislation of the State. His opinions, often a little more prolix than need be, were clear, and always gave out plainly what was decided and the reason for the decision. In the solid qualities of the judge, he was recog nized as a strong, safe man. He loved jus tice and was anxious to be right. All agree that he strove to decide each case accord ing to its own equities, and while some have thought that he did not always realize the value of a steadfast and uniform comprehen sive system of law, yet but few of his opinions can be criticised as tending to variableness or uncertainty of rule. He evinced in all a painstaking desire to do justice. He had no fondness for technical ities and pushed them aside when they stood in the way of substantial justice. He aimed to always decide on the merits. His love of labor was such that he en joyed those tasks from which most men shrink. "To him severe mental labor was a joy and delight." He loved to elucidate all the points of a complicated case, and often wrote a long opinion, when a short one could as well have disposed of the case. His investigation was exhaustive, and his exposition, possibly unduly extended, was always clear, and sought to reach justice; and the people respected him and honored him, though they found him a reserved, busy man, never seeking to win regard by the social arts and affected interest and friendliness of the politician. He was cut off in the midst of his labors, leaving a void on the bench which was difficult to fill, be cause no man in the State had the full and accurate knowledge of the local law which he