but he never thought, and it would be a gross injustice for anyone to think, that a deep love of country, patriotism, and a desire of extensive usefulness, cannot consist with a devotion to the concerns of private and professional life, and the rejection of public service. He never spoke of his public life as a sacrifice, nor was it so; still less did he speak or think of professional life, or any form of useful private life, as being a selfish seclusion. He had too much sense, reason, and justice for that. He would not surrender to rebuke, in that way, the friends that were by his side, and were never from his side. If this is a defensive word, let me remark that it is on behalf of the dead, rather than the living. In all points of his character, Mr. Chairman, in all positions that he took, in all the manifestations of his mind, he was open, sincere, consistent, and faithful to that main principle within him, that he was bound, and ever bound, to all that he had assumed towards his friends, and towards his own family. That it takes an iota from his praise, no one can suppose.

Mr. Chairman, I have gone over Mr. Sergeant's life, or parts of it, with as much detail as I can trust myself with, at such a meeting, and at such a time. I have endeavoured to forget my own feelings, by going, more than is common on such occasions, into matters that were professional, and that have a general reference to his intellectual power and tastes. It has been a relief to myself, and, I hope, not uninteresting nor unprofitable to you.

Of Mr. Sergeant's relations to his family I need not speak-I cannot speak. While the artery of domestic love is bleeding, as theirs must now bleed, I have no skill to bind it up no styptic to staunch it. They have the deep, the most deep and sincere sympathy of the bar and of the public. They have higher and better consolations than this. They have his example, his teaching, his personal prescription for himself. They will look to all that, and that is all they can or need look to. They will look to God, the Saviour, and find the relief which he found. They will take hold of the

staff that supported him, and it will support them. There is no other cure, there is no other relief for such a wound.

Mr. Chairman, and Gentlemen of the Bar, it has pleased God that I should survive my two contemporaries of more than half a century-Charles Chauncey and John Sergeant. From the tenacity with which most men hold to life, such a survivorship may seem to be desirable; but it is not wisely desirable by any man, for it cannot be reverently asked of Heaven. Mr. Webster, in his beautiful letter to his old schoolmaster, Mr. Tappan, has himself said to this effect: Master Tappan, we may ask that God's kingdom may come and be universally established upon earth; we may pray that his will may be done by us and by all men; we may ask for our daily bread; we may pray for forgiveness of sins, for escape from the snares of temptation, and for deliverance from evil; but beyond this, we hardly know for what good to supplicate the Divine mercy. Doubtless Mr. Webster thought that a prayer for wisdom was included in our Lord's prayer; and so it is; but we may ask directly and expressly for wisdom, and if to the granted prayer there should be added length of days, the prayer will consecrate the gift, and it will be safe. But we may not ask for length of days. We ought not to ask it. Old age has its pains, its disappointments, its mortifications, and its evils; and unless the Divine Wisdom shall overshadow and crown us, the boon we ask may make that age worse than the "labour and sorrow" which the Psalmist foreshadows for it. Ask it not. Ask for wisdom, and length of days may be granted. if it is in the pleasure of God. But ask not for length of days.

It has been my most grateful, most painful duty to declare to this bar, upon two occasions, the impressions that have been left upon me by the death of these two eminent men. Let no man envy me the task, however great the satisfaction may be, in short retrospect to myself. Henceforth no such duty remains to me. I have uttered the last words at a bar meeting upon the departure of friends.

have probably uttered my final words to the bar of Philadelphia, except the expression of my most cordial regards, and my most affectionate salutations to you all.

Mr. Dallas then said:

Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Bar: It is impossible that any one person can really desire to hear a single word added to what has already been said, so beautifully and impressively. There lives no man on the face of the earth so competent to appreciate the character and virtues of John Sergeant as the man who has just finished speaking. From early life, throughout a period exceeding one-half a century, his opportunities of scrutinizing the qualities of the deceased have been unceasing, and the capacity to do so has been equal to the eminence of these qualities. Mr. Chairman, reiterating the remark of an Athenian sage, we have been told that Mr. Sergeant has been fortunate. Of the happiness or fortune of men it is impossible to speak until they are dead. But, perhaps, as the members of a numerous bar, we should be able to say that, independent of his uniformly excellent and unblemished life, Mr. Sergeant was fortunate and happy in other and most material circumstances. He was fortunate and happy in his associations at the bar. Throughout the fifty years of active, energetic life here, who was on his right and who on his left? With what minds did he come in conflict? What examples of excellence had he before him? He was fortunate there. But of all pieces of good fortune, there is one thing that will address itself now strongly to the consideration of every gentleman present. He is fortunate in having the praises just poured upon him, coming from such a source. I do not, therefore, sir, wonder at the truth of the proposition with which I started that there cannot be a single individual present that would wish to the effective, powerful address we have just heard one word added as homage to the memory of Mr. Sergeant. It is complete in itself.

After some other remarks by the Hon. C. J. Ingersoll, the resolutions offered by Mr. Meredith having been unanimously adopted—

The Chairman appointed the following committee in accordance with the last resolution: Messrs. Binney, Dallas, Meredith, James S. Smith, H. J. Williams, T. I. Wharton, J. M. Scott, E. K. Price, and E. D. Ingraham.

DISCOURSE ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HON. HORACE BINNEY

by

The HON. WILLIAM STRONG

Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Gentlemen of the Bar of Philadelphia, of The Law Association, and of the American Philosophical Society:

Forty years ago, in this Hall, on an occasion much like the present, Mr. Binney commenced his eulogy of Chief Justice Marshall with the following remark, "The Providence of God is shown most beneficently to the world, in raising up, from time to time, and in crowning with length of days, men of pre-eminent goodness and wisdom." The thought thus expressed is worthy of recall to-day. At intervals, all along the line of human history, and especially in enlightened communities, men have appeared, who, by their native endowments, their thorough culture, their ceaseless energy, and their moral worth, have raised themselves to a plane above

In August, 1875, soon after the death of Horace Binney, the Bar of Philadelphia, The Law Association of Philadelphia, and the American Philosophical Society, united in requesting the Hon. William Strong, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, to deliver an Eulogium upon Mr. Binney's life and character.

At a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Bar of Philadelphia. The Law Association of Philadelphia, and the American Philosophical Society, held on the sixth of January, 1876, James J. Barclay, Chairman, William M. Tilghman, Secretary, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That the thanks of the Committee be presented to the Hon. William Strong for his address-alike worthy of the subject and the speaker-delivered last evening, on the life and character of the late Horace Binney; and that he be requested to furnish a copy for publication.

To James J. Barclay, Esq., Chairman, etc.:

DEAR SIR-I have received the resolution adopted yesterday by the Joint Committee of the Bar of Philadelphia, The Law Association, and the American Philosophical Society, and, as requested, I place the "Address" at the Committee's disposal.

Washington, January 7, 1876.

I am very respectfully, etc.,

W. STRONG.