VOL. V.
No. i1.
BOSTON.
NOVEMBER, 1893.
JUSTICE SAMUEL BLATCHFORD. BORN March, 1820, —DIED July, 1893. BY A. OAKEY HALL. THE late Justice Blatchford was the second "Samuel" from New York State who sat on the bench of the Federal Supreme Court after having been a judge in other courts. The first " Samuel " was Samuel Nelson, who entered the highest court on an exit from the Chief-Justiceship of New York State. Samuel Blatchford was born in New York City, where his father was in eminent legal practice, and where the latter acted as American Counsel for the Bank of Eng land, as well as for the National Bank at Philadelphia. The future judge was a pre cocious lad, and was entered at Columbia College when only thirteen years of age. He entered his father's law office in his seventeenth year. At that time, 1837, the legal profession had two branches, — Attorneyships and Counsellorships, with separate examinations and diplomas, and with stated long terms of studentship; therefore, not until 1843 was the young Samuel Blatchford admitted as counsellor. His father was then a prominent member of th'e Whig party and an intimate friend of William H. Seward, who was serving as a State Senator. The future Secretary of State had greatly fancied young Blatchford; and when Mr. Seward was chosen governor of New York he selected Samuel as his private secretary, and for two years the latter resided at Albany, where he was thrown into the society of distinguished politicians and statesmen. That unvaried 62
courtesy and geniality which was Judge Blatchford's exercised possession through out his career made him a most popular secretary, and greatly contributed toward increasing the popularity of his chief. When the latter quitted office and removed to his old home at Auburn to resume the practice of law, he invited Mr. Blatchford to accompany him and become a full partner. Almost immediately the young counsellor took high rank at the bar of the Midland Circuits, and became greatly esteemed by his elders. He also took a leading part in the exciting politics of the Tyler and Van Buren period. But for politics he had no especial taste, — preferring to win laurels in his profession, with the principles of which he was deeply imbued; and he was never a " case lawyer," arguing from and pursuing precedents in preference to purely legal science. He, however, sighed for the large legal field of his native metropo lis; and after a successful novitiate under the favor of the elder Seward, young Blatch ford and young Clarence A. Seward, an adopted son and nephew of the ex-Governor, migrated to New York, where they estab lished the firm of Seward & Blatchford, with the senior Blatchford as jurisconsult of the office. Almost immediately the firm acquired prominence in commercial and legal circles, and especially took lead in the practice of the United States District and Circuit Courts, — an experience which after wards greatly militated for the success of the after Federal judge. Mr. Blatchford at
