Honor To Judge Cooley

Thi .■lítenioon at fonr oVlock, occurred the wrrelUmg exercises a-ttendïmg Ithe presentation of tlio bust oí Jiidg-o Thomas Melntyre Cooley to the University. The cxercises were licld ia University Hall, under the auspices of the senior lu.w class, '.vho prcsented the memorial. The hall was crowded with stude-nts of every departimeiat aad wltb. citizcns anxious to d-o honor to the distuiguished jurist and citizen. There were invited -uests present from Yarious places, mamy of vhom had at some timo been associatcd with Judge Cooley in ie capacity. As &oom as the audiencc was in the hall, Prof. tStanley opened tlie program wltb au oirgaii prelude, alter whieh Mr. I!. J. Barr sttpped forward, a;nd in belhall of the elasi, unveiled the bust, -whih is a. rcemaTkably good likeness of the Judge. Thu statue was appropriately veiled in Yellow and Blue. Following tïiis ceremony, Mr. Barr gave the presentation .-peech: Mr. Barr's address was in substance as follows : "Fixed principies are the basis of organized societv. The history of civilization is the bringing of mankind under the control of established rules. And in all ages, man has recognized the efforts by which a few great men have risen above the place of their fellows, and established and maintained prin.iples that have been contributed to the foundations of all well regulated states. But as great as the praise merited by those who have so generously contributed to man's philosophical and mental nature, is that reserved by those who have formed and developed the jurisprudence of a nat ion, those who have developed the constitutional principies and interpreted the meaning of the maxima of personal liberty, those who have from a multitude of disorderly and disconnected customs, produced a system of laws that now constitute a science, eomnianding a respected position iu all well ordered institutions of learning." The eminent jurists of the world were here mentioned and the principies established by Judge Cooley compared with those laid down by Marshall, Taney, Chase and AVaite. The speaker continued : "The appreciation of the efforts of the world'a illustrious name is attested by the itnposing monuments and statues that flll the public squares and art galleries throughout the civilized world. The trophies of St. Paul's and Westminster, of Trafalgar and Washington, and many others of imposing aspect are testimoniáis of universal recognition." After sh'owing the propriety of such action by the law class of ninty-fi ve, and expressing gratitude for having the opportunity by tliis act to connect their name with Judge Cooley's, Mr. Barr closed by saying: "By our action today, we would show our deep sense of gratitude for what has been done for us ; and by presenting this image would endeavor to keep alive a similar spirit and to foster a deep regard for the contributions Judge Cooley has made for the benefit of mankind.'"' Beam J. C. Kmawltom followed Mr. 13a .iT in a brief addl He first accepted tlie bust in behall of the faculty aad tliea spoke some■vhat as follows : I wLsli to promise in behalf of tlic Universitj' authoritics, tliat yoiir kind gift in honor of .Tudgo Coolcy, will bo appropriatoly histalled in the law building, and in behall of tlic faculty, I ■visli to extead their thaiiks to the class 'which deserves the highest praise, it being the first class to leave behind it a memorial. Judge Cooley especially Ueserves this lionor as iK'kig perbapfl more responsible ilia.n anyone for the success of our law school. ■ "Wlicn tlliks school was rouinded in. 18o9, it was a very doubt - ful experiment. There were practically otnly three law schools of any mote in tlio country, the Litchiield ooi, the Harvard school and the Yale scliool. Bat he diligently studied to introduce tue proper mefchod of histruction, and took a his modela Kent, "Wa-shburn, Strong, Parsons and Goiuld. Besidea, he adopted the lecture system, iind ever since it has leen tho standard for -western schools. I lieard his lectures in 1877-8 andi alwey admired his lucid statement and accuracy of thouglit. 