Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 22.pdf/11

 The Green Bag Volume XXII

January, 1910

Number 1

Mr. Justice Lurton R. JUSTICE LURTON, whose presence now adds to the dignity

is suffused with the glow of life's sunset, would be most regrettable. The follow

of the United States Supreme Court, is the fourth Confederate soldier to

ing verses were not inaptly quoted by the New Y0rk_‘C0mmercial:—

be raised to the bench of our highest tribunal, the other three having been Justices Howell E. Jackson, Edward

D. White, and L. Q. C. Lamar.

It

would never be suspected from his

springy step and infectious laugh that

Cato learned Greek at eighty; Sophocles Wrote his grand (Edipus; and Simom'des Bore oﬂ the prize of verse from his oompeers When each had numbered more than four

score years;

.

.

.

Goethe at Weimar, toiling to the last, Completed “Faust" when eighty years were

he is the oldest man who ever took a past.

seat there. and

While he has white hair

moustache,

signs of age.

he

shows

no

other

In purity of character,

in legal ability, in social charm, he has qualiﬁcations for the ofﬁce which could not possibly be surpassed in a younger

man. Objections have of course been made

I

These are indeed exceptions; but they show How far the gulf-stream of our youth may ﬂow Into the Arctic regions of our lives Where little else than life itself survives.

Judge Lurton possesses a quick per~

ceptive faculty and

keen reasoning

to Mr. Justice Lurton’s age by those who call attention to the fact that

powers, which render his opinions close, broad, exact, and logical. His decisions are marked by sagacity, diligent re

Justice Story was made a Supreme Court Justice at the age of thirty-two,

search and learning. President Taft’s statement that he is entirely satisﬁed

and the majority of those appointed

of his impartiality in dealing with every

to the Court have been between forty

subject connected with capital, labor,

and ﬁfty years old. But unlike some former appointees, he is ﬁtted to enter at once upon his new duties. He is

and the “trusts,” may be accepted as conclusive. Chief justice W. D. Beard of the Supreme

also in possession of full vigor, and it

has been well observed that if he lives to perform active duty for twenty

farewell banquet in Nashville, December 23, remarked that Judge Lurton’s “ap

years more he will not be so old as Chief Justice Taney was when he died.

pointment was a recognition of his ability as a jurist. He will be the peer

Court of Tennessee,

at the

Any departure from those traditions

of the most learned man,

which have made our highest tribunal the more impressive because its wisdom

profound jurist, upon the greatest tri bunal in the world."

the

most