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John Reynolds was born in Montgomery said : " If he ever read a law book it was so County, Pennsylvania, Feb. 26, 1788. He long ago that he must have forgotten it. He had already occupied a seat upon the came with his parents to Illinois, after liv ing awhile in Tennessee. After pursuing Supreme Bench for twenty-four years. . . a collegiate course he studied law in Knox- During all that time I have reason to believe ville, Tennessee, and was admitted to the that he never wrote an opinion. One of the bar at Kaskaskia in 1812. He served upon opinions which appears to have been written the Supreme Bench from Oct. 9, 18 18, to by him in his reports, Judge Breese testified August 31, 1822, was a member of three before the Legislature . . . that he wrote for Browne. In the

General Assemblies of Illinois, Speaker of the conference - room I never heard him at Lower House, a repre tempt to argue any sentative from Illinois question, for he did in four Congresses, and its fourth Gov not seem to be able to express his views ernor. He is the au in a sustained or logi thor of "Pioneer His cal form, and yet he tory of Illinois " and was a man of very "My Own Times;" he died in Belleville considerable ability'. . . . He expressed in May, 1865. himself in epigrams Thomas C. Browne or short and pungent was born in Kentucky, sentences which studied law there, showed that he was a came to Shawneetown, good thinker and had Illinois, in 181 2, served clearand distinct views in the Legislature of of his own. He was Illinois Territory from a profound student of 1814 till it became a nature.and could judge State, was appointed with great accuracy prosecuting attorney not only of individual in 181 5, and served character, but of what continuously on the JAMES SEMPLE. would influence the Supreme Bench from minds of men." Oct. 9, 18 18, for a pe An attempt was made to impeach Judge riod of thirty years, — the longest term of ser vice of any judge in the history of the court. Browne before the Legislature of 1843, " for want of capacity to discharge the duties of During his life it was said of him by Rey nolds, in his " History of Illinois," that " he his office." It is stated in Moses' " History possesses many excellent traits of character. of Illinois" (vol. i. p. 456), that the charge was " voted down by a nearly unanimous He is endowed by nature with a strong in tellect, and with a benevolence and goodness vote. Although a Whig he was able to com of heart that have marked his whole progress mand very strong support from leading Dem ocrats, who regarded the attack upon him as through life. . . . Honor, integrity, and fi delity are prominent traits in his character." a persecution set on foot by disappointed Ex-Chief-Justice John Dean Caton, a con attorneys." Without deciding the controversy, it may temporary of Browne, writing of him in the "Chicago Legal News" of April 20, 1889, probably be safely said that Judge Browne