Sluuswood.] i\^ Pi [December 4. 



"Dec. 5, 1827. — Returning from un arbitration at about half- 

 past ten o'clock, as I entered Willing's alley, I was forcibl}' as- 

 saulted behind by a blow on my liead from an unknown person, 

 who immediately- escaped. The force of the blow was broken by 

 my hat, which was deeply indented, but my head was unhurt, 

 though I staggered and nearly fell. The escape was providen- 

 tial, either from the attack of au assassin, who meant to wreak 

 his vengeance on me or on another person, or of a robber, who, 

 finding his aim had not been quite true, ran to avoid detection. — 

 Laus Deo.'''' 



Besides these professional memoranda, this Diary contains 

 now and then a reference to the death of some member of the 

 bench before whom he had practiced — always with an expression 

 of profound respect and truthful appreciation of his character. 

 I will trespass on the patience of the Society b}' reproducing a 

 few of them. 



"April 30, 1S2T. — The veneral>le and excellent Chief Justice 

 Tilghman died last night. He had entered his seventy-first 3'ear 

 on the 12th of last August. Few men have gone through a 

 course of judicial lalior with more usefulness to the public — nor 

 with greater purity of purpose or integrity of conduct and of 

 heart." 



"Nov. IG, ISCl. — Judge Duncan, of the Supreme Court, died 

 at Lancaster, An able, acute and learned man. His loss will 

 be severel}^ felt in a community whose judicial appointments are 

 the rewards too often of political subserviency, and when the 

 distribution of them is committed to those who are incapaltle of 

 appreciating their importance." 



There was perhaps no subject upon which Mr. Ingersoll felt 

 more deeply and expressed himself more strongly. It is to be 

 observed that this remark was made when the appointment was 

 by the Governor, and the term during good behaviour. Yet he 

 was not in favor of 0113^ change in the system — as he warmly 

 opposed both the alteration in the Constitution by which the 

 tenure was reduced to a term of years, and that subsequent one 

 by which the choice was referred to the people at the polls. 

 Under both systems — under all systems — incompetent men will 

 occasional!}^ receive judicial appointments — but it remains to be 

 seen whether political subserviency will be most successful with 

 a single appointing, or a numerous electing body. The people 



