Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 05.pdf/307

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The Green Bag.

mother and educated himself. After receiv ing a common-school education, he entered the academical department of Cumberland University, and took his degree in 1871 . He graduated from the law department in 1872. While learning the lesson of law from Chan cellor Green, he conned the lesson of love from the daughter. He was married on Oct. 22, 1874, to Miss Ella Green, daughter of

Chancellor Green, and grand - daughter of Judge Nathan Green. Judge Caldwell prac tised at Trenton.Tenn., until 1883, when he was appointed a mem ber of the Commission of Referees for the middle division of the State. He continued to serve until May, 1886, when the busi ness before it was dis posed of. He be came a candidate for Supreme Judge, and was nominated on the first ballot by the con vention, receiving on the call of the roll a larger vote than was cast for any other can didate. WALLER С He has served most acceptably as a judge, and has taken high rank. He has an im mense capacity for labor, and is the master of details, being gifted with an unusually good memory. He can handle a compli cated record better than any man on the bench. His opinions are always carefully prepared, and are never handed down until perfectly finished in every part. Judge Caldwell has the unusual faculty of exact statement. The doctrines meant to be enunciated are accurately given, and the position taken shown; and his opinions do not have to be continually limited and ex-

plained. There are two classes of questions in which he is particularly proficient, the lavv of common carriers and that of taxation; and many of his best opinions bear on these. David L. Snodgrass was born at Sparta, Tenn., April 4, 1851. He was the son of Thomas Snodgrass, a lawyer practising at that bar. Having received an academic education in the schools of White County, he completed his edu cation at the Univer sity of Tennessee at Knoxville. He read law under the tuition of his father, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1872. He practised his profes sion at Sparta for ten years, appearing in the various courts of that circuit. He was the member from White and Putnam Counties of the Lower House of the General Assembly of 1879. He was as signed to the three most important com mittees of that body, and became one of the leaders of his faction during that exciting CALDWELL. session. The final trouble over the settle ment of the State debt was then beginning. That Legislature passed an act for funding the debt at 50-4, and submitted it to the people for ratification. The proposition was rejected at the election, and this caused the trouble to commence anew. Judge Snodgrass was a delegate to the Democratic convention in 1880. That convention having adopted a platform on the debt question which the "Low Tax " delegates did not think in accord with the views of a majority of the party, the " Low Tax " delegates, headed by Judge Snodgrass, bolted the convention and