416
The Green% Bag.
Monroe's cabinet; the great Virginian did not forget his youthful friend, and now made him his Secretary of the Navy. When John Quincy Adams was elected President he con tinued him in the position, — a compliment to the ability and patriotism of the Jerseyman not since offered any citizen. In 1829 he was made Attorney-General; in 1832 he was again returned to the Senate of the United States, re-elected in 1838, and in 1841 was appointed President of the Senate, which position, on the death of General Harrison while President, made him virtually the VicePresident of the United States. He died in 1842, enjoying the respect of all, even of his political opponents, one of whom, Senator King from Alabama, made a most feeling address when his death was announced in the Senate Chamber. Gabriel H. Ford, who succeeded Samuel L. Southard as Associate Justice, came of the very best stock in the State. His father was Col. Jacob Ford, Jr., a distinguished of ficer in the Revolutionary Army, and a firm and decided patriot. He built and, at the time of his death, owned the Washington Headquarters at Morristown, where Wash ington resided in the winter of 1779-80; and his mother was the daughter of the Rev. Timothy Johnes, the pastor for half a cen tury of the historic Presbyterian Church at that place. The Ford family was very in fluential and numerous, and the Johneses were among the very first in the county. Judge Ford was born in 1765, graduated at Princeton College in 1784, and then studied law with Abraham Ogden, a leading lawyer at Newark, where he met, as fellowstudents, William Griffith, Richard Stockton, Alexander C. MacWhorter, and Josiah Og den Hoffman, all afterward distinguishing themselves as lawyers. He was licensed in 1789 as an attorney, and as a counsellor in 1793Reference has already been made to the county courts, and to the judges of these courts as* entirely unfit for the performance of their duties. The system was so vicious
that the Legislature attempted to remedy the evil, and in 1818 by statute divided the State into judicial districts, and directed that a fit person should be appointed as president judge for each district, who should be " skilled in the law." One of these districts, a very large one, composed of Bergen, Essex, Mor ris, and Sussex, was committed to the care of Judge Ford as Presiding Judge of its several county courts. The law, however, was an unpopular one, was soon repealed, and Judge Ford was legislated out of office. He was a candidate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judge South ard, as Associate Justice, and seemed to have strong claims for that appointment. He had been long enough in the office of District Judge to give evidence of his com petency to fill that of Associate Justice, and he was elected, but not without a very strong opposition. His opponent was Joseph McIlvaine, who received only one vote less than Mr. Ford. The election, however, was determined by the fact of locality rather than by the superior ability of the successful can didate. Mr. Mcllvaine was the stronger man, the better lawyer, but Mr. Ford was from East Jersey. Judge Ford, however, became a very influential justice, and his de cisions were generally reliable, but he did not receive the full confidence of the bar. He was, however, very conscientious and indus trious, patient as a listener to arguments, and the most methodical man who ever sat on the bench of any court; and this precision he carried into all the details of his private business. He was a gentleman of the old school, courteous and affable to the last de gree, precise in his manner of speech and in all his public service. In the performance of one part of the duties of judge he was un rivalled, and that was in his charges to juries. He was most persuasive in his addresses on such occasions, and generally succeeded in convincing his hearers. If he failed here, it was in his determination to convict when he thought a defendant guilty. He filled the office of Associate Judge for
