Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 04.pdf/494

The Supreme Court of North Carolina.

461

this, as well as every other mistake of Judge degree, the benefits of a classical education Hall, to the hurry of business. I believe the at William and Mary College in Virginia, an government at this time has no officer who eminent institution in those days, from which more deserves its confidence. Yet I cannot went out four Presidents, — Jefferson, Madi agree to disseminate wrong legal opinions son, Monroe, and Tyler, — Chief-Justice Mar out of respect to the opinion of any one." shall, Gen. Winfield Scott, and many other State v. Smith, 5 N. C. (i Murph.) 218, is an distinguished men. He was compelled to indictment for fraudulently procuring a cer leave college before graduation; and after tificate of survey to be issued from the public- reading law without preceptor or guide, he

land office, etc. Its was admitted to the singularity lies in the bar in 1788, before he fact that the defend was twenty, and lo ant then, and for many cated in Fayetteville. years after, was State In 1792, 1793, 1794, Senator continuously and 1795, he was till elected Governor elected to the legisla in 18 10; the prosecu ture from Fayetteville, tor was Alfred Moore, then a borough town. then an Associate Jus In 1794 he was a can tice of the United didate before the Gen States Supreme Court. eral Assembly for the The Surveyor.who was office of Attorneyan alleged particeps General, but was de criminis, frequently feated by Blake Baker. thereafter served as He removed to Newa member of both bern in 1796, and in branches of the Gen 1798 he was elected a eral Assembly. The Judge of the Superior case is evidently a Court. In 18 18 he had historical puzzle for held that office consec some Dryasdust to in utively twenty years, vestigate and eluci during ten of which he date. The new court, had been Chief-Justice JOHN LOUIS TAYLOR. as we have said, be of the court held by the gan its labors Jan. [, judges of the Superior 1819; and its decisions begin with the 7th Court in Conference. He died Jan. 29, 1829, N. G. Reports (3 Murph.). and is buried in the cemetery at Raleigh. In John Louis Taylor, chosen by his associates 1802 he published Taylor's Reports, which the first Chief-Justice, was when elected to now form a part of 1 N. C. Reports. In 1814 the Supreme Court the oldest judge in com he published the first volume of the North mission on the Superior Court bench, to which Carolina Law Repository, and in 18 16 the he had been elected in 1798. He was born second volume of the same, and in 181 8 Tay in London, but of Irish parentage, March 1, lor's Term Reports. These three volumes are 1769. At the age of twelve years he was now united in one, known as the 4 N. C. Re removed from his widowed mother, and ports. As originally printed, the Repository brought to this country by his elder brother, contained much interesting matter (other James Taylor. By the assistance of his than decisions of the court) which has now brother, he obtained, though in an imperfect been omitted in the reprint. In 18 17 he was