e of the leading lawyers in St. Paul, so his advent was
announced with a good many flourishes, and he soon took a leading stand
in the profession. Mr. Brisbin was a cultured and eloquent lawyer, and
no one knew it better than himself. He settled in St. Paul. Soon after
his arrival a controversy arose between a couple of settlers in Dakota
county about their claim boundaries, and a suit was brought before the
French justice at Mendota. Major Noah represented the plaintiff and the
defendant employed Mr. Brisbin. It being Brisbin's first appearance in
court, he made extraordinary preparations, intending to create a
favorable impression. He discovered some fault in the law of the
plaintiff's case, and when the parties met in court, he demurred to the
plaintiff's complaint, and made an exhaustive argument in support of his
position. He was fortified with numerous citations from English and New
York cases, all of which he read to the court. When he would become
particularly impressive, the court would evince signs of deep interest,
which convinced the speaker that he was carrying everything before him.
When he finished his argument, he looked at his adversary with a
confident and somewhat exultant expression, as if to say, "Answer that
if you can."

The major opened his case to the court in French, and had hardly begun
before Mr. Brisbin interposed an objection, that he did not understand
French, and that legal proceedings in this country had to be conducted
in English. The major answered by saying: "I am only interpreting to the
court what you have been saying." Mr. Brisbin indignantly replied: "I
don't want any interpretation of my argument; I made myself perfectly
clear in what I said." "Oh, yes," said the major, "you made a very clear
and strong argument; but his honor, the judge, does not understand a
single word of English," which was literally true