duties. He was associated with Chief
Justice Shaw in some important cases, and always thought that
it was due to his recommendation that Governor Lincoln appointed
the Chief Justice--a suggestion which Governor Lincoln used
to repel with great indignation. The Governor was also a
good farmer, especially proud of his cattle. Each of them
liked to brag of their crops and especially of the produce
of their respective dairies. Governor Lincoln was once discoursing
to Devens and me, in our office, of a wonderful cow of his
which, beside raising an enormous calf, had produced the cream
for a great quantity of butter. Mr. Devens said: "Why, that
beats Major Newton's cow, that gave for months at a time some
fifteen or eighteen quarts at a milking." "If Brother Newton
hears of my cow," said Governor Lincoln, "he will at once
double the number of quarts." The old Major was quite fond
of telling stories, of which the strong points were not apt
to suffer in his narration. One Fourth of July, when he had
got to be an old man, he came down street and met a brother
member of the Bar, who took him up into the room of the Worcester
Light Infantry, a Company of which the Major's deceased son
had long ago been the Captain. The members of the Company
were spending the Fourth with a bowl of punch and other refreshments.
The Major was introduced and was received with great cordiality,
and my friend left him there. The next day my friend was
going down street and met the Captain of the Light Infantry,
who said: "That was a very remarkable old gentleman you brought
into our room yesterday. He stayed there all the forenoon,
drinking punch and telling stories. He distinctly remembered
General Washington. He went home to dinner, came back after
dinner, drank some more punch, and remembered Christopher
Columbus."

The old Major was once addressing the Supreme Court and maintained
a doctrine which did not commend itself to Chief Justice Shaw.
The Chief Justice interposed: "Brother Newton, what is the
use of arguing that? We have held otherwise in such a case
(citing it) and again and again since." The Major paused,
drew his spectacles slowly off his nose, and said to the Court
with great seriousness: "May it please your Honors, I have
a great respect for the opinions of this Court, except in
some very gross cases."

A man by the name of Lysander Spooner, whose misfortune it
was to be a good deal in advance of his age, the author