Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 23.pdf/490

 The Green Bag

454

was to form a charter which would com bine these into one great municipality,

with working machinery adapted to the whole and to the separate parts. He took an active and leading part in framing this charter of Greater New York, which went into effect on the ﬁrst

day of January, 1898. The difficult niceties of this work are apparent, and its vastness will be appreciated by refer ring to the charter which is embodied in the legislative act which vitalized and

When he retired from the federal bench to go to New York to become

Professor of Equity and Real Estate Law in Columbia University and to engage in private practice. there was

universal and profound regret on the part of the profession in his judicial circuit.

The bar of every state em

The report of the commissioners recom mending the charter to the favorable

braced in the circuit took prompt action through meetings, resolutions, addresses and other testimonials to show their personal affection and their appreciation of his rare qualities and valuable services These tributes are especially noteworthl‘i because they were given not to a man who had been elevated to a higher office. but to one who was leaving the bench to

consideration of the legislature covered

return to practice. Mr. Justice Miller‘s

thirty-two pages.

remarks in response to addresses of prominent lawyers at the opening of the June, 1879, term of the United States

put it into effect.

It consists of sixteen

hundred and twenty sections and covers seven hundred and

thus

effected

forty-two pages.

The consolidation

remains,

with

certain

minor changes, and I am authentically told that it is remarkable how little litigation has sprung out of the con solidation itself as respects the meaning and application of the different sections of the charter. I think this result may be largely traced to the clear vision, keen foresight and wide and varied legal experience of Judge Dillon, which enabled him to practically apply his thorough knowledge of the law relating to municipal corporations to the particu lar work in hand." His career as United States Circuit Judge was notable. He presided 0n the bench with dignity, yet was courteous to the bar and showed great considera

Circuit Court at Leavenworth, Kan sas, give a glimpse of the feelings of the Bar and of himself occasioned by

Judge

Dillon's

retirement.

HE

Said:—

“The court is in full sympathy with the bar in the sentiments which have just been expressed in regard to the retirement of one of its members Judge Dillon's resignation is a i055 which must be felt by the bar of the eighth circuit, by the people among whom he has administered justice so long and so well, and by his associates on the bench of which he is about to take leave This loss, however, is not equal to its

tion to the young lawyers that appeared

effects upon all these classes.

before him. The ﬁrst day of his term

brethren in the courts, who have so

of court was motion day and he made

operated with him in the arduous duties of a judge, who have received his aid, who have been with him in council

it a practice always to decide every motion before adjouming the term. This often required him to sit up late in the night studying the cases and con sulting the authorities, but he felt the litigants and lawyers were entitled to prompt action by the court.

Hi5

and shared his labors, are the heaviest losers. ltis, therefore, eminently appro

priate that they should join in testifying to their appreciation of the man and his services by directing that the com