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The Late Judge Cartter

The Late Judge Cartter image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
April
Year
1887
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

David K. Cartter, chief justice of tlie court of the District of Columbia, died at his residcnce Ín Washington on the cveninj; of April 16, Bge$ nearly 75 years. He was the last of tbat small cirele who were on intímate terms with Abraham Lincoln and are credited with doing much to fix the tone of his administration as far as it was personal. Judge Cartter had eomplrted twenty-four years of continuoiis service as chief justice of the district, baring taken the place early in 1888 by appointmeut of President Lincoln. When he was appointed the courts of tiie district were in chaos; he organized a good system and nraintained a high standard of judicial integrity. He had led the so called "bolt" in the Ohio delegation in tlie Chicago ronvention of 1830, which resulted in the. nominatton of Lincoln, and was a devoted friend and suppurter of the president to the last. He was aiso among the lirst to take strong ground la favor of the nomination of Granfc, and throughout the micldli' part of his life exercised graat Inflnence in politics. Daviii Jv. Cartter was bnrn June 22, 1812, in Jeffei-son coiinty, N. Y., and at a very early age learneil tlie printing business with" fow Weed, at Kochester. After Teaching mauhooil lie studied law, was admiUed t practico ín 1832, and in 1830 locateil in Akron, O. In 184$ ho was elected to congres9 from that district, and re-elected in 1850- both times as a Democrat. But when the question of reopening the teiTitories. to ery carne up, he joined the iiewly organized Republiean party, and made many speeches for Fremont in 18.56. In 1860 he was chairman of the Ohio delegation in the National Republican convention; and when the count showed that Lincoln lacked but three votes of a nomir.ation, he prevailed upon several members of that delegation to change froni Chase to Lincoln, and the latter was nominated amid the wildest enthusiasm. Soon after his inauguratioii, Mr. Lincoln offered Mr. Cartter his choiee of several good places, including five foreign missions. The latter aecepted the mission to Bolivia, which he held for ene year, but as there were no pressing duties in that place he devoted most of the time to travel. His anxieties about the Uniou cause brought him home in 1862, and as soon as he arrived President Lincoln appointed him chief justice of the district, bidding him organize the court at once and go to work. No man was on more intímate terms with the president. Judge Cartter spent many an evening at the White House, and his unfaltering faith in final success was a great encouragement to the often depressed and aeddened man. With Thad Stevens, Zach Chandler, Ben Wade and a few others of that class ho passed many an evening in devising schemes to strengthen the Union sentiment. But after the close of the war he became less a politician and more a judge in every year of his service. He died peacefully and painlessly in the prwence of his wife, son and two grandchildren.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register