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the civil code in their legislation, and in Cali- fornia and Dakota they have adopted them in full. In 186(3 he brought before the British as- sociation for the promotion of social science, at its meeting in Manchester, England, a proposal for a general revision and reform of the law of nations, similar to that which he had before un- dertaken in regard to the civil and criminal law. He procured the appointment of a committee, consisting of eminent jurists of diiferent countries, charged with preparing and reporting to the asso- ciation the outlines of an international code, to be first submitted to their careful revision and amend- ment, and, when made as complete as possible, to be presented to the attention of the different gov- ernments, in the hope of receiving at some time their approval and adoption as the recognized law of nations. The distinguished jurists composing tliis committee resided in different countries, and hence it was difficult for them to act in concert. In consequence, Mr. Field took the whole matter upon himself, and in 1873, after the lapse of seven years, presented to the Social science congress his " Outlines of an International Code," which at- tracted the attention of all jurists, and has been translated into French, Italian, and Chinese. It resulted in the formation of an association for the reform and codification of the laws of nations, also having for his object the substitution of arbitra- tion for war in the settlement of disputes between countries. The membership includes jurists, economists, legislators, and politicians, and of this organization Mr. Field was elected first president. An eminent chancellor of England said that " Mr. Dudley Field, of New York, had done more for the reform of laws than any other man living." Mr. Field has taken much interest in politics. Originally a Democrat, he voted with that party, although he persistently opposed its pro-slavery policy, until the nomination of John C. Fremont, in 1856, whom he supported in the presidential canvass of that year. During the civil war he was a staunch adherent of the administration, and was active with voice, pen, and purse in aid of his country. For eight weeks in 1876 he filled the unexpired term in congress of Smith Ely, who had been made mayor of New York city. He now acted with the Democratic party, and was one of the advocates on that side in the dispute over the presidential election. He delivered numerous ad- dresses, and contributed very largely to current literature on political topics. Ilis " Sketches over the Sea " appeared in the " Democratic Review " at the time of his first trip abroad in 1836, and he published "Speeches, Arguments, and Miscellaneous Papers" (3 a'oIs., New York, 1886-1895). — Another son, Stephen Johnson, jurist, b. in Haddam, Conn., 4 Nov., 1816, was not three years old when his father removed to Stock- bridge, and ten years later accompanied his sister, Emilia, who had married a missionary, to Smyrna, for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of ori- ental languages. On his return he entered Will- iams, and was graduated in 1837, standing first in his class. Subsequently he came to New York, and began the study of law in the office of his brother, David Dudley. After his admission to the bar he became a partner in the firm. This connection was severed in 1848, and he spent some time in European travel. In November, 1849, he sailed from New York for San Francisco, where he practised his profession. A few weeks later he was among those who founded Marysville, be- coming its first alcalde, and continuing as such until the organization of the judiciary under the constitution of the state. He was elected a mem- ber of the first legislature held after the admission of California into the Union, served on its judi- ciary committee, and secured the passage of laws concerning the judiciary, and regulating civil and criminal procedure in all the courts of the state. He was also the au- thor of the law that gives authority to the regulations and cus- toms of miners in the settlement of contro- versies among them, thus solving a per- plexing problem. At the close of the ses- sion he returned to Marysville, and dur- ing the ensuing six years devoted him- self to his profession, gaining an extensive practice. In 1857 he was elected judge of the supreme court

of California for six

years, beginning with January, 1858, but, on the occurrence of a vacancy, he was appointed to fill it in October, 1857. On the resignation of Chief- Justice David S. Terry, in September, 1859, Judge Field succeeded him, and continued in office till his appointment to the supreme bench of the United States by President Lincoln in 1863. Among the prominent decisions in which he has been concerned was the famous test-oath case, in which he gave the casting vote, and wrote the opinion of the court an- nulling the validity of the " iron-clad " oath. His dissenting opinions in the legal-tender cases, in the confiscation cases, and in the New Orleans slaughter- house case, have also attracted attention. Judge Field was a member of the electoral commission in 1877, and voted with the Democratic minority of the commission. In 1880 his name was placed in nomination for the presidency at the Cincinnati convention, and he received sixty-five votes on the first ballot. He was appointed by the governor of California, in 1873, one of a commission to exam- ine the code of laws of that state, and to prepare amendments to the same for legislative action. In December. 1897, he retired from the supreme court after a longer service than has been ren- dered by any other justice. Another son, Cyrus West, merchant, b. in Stockbridge, Mass., 30 Nov.. 1819 ; d. in Dobb's Ferry, on the Hudson, N. Y., 12 July, 1892. At the age of fifteen he came to New York and obtained a situation as clerk with Alexander T. Stewart and Co. Before attaining his majority he began the manufacture and sale of paper, and in the course of a dozen years was at the head of a prosperous business. In 1853 he partially retired and spent six months travelling in South America. The project of carrying a tele- graph-line across the Atlantic ocean suggested it- self to him during a conversation with his brother Matthew, in which aid was solicited for the con- struction of a telegraph-line across Newfoundland. The matter was presented by him to Peter Cooper, Moses Taylor, Marshall 0. Koberts, and Chandler White, who, with Mr. Field, agreed to contribute large amounts of money to the enterprise, which was at once organized under the title of the New York, Newfoundland, and London telegraph com- pany. The exclusive right for fifty years to estab- lish a telegraph from the continent of America, across Newfoundland, and thence to Europe, was