The Supreme Court of Indiana. as elector by the Whig party, and was de feated the following year for the legislature. In 1846 he was elected by the legislature President Judge of the eighth circuit, resign ing six years later to make the race for Con gress, but was beaten by Dr. Norman Eddy. In 1851 he was a member of the constitutional convention, and was one of the leading mem bers of that body of representative men. His speeches in that convention are as able as any that were made. He was a ready debater and a fluent talker. From 1852 to 1860 he devoted himself assiduously to his practice, which was large and lucrative, then laying the foundation of his present fortune. He served on the circuit bench from [860 to 1872. Few men in this coun try have made better nisi prius judges than he was. In this respect his career was re markable, and gave a promise that he did not redeem on the Supreme Court bench. During the years 1873 and 1874 he devoted himself to literary pursuits. He was elected to the highest tribunal of his State on the Democratic ticket, having once before been elected to a position on that bench as a Re publican, but failing to get the seat because of an irregularity in the resignation of Judge Stuart. His written opinions lack the preciseness essential to judicial expression, nor do they evince great research or industry; yet when aroused he had a forcible and trenchant pen. Judge Biddle for fifty years was a con tributor to the best magazines in the coun try. In 1849 he published a small volume entitled " A Few Poems," and it was highly complimented by Charles Mackay, Irving, and Longfellow. In 1858 a larger edition of the same work was issued. In 1860 he pub lished a work on "The Musical Scale." The edition of this work was limited, but several editions have since been issued. The theory of the scale advanced in this work was coun ter to the theories of Tyndall and Helmholtz, but recent discoveries have proved that he was right and they were wrong. In 1874 he published "Glances at the World," 34
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another volume of poems; in 1876, " Ameri can Boyhood," and "A Discourse on Art;" in 1878, " Amatories by an Amateur," lim ited to ten copies; and in 1881, "Elements of Knowledge." He has also printed seve ral pamphlets : " A Definition of Poetry;" "A Review of Professor Tyndall's Work on Sound; " " The Anajysis of Rhyme; " " Rus sian Literature; " and " The Tetrachord, a New Musical Instrument," his own inven tion. These were followed in 1882 by an other volume of poems. Although never having attended college, he is a good scholar in Latin, is well conversant with German and French, and has some knowledge of Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. His library is one of the largest private libraries in the State, and his residence almost a museum of art. Judge Biddle drew down upon himself the censure of the Republican press in 1880 for his opinion in The State v. Swift, which was so severe that he flinched under the on slaught, especially when attacked by the New York City papers. William E. Niblack. May 22, 1822, the subject of this sketch was born in Dubois County, Ind. He was a farmer's boy; and although he attended the State University, he did not graduate. In 1845 he began the practice of law at Mt. Pleasants, then the county-seat of Mar tin County. In 1849 he was elected State Representative, and the following year State Senator. In January, 1854, he was ap pointed by Governor Wright, without solici tation, judge of the Circuit Court, and in the following October was elected for six years; but two years later he was elected to Congress, serving until 1861. In 1863 he again served as a Representative in the State legislature. In 1864 he was again sent to Congress, and there remained until March 4, 1875. In 1876 he was elected judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana, and served until Jan. 7, 1889. The greater part of his life he has lived at Vincennes, Ind.;
