Address given by Hon. S.B. Sadler, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County at the dedication of Trickett Hall at the Dickinson School of Law. Originally published in Volume 23 of the Dickinson Law Review, 1918. [23 Dick. L. Rev. 8 (1918)]

Sadler, S B

English

Penn State Dickinson Law: IDEAS

Penn State Dickinson LawDickinson Law IDEASTrickett Hall Dedication Documents Trickett Hall1918Address of Hon. S.B. Sadler, Judge of the Court ofCumberland CountyS B. SadlerFollow this and additional works at: https://ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/trickett-dedication-docsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Trickett Hall at Dickinson Law IDEAS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Trickett HallDedication Documents by an authorized administrator of Dickinson Law IDEAS. For more information, please contact lja10@psu.edu.Recommended CitationSadler, S B., "Address of Hon. S.B. Sadler, Judge of the Court of Cumberland County" (1918). Trickett Hall Dedication Documents. 4.https://ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/trickett-dedication-docs/48 Dickinson Law ReviewDickinson School of Law is one of the best institu-tions in the Nation. May she ever maintain her highstandards. Numbers of the best young men of thisand former generations in the legal profession and inother fields of human endeavor as well, can point withpride to their gradufation from the Dickinson School ofLaw.If ever the world needed technical schools ,the worldneeds them today. Unlike previous wars, the world warhas created problems- which to a great extent will de-volve upon the legal profession to solve. In all the bloodand lust and terror and cruelty that are tearing theearth to pieces, Trickett Hall*stands as an evidence ofthe fact that the one thing to be held is the chance foryoung men, and it will stand for all time as a- monumentto the unselfish devotion and the many years of loyaltyof the Dean whose name it bears.Should the alumni and friends subscribe to a fundon this occasion which Will liquidate the present indebt-edness, you may record my name for such subscriptionas my original subscription bears to the total sum of allsubscriptions heretofore made.ROBERT HAYS SMITH.ADDRESS OF HON. S. B. SADLER, JUDGE OF THECOURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF CUMBERLANDCOUNTY.Gentlemen of the Alumni:As I happen to be a judge, I have been asked to saya few words. Public speaking is, as you know, one ofthe perquisites of judicial office. We are asked on alloccasions, not by reason of supposed oratorical power, orsurpassing wisdom, but because -it is believed that theaudience will out of politeness express appreciation.Sometimes they do-sometimes they don't. Recently I7 C0Dickinson Law Review 9was asked to address a patriotic meeting in the lowerend of the county. When I got there I found the onlymale audience was made up of the litigants on tne twosides of a pending case.I am sure that it is a great pleasure for us to takepart in this celebration. From humble beginnings acentury ago, this institution has risen to a commandingposition, and in the process has made its impressthroughout the commonwealth and beyond. And it isbut proper that we, who owe to it our legal develop-ment, should express our appreciation.That a school of law should have arisen in this com-munity is not surprising when one looks back at its pro-fessional history. One of the first judges of the Su-preme Court was our first county judge, Smith, and thesecond Chief Justice, Edward Shippen, was a member ofthe local bar. Here lived and died Gibson, Brackenridge,Duncan and Kennedy-three of whom are buried within100 yards of each other in the old graveyard. To the Su-preme Court of the United States the town gave JanlesWilson, the college Roger B. Taney, while Grier was fora time a resident. The early bench and bar were ableand independent. Here we find the first contempt ofcourt case, arising fromn the effort of the SupremeCourt to compel the surrender of a prisoner for trial inPhiladelphia.Here centered some of the most important anti-sla-very ,itigation, of which the McClintock riot and Kauf-man damage cases are illustrations-tried by men likeMeredith, David Paul Brown and Stevens-and the sec-ond of which resulted in a declaration by the State Su-preme Court fixing jurisdiction in the fugitive slavecases.As a result of the spirited contentions of able prac-titioners, the course of legislation was changed in manyways, notably in the passage of the Act of 1810, subse-Dickinson Law Reviewquently repealed, forbidding the citation of English pre-cedents prior to 1776. This was said to be the result ofthe embarrassment of Judge Hamilton, who had diffi-culty in understanding the citations of Thomas Duncan,later of the Supreme bench. And the whole system ofreview of capital cases was altered by the Schoeppe mur-der case, as a result of which the Act of 1870 was passed,providing for the review of capital cases by the Su-.preme Court, and the examination of the evidence to de-termine the presence of the necessary elements to con-stitute the offense one of first degree.But you are not interested in local legal history, andI merely call these matters to your attention to showthe suitableness of the surroundings, when Judge Reedbegan his short lived experiment. The resurrection ofhis plan did not come until 1890, since which time theinstitution has met with increasing success, and sent in-to the professional world scores of men who have beenable to make-good, thanks to the habits of industry, ap-plication and mental discipline, as well as knowlelge offundamental legal principles, instilled into them here.Most of us left here without any resources exceptour brains, and most have been able to use them to ad-vantage, and I think for this reason that there is amongthe graduates a stronger feeling of appreciation forbenefits received than. is ordinarily found emnong thealumni of colleges and universities. Your feeling isgiven expression by your part in the erection of thisbuilding, and you have come back to acknowledge thedebt you feel. But I am inclined to believe that therewould not be so much interest, or so many here, if atthe back of your minds you did not have the feelingthat you were paying tribute to something more thanyour Alma Mater, but to a man whose unselfish life andwork has centered here, and who has had a possiblyunrecognized but nevertheless potent influence in theDickinson Law Reviewframing of your careers. For me to descant on hislearning, or his intellectual force and brilliancy beforeyou would be foolish, as it would be to comment uponhis unusual ability to impart his knowledge to thoseunder him. I doubt if any of us in after years have hadany regret even for his disciplinary measures. But hisinfluence upon us was not limited to his teachings. Theexample of a man of stainless integrity, of unremittingindustry, a liver of a noble, self-denying life, and a doerof generous deeds, made unconsciously its impress onus all. And I am glad that we have this public oppor-tunity of acknowledging our obligation, and of repayingit as far as it can be repaid, and, on this day and in thisway offering our tribute of profound regard and sincererespect. It is most fitting that this building shouldstand as a permanent monument to him and visualize areal personality-one whom we love and honor, if wedid not obey, the Dean.This building has been erected in a suitable place,in a suitable manner, and has promise of use in continuedgood service. It will aid in developing and broadeningother men, who in turn will go forth to leave their im-press in the state, as you have done, and in after yearM.you will be happy in the consciousness that you havehad your part in the training of the coming membersof that profession, of which we are all so proud.ADDRESS OF JUSTICE EDWARD J. FOX OF THESUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIAI feel greatly honored at being invited to speak onthis auspicious occasion as it is one in which I have avery great interest. I am especially interested, andhave been for a great many years, in the work of legaleducation. It was my very great pleasure in the earlyhistory of the Pennsylvania State Bar Association to beassociated with Dean Trickett as a member of the Con-

Address of Hon. S.B. Sadler, Judge of the Court of Cumberland County

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Address of Hon. S.B. Sadler, Judge of the Court of Cumberland County

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