Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/34

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The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

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manner of Giving evidence." Quakers, be prejudice; but an inspection of the abuses it remembered, would not make an oath; that heaped up under their administration hence could not be called as witnesses till will plainly show that it was founded upon affirmation was provided for by legislation. reason. David Lloyd was Speaker of the Assembly James Logan, commissioned August 20, at this time. In 1710 was passed another 1731, is the first distinguished figure among long act empowering the Supreme Court to Pennsylvania Chief-Justices; but it was not sit in Equity. In this year also, " if the legal distinction which put him on the House cant at this time Encourage the bench. Like so many of his predecessors,

Judges by an annual he was not a lawyer; stipend or salary, and this office was given him because of they 'll be of opinion that 40 shills. per the reliance in his judgment and char Diem for the Chief acter that a career Justice, & 20 sh. for of prominent useful the other two will be ness and responsibil little enough, unless ity had gained for it can be thought him. that private Gentle men will still continue He was born in Ire land in 1674, and got to serve ye Publick at their own expense a decent education. of time and money." This brought early This is a message of out in him a bent for the Governor where letters. He was put in he " can't but still apprentice to a trade be of opinion, that somewhat remote from four Judges in the literary walks, being Supream Court will sent to a linen-draper; be too many, and that and when twenty-four for no other reason he began trading on but that men of Ca the Bristol wharves. In the next year, 1699, pacity and ability are SIR WILLIAM KEITH. so scarce in the at William Penn's invitation he sailed Countrey." In 1715 there was another Act concerning with him to be his secretary in the Province. Equity Courts; and it may be reasonably Their ship fell among pirates on its way. supposed that the untiring Lloyd was at the The peaceful Penn retired below, compelled bottom of all these steadily repeated efforts to this by his conscience; while Logan re toward shaping the Province's courts into a mained upon the deck, heretically wielding denned and permanent system. He was ap the sword. The peaceful Penn — though not pointed to be Chief-Justice on the 15th of until the alarm was come to a fortunate February, 1717; and in spite of Hannah end — called his young secretary's attention Penn, we may be allowed to think that he to this impropriety in a Quaker. But the deserved the honor as well, if not better, than secretary called Penn's attention to their any other in his community. His opposition status as master and servant, observing that to the Penns and hence to all who served it would have been a simple matter for Penn that interest, may have been nourished by to bid his servant put up his sword, if this