The Supreme Court of Connecticut. they were both of them members of the Legislature, and room-mates as usual. Gov. Isaac Toucey declining to be a candidate for a vacancy which existed in the Supreme Court, Judge Blackman proposed his friend llinman, in whom he thought he had dis covered judicial qualities, and within two days had procured his election. Before that time he was hardly known to his profession.
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Judge Hinman was a peculiar man, — pecu liar in physique, in personal characteris tics, and in abilities. He was very large, of easy-going tempera ment, familiar in his intercourse with all, without polish in man ners, learning, or speech, yet with a powerful " commonsense," and a delib erative, clear mind. The most implicit con fidence, after a better acquaintance with him, was felt by all, not only in his integ rity, but in his judg ment. Advancement to judicial office caused no change in the sim DWIGHT ple and homely hab its of his life, — he might still be seen by his neighbors driving his cows home from pasture in the early evening. Thomas B. Butler was Chief-Justice from 1870 until his resignation in 1873, shortly before his death. He had been an associate judge for nine years. He prepared himself first for the practice of medicine, and settled in Norwalk about 1830, but after practising eight years gave up his profession for that of the law, finding that he was of too sensi tive a temperament to endure the sight of suffering. He studied with Judge Clark
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Bissell, and practised in partnership suc cessively with Thaddeus Betts and Senator Ferry. After serving several terms in the State Legislature, he was sent to Congress in 1849, where he was known as the " Lone Star from Connecticut," being the only Whig of the delegation. Judge Butler, in addition to his medical training, had a decided taste for natural science and mechanics. He was a successful agricultur ist, the author of sev eral inventions, wrote two works upon Me teorology, and is cred ited with being the first to suggest a na tional weather bureau. Keen and quick in mind, and impulsive in nature, he is said to have been disposed to prejudge cases in the early years of his judicial service. His written opinions show faithful and exhaustive research, and occa sionally a tendency toward philosophical speculation. Origen Storrs Sey mour was a member of the court but four LOOMIS. years, and Chief-Jus tice but one year before reaching the constitutional limit of age. He was a graduate of Yale in 1824. He had a long political career, being fre quently a member of the State Legisla ture, — once even after his retirement from the Supreme Court; was two terms in Congress, and was twice the Democratic nominee for Governor, being each time de feated by Gov. Buckingham. In 1855, when under the new law additional Superior Court judges were chosen besides those designated for service upon the Supreme Court, in ac cordance with the understanding that the
