Your own coolness and carriage in confronting this danger in the discharge of your duty must be universally admired, and will shed an additional lustre on a judicial career which was distinguished enough without it.

    You have escaped a great peril—­acquired a fresh
    distinction—­and vindicated most properly the dignity of your
    high station.

    I am glad to perceive that this is the general opinion. 
    Anticipating the pleasure of seeing you in Washington next
    term,

    I am always, dear sir,
    Most sincerely yours,
    E.J.  PHELPS.

Letter from Hon. George F. Hoar, Senator from Massachusetts: 

    WORCESTER, August 16, 1889.

    MY DEAR JUDGE FIELD: 

I think I ought to tell you, at this time, how high you stand in the confidence and reverence of all good men here, how deeply they were shocked by this outrage attempted not so much on you as on the judicial office itself, and how entirely the prompt action of the officer is approved.  I hope you may long be spared to the public service.

    I am faithfully yours,
    GEO. F. HOAR.

Letter from Hon. J. Proctor Knott, for many years a Member of Congress from Kentucky and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, and afterwards Governor of Kentucky: 

    LEBANON, KENTUCKY, September 5, 1889.

    MY DEAR JUDGE:  * * *

I have had it in mind to write you from the moment I first heard of your fortunate escape from the fiendish assassination with which you were so imminently threatened, but I have, since the latter part of May, been suffering from a most distressing affection of the eyes which has rendered it extremely difficult, and frequently, for days together, quite impossible to do so.  Even now, though much improved, I write in great pain, but I cannot get my consent to delay it longer on any account.  You are to be congratulated, my dear friend, and you know that no one could possibly do so with more genuine, heartfelt sincerity than I do myself. * * *

I had been troubled, ever since I saw you had gone to your circuit, with apprehensions that you would be assassinated, or at least subjected to some gross outrage, and cannot express my admiration of the serene heroism with which you went to your post of duty, determined not to debase the dignity of your exalted position by wearing arms for your defense, notwithstanding you were fully conscious of the danger which menaced you.  It didn’t surprise me, however; for I knew the stuff you were made of had been tested before.  But I was surprised and disgusted, too, that you should