law by receiving the signature of President Cleveland,) was brought before the supreme court for adjudication, Justice Shiras voted against its constitutionality and the question was so decided by a majority of one. A strong dissenting opinion was submitted by the minority, and the incident brought the name of Mr. Justice Shiras prominently before the public as he was at the time the junior member of the supreme bench in time of service. Having reached the age limit under the retirement act, he resigned from the bench, February 18, 1903, after eleven years service, and after reaching the age of seventy-one years. His resignation took effect February 24, 1903, and Judge William R. Day of the United States Circuit court was appointed his successor by President Roosevelt.
Mr. Shiras was married December 31, 1857, to Lillie E. daughter of Robert and Charlotte (Hambright) Kennedy, of Pittsburg, and they had two sons living in 1906. At the thirtieth reunion of his class in 1883 he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Yale, the faculty having requested that the class designate the member deemed most worthy for the degree. In the life of Mr. Shiras we find an example of steady development in one direction. His mind was trained in the channel of his chosen profession and he does not appear to have wandered far from the path apparently marked out by himself from his early boyhood. Brought up with no anxiety as to earning a livelihood, provided with an excellent classical education and enjoying the advantages of the best instructors both in the arts and in law, he developed a judicial mind and for thirty-six years was in constant practice before the bar in the highest courts of his native state. While affiliated with the Republican party he took no active part in politics, contenting himself with the duty he owed the many clients who entrusted the safety of their property to his hands, when forced into litigation. The Republican state committee when looking for strong men to place on the electoral ticket in the presidential election of 1888 selected him, and this appears to be the only time his name was brought before the voters of Pennsylvania. His learning and knowledge of the law pointed him out as a suitable member of the United States Supreme court, and President Harrison named him to the position. His eleven years service on the supreme bench fully justified the wisdom of the chief executive.
His opinions, between two hundred and three hundred in number, are to be found in the "Reports of the Supreme Court of the United States" (Vols. 246-292).