11e was a graai lawyer TViÜKmtt the aid of cases. The 6ulJecfc that he excelled in was c oost Uut io nal law. Ib was by an accident tliat ho took up this brancli of jurisprudence. Ou the formation oflthe law school, as tho most important topic, it belonged to liis senior in years, Jndgo Graves. But the latter at the time declared his views om many points were directly in filet with. oth-er settled authonties, ajid he coaüd uot consistuetly take up tho subject, wliicli was .then aselgned to Prof. Coolcy. AÍtor that no ono eÊe ever lectuxed on Ltutional hiv -vhile Uo was a muin1cr of tJic faculty. Ou the otlier Jiand lio has taught every other subject of ttie cuiTieuluin. To Judge Cooley tto owc largely the faine and the preemineuee of the law school, and íio'tlúng oould b3 moro approprialbe tho.n thls recoguilion of our esteoin tor him. President Angelí carne after Dean Knowlton. After referring briefly to what the precediDg speakers had said, President Angelí proceeded: "I wish briefly to cali attention to two points. First, great as Judge Cooley has been in his intellectual gifts, he has been quite as great by the forcé of his character. The simplicity, purity and weight of his character have exerted an influence quite as marked and as lasting as the Btrengtli of his mind. No one could be near hini and not be the better for it. His modesty was a rebuke lo conceit, his siuiplicity t0 pretentiousness, his purity to vice. The keen glance of hrs honest eye scor'ched and withered meanness. He was ever ready with exhaustive patience to give to his studente what was so valnable to him- his time - in explaining in private the intricacies of legal problema. His kindnesa in this regard was proverbial. His pupils were permitted to come into so close relations with hún that they were deeply impressed by liis charming personality. His noble rnanliness, liis quiet courage, his generosity of heart, his loftiness of spirit, have exalted and ennobled their souls. How many of them have I heard testify to the moral, as well as the intellectual inspiration they have receivedfromhim. How much has he done, through the tliousands who have caught something of his spirit, to elévate the American bar and thus to aid in the prevalence of justice and the triumph of righteousness. Secondly, Judge Cooley though especially connected with the law department, has always had at heart the good of the whole university. He has cherished the broadest views of university life. He has held that what is good for the university as a whole is good for each department. He has always been ready to serve any department. He frequent) y lectured in other departments than his own. He went at much inconvenience on long journeys to attend alumni meetings. He resisted all atterupts to disintegrate the university. Iu all the trials through which the institution has passed, he lias stood firmly by it, has helped fightits battles has even been hopeful of its great success and has inspired others with his enthusiasm. "Well, therefore, does the whole university rejoice with the law department in the exercises of today. Indeed, the whole university owes a debt of gratitude to the senior law class for placing in our halls tbis splendid bust of the great jurist, teacher and Wend of the university." When President Angelí concluded the glee club rendered a selection, after which Hon. William B. Hornblower, of Xew York, gave his address. Judge Hornblower spoke in part as iollows : Judge Cooley's career has fllled out the well rounded ideal to which every lawyer ought to aspire. As a practitioner, a statutory reviser, a judicial reporter, a judge, au instructor, a thinker, a writer, and a public official, he has passed through all stages of usefulness. Ilis wideet and most permanent fame rests of course upon lus writings, such as bis additions to Blackstone's commentaries, bis treatise on the law of torts and his work onconstitutional limitations. Bj' these writings he is known to every lawyer in the United States. Ilis work on Constitutional Limitations stands without a cornpetitor in its special field, dealing as he does not primarily with the federal government, but with the limitations imposed by the states and federal constitution upou the state govérnments. ïhe immense irnportance of tliis branch of our general government has been up to this time, largely overlooked. ïhe sentiment of patriotic derctiou to our common country, strengtheneil as it has been by the lapse of time, by the stress of foreign and civil conflict has tended to make us subordínate uur state prïde nud our state affections, to the pride and aflection which we have feit for the United states. Not only does tlie sentiment of nationality thus appeal to our emotions, but the great dramatic questions which have been before the people of this country from the very beginning until recent years have tended to magnify the functions of the national government in the eyes of the people, and to minimize in popular estinnition the functions of the state governments.. Now during all this period, it has remained true, and is true today, that the federal goveminent as a government bas very little to do with ordinary daily welfare or comfort or happiness of the individual citizen. It impinges upon the life of the average man only on very rare intervals and on very ereat occasions, or in matters of detail which do not effect vitally his interest3. On the other hand, the state government impinges on his life at every point. E very transaction of his daily life is subject to the law of bis state. The wonderful permanence of the constitutional framework of our federal system is after all, ono of the marvels of modern history. While the unexpected permanency of our theory of government has remained, our two great sister nations, Great Britian and France, have passed througb a series of revolu-tionary ohanges affecting the entire system and substance of government. Almost the only poiut on which the constitution bas brokcn down is the one which the frasiers of our constitution expected to be the most permanent and satisfactory, that is, the modo ot eiectingour president. Thia breakdown of the elabórate sclieme for takinji away from the people and giving to the wise men of the states the choice oL president does but emphasize the -vvonderful permannecy of the other features of the institution. It still remains true as it was before the great civil war, that almost all the functions of governinent still reside in the states; tbatonly on questions of nuance, reyenue, tariff, currency, interstate commerce and foreign relations does the federal governinent really govern. Not only so, but the constitutional rights and liberties of the people are in the main and for the most part, protected, not by the federal constitutions, but by the state constitutions. I have mentioned these subjects to emphasize the point that the work of Judge Cooley inwriting a treatise upon constitutional limitations of the varióos states as distinguiahed from the more attractive subject ot the limitations of the federal governinent, has proved a boon to the professiou and to the public, and has shown the ability of Judge Cooley to grasp properly theperspeetive of the relations of the state to the individual and to the federal government. I have spoken of Judge Cooley as a writer and have enlarged upon the itnportance and value of his great work on Constitutional Limitations. Next in importance and value is his judicial work. In no country in the civilizad world is the function of the judge so potent for good or eyil as in this country. Judge Cooley as a judge, nobly maintained the standard of the American bench. It is a matter of pride and satisfaction to the American bar that while corruption has too frequently run riot in legislative halls, and politics have too frequently controled executive action, the judiciary has remained with rare exceptions alrnost absolutely free from scandal and even suspicion. Such men as Judge Cooley - proud-minded, bigh-minded, keen-minded, pure-minded - have been found to adorn our state and federal bench. As an instructor he accomplished a great work - he was one of the founders of this great school of law I need not before this assembly enlarge upon the itnportance and far-reaching resalta of this part of his career. The results of his work in his field cannot beestimated. The influence of his teaching will be feit long after his name has been numbered among Jhose wlio have departed. "We fall as leaves, the immortal trunk remalus, Huilded wlth costly Juice of hearts and bralns, Gone to the mold DOW, wliither all that be Vanish retnrnless, yet are procresaut still In human Uves tocóme ofgood or ill, And feel unseen the roots of destiny." And no w a word as to Judge Cooley as a man, a lawyer and a citizeri. If 1 have apprehended his character aright, he has been distinguished by strength and independence of couviction, ready to Eollow his conviction wherever it might lead him, regardless oí criticism ;jr oppositioa. I wish to urge upon you who are to be the future lawyers of the coming generatio.n the importante of these qualities. Tlie bar of America always has been and is likely to continue to be the molder of public opinión. The twentieth century has tremendoua social problems in reserve. Courage, con iction and conscience will be necessary to meet these problems. Yonrs will be the duty to stand as the protectors and the defenders of the constitutional safeguard to individual rightfi and vested interests against the reckless and wanton assanets that will ruthlesslj i lestroy these safeguards. You who have etudied under Judge Cooley or who are graduates of the institution with whicl he has been identified, ought to be in spired by his precepts and his tnanly exaniple to do your duty bravely, wisely and manfully. ' It was announced that owing to a rush of work Gov. Rich was not able to be present and after a letter fron hini was read the exercises close with music b}r the Glee club.