A plea of humanity in behalf of medical education : the annual address delivered before the New-York State Medical Society and members of the legislature at the capitol, February 6, 1849 / by Alexander H. Stevens.

  • Stevens, Alexander H. (Alexander Hodgdon), 1789-1869.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A plea of humanity in behalf of medical education : the annual address delivered before the New-York State Medical Society and members of the legislature at the capitol, February 6, 1849 / by Alexander H. Stevens. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    to his seat in the Supreme Court during the most illustrious period of its history. Still more prominent was another statesman; in political sagacity unrivalled; in judicial wisdom not excelled ; the elder Spencer, whose eulogy, yet echo- ing from these walls, has added to our literature an enduring memorial. Then, too, flourished Clinton. His monument, less a memorial of him than of the well-merited gratitude of its founders, and which I trust will soon adorn your capitol, is of another kind. As was his wont of old, he will stand here overlook- ing his work; his eyes directed towards his canal at its terminus ; the end of his labour, the beginning of his immortality. The monument of Clinton is ma- terial, palpable, fitted to excite the admiration of the multitude; but scholars and jurists alone can appre- ciate the memorial of Spencer. His praise will come from grave, sententious judges, whose words, like his own, are law. The last whom I shall name is James Kent. His elaborate legal decisions, while associated with illus- trious colleagues in the Supreme Court, will ever be read by lawyers with delight. But after he became Chancellor, his career was still more brilliant. His equity decisions are a boon to humanity. The kind- liness of his nature peculiarly fitted him to soften the sometimes harsh traits of law by the milder tints of equity; to temper justice with mercy. Thus his moral feelings came in aid of his powerful intellect to guide him in his course. His Commentaries, completed by