ELECTORAL COMMISSION.

The abuse heaped upon me by the Democratic press, and especially the New York Sun, for the part I took in the Electoral Commission, appointed to decide the controverted questions which arose upon the Presidential election of 1876-7, is almost beyond conception. Malignant falsehoods of the most aggravated character were constantly published. I bore these things in silence until it was stated that Judge Field had said, in conversation, that I had changed my mind during the sitting of the Commission, and that I had first written an opinion in favor of Tilden, and had read it to him and Judge Clifford. When this story appeared the Judge was in California and I was spending my vacation at Stowe, Vt. I immediately wrote to him, calling his attention to these charges. He replied, denying that he used the expressions attributed to him, and had said nothing derogatory to my honor or integrity.

LAW,

ITS

NATURE AND OFFICE

AS THE

BOND AND BASIS OF CIVIL SOCIETY.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE

TO THEЕ

Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania,

Wednesday, October 1st, 1884,

BY

JOSEPH P. BRADLEY,

Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Quare quum lex sit civilis societatis vinculum, jus autem legis aequale, quo jure societas civium teneri potest, quum par non sit condicio civium? Quid est enim civitas nisi juris societas?-Cic. de Repub. I. 32.

Hon. JOSEPH P. BRADLEY.

PHILADELPHIA, October 11, 1884.

DEAR SIR:-The committee appointed for that purpose by the Students of the Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania, wish to express to you their appreciation of the address delivered before them on the 1st instant, and also to respectfully request that you will lend to them your manuscript in order that it may be printed. Hoping that you will give this request a favorable consideration, we

I have duly received your kind letter written as a committee of the Students of the Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania, asking for a copy, for publication, of the lecture delivered by me before them on the 1st instant. Duly acknowledging this mark of their appreciation of the lecture, I would say that I have no desire to withhold it from publication, though it was not prepared under circumstances to render it fit for the test of criticism. In the hope, however, that its suggestions may lead the thoughtful to a fuller and more mature consideration of the subject discussed, I submit it to your disposal. With kind wishes for the success of yourselves and those whom you represent, in the study and pursuit of the noble profession you have chosen, I am,

Respectfully and truly yours,

JOSEPH P. BRADLEY.

Messrs. Joseph S. Clark, Chm'n, Luke D. Bechtel, George H. Chesterman, F. S. Phillips, Henry C. Todd, Committee.