Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1883 — THE NEW SUPREME COURT JUDGE [ARTICLE]

THE NEW SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Phil. B. Thompson was oequitted. St. Louis is pushing her claims for the next National Democratic Con veutior. ■ ■ , —-f 1 - Mrs Bi.aine is credited with desoiibitig President Arthur as an New York dude.

Boston now claims to be an assured Democratic city, and wants to entertain the next Democratic Convention.

The following “good one” on the late Henry 8. Lane, of this 8 ate, is told by the Lafayette Courier: There was a great crowd at Spring field. 111., when Lincoln was buriedThe pick pockets had a harvest time. The lato Senator Lane, seated In the ear with tome friends, said, “I bay® mv private opinion of many men who wi l allow of one those fellows to put his hands right down in his pocket and—and heavens and earth, exclaimed the Senator, as he clapped his hands upon the outside of his pants pocket. “They have got mine Sure enough, the man had relieved him of his pocketbook as he entered the train.

The Republican newspapers are d ,- maadintf that W. P. Fishback, who now holds the Important posit on of Master Commissioner, an office worth SIO,OOO per year, be ousted, because he has riddled the record of a onehorse Congressman who hails from Indianapolis. The question now arises can a man be a Republican and speak his convictions freely? It is quite likely that Mr. Fishback can live without an office that, tu retain, he must keep silent. There are two many men who are Republicans be-' cause they hold fat offices. Fishback is the only one among ten thousand office holders who has the independence to say what he thinks regardless of consequences.

The appointment of Judge Hammond to the Supreme benceh meets with universal approbation, and Gov'’ Porter’s action in the matter is com« mended by all- Now, in filling the vacancy in this Judicial Circut, made by the promotion of our fellow townsman, let Gov, Porter consider only fitness and integrity in his successor Ward, of Newton, Stieight, of Ben ton, and Capt. F. W. Babcock, of this place, are being urged by their friends. With the two first named we have but a passing acquaintance and know nothing of their qualifications. Capt. Baicock is well qualr fled, and his appointment would give satisfaction. Chilcote has been urged. but he did not permit it to excite him sufficiently to secure a biographical sketch. We trust the appointment will be made on general fitness and integrity, and geographical and other considerations and claims presented ~>y selfish, crafty local politicians be cast aside.

The Naw York Tribune has the folio wiag: Ex-Postmaster General James says that Montgomery Blair war the best Postmaster General this country has had, judging by the results acco nplished under his administration. Blair's work was overshadowed by the War. But it was he who established the Monev Order system and the Registered Letter system. He got rid of the old brown paper package and lettor-bill absurbityand substituted account keeping by stamps. Next to Montgomery Blair, who was a very clear-headed man. Mr. James would rank Marshell Jewell, who strangled the straw bid monster and place the Department upon an honest and strictly business basis. Gov ernor Jewell, he thinks, was a very superior business man. Mr. Creswell should have crodit for the part he took in getting the flanking privilege abolished. Amos Kondall also made a gallant fight duiingjhis term against a Virginia mail oute ring. So here are some materials for true history from one of the best equipped men in the United States for the high office of Postmaster General at the time of his el vation to it.

After all States have rights with which even a Republican Supreme Court is not willing to interfere. Referring to the celebrated Illinois case, known as the “Granger case of Neal Buggies,” the Chicago Herald savs: In March, 1873, Morgan A. Lewis tendered to Neal Ruggles, a conductor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, eighteen cents as his fare from Buda to Neponset, a distance of six miles, that being the rate prescribed by the statute of Illinois. The fare fixed by the Railway Company, and demanded by Ruggles, was twenty cents. Lewis refused to pay.this, and was ejected. Ruggles was prosecuted before a Justice of the Peace and fined $lO and costs. The case was carried through the State Court, the fine being upheld by all of them, and finally reached the Supreme Court of the United States. This Court last Monday decided that “a State may limit the amount of charges by Railway Companies of fares and freights unless restrained by some contract in the charter.” From tne wording of the finding it is evid out that the State can not be restrained in the exercise of its power to fix maximum rates of role on rail ways except it has expressly waived that right in granting a charter. The decision settles a number of vexed questions relating to railroads and is likely to have a decided effect upon future legislation in such mattens.

[lndianapolis Sentinel, May 14th,] Governor Porter yesterday evening announced that he would appoint Hon. E. P. Hammond, of Rensselaer, to fill the vacancy fn the Supreme Court caused by the appointment of Judge Woods to the Judgeship of the United States District Court, of this State, which has be n vacated by Judge Gresham, who was appointed Postmaster General by President

Arthur, Hie commission will be signed to day, and be will enter at' orce in the discharge of his duties : Edwin P. Hammond was Lorn No- j vember 26, 1835, at Brookville, Ind, He removed with his father’s family to Columbus, Ind, in 1849. In 1855 he oauw to this eity wh«.e, he entered business as a dry. goods clerk in a wholesale store. The year he began the study of law with his bro thtr (afterward Governor). Abraham A. Hammond rnd Hon Thomas H. Nelson, in the city of Terre Haute. He entered the senior law class iu Asbury University, at Greencastle, in the winter of 1856. from which institution he graduated, and received his diploma with the degree of B. L. In 1858 he moved to Rensselaer, where be has ever since -resided. When the War ’.began, in 1801. he enlisted under Captain (afterward General) Hebert H. Milroy. Company G. Ninth Indiant Volunteers. He was commissioned First Llentenat, and served with the regiment in its three months’ campaign in West Virginia. He then returned home and resumed his law practice. In 1861, he was elected, without opposition. Representative from th* Counties of Jasper, New'ou and Pulaski. In August, 1862. he again entered the army, and was corniu.ssioncd Captain, was promoted to die position of Major, and then became Lieutenant Col >nei iu 1863. While he was in the Army ue was engaged in several importaot battles, one of them being a battle of Chickamauga. He was appointed by the Piesident at the close of War Colonel by brevet in the United States Volunteers “for gallant aid meritarious service during the War.”

In 1873 Governor Hhendrieks appointed him Judge of the Thirteenth Judical District aud he was elected to the same position the next year, and in the election of 1878 he was a candidate for the same position without opposition. As a judist he is recognized as one of the best in the State. He is a close, careful student, eminently cautious and practical,, a pleasant speaker, unostentatious, unassuming modest, retiring and polite. We are indebted to the American Biographical History of eminent and Self-Made Men of Indiana, published by the Western Biographical Pub [ishing Company of Cincinnati.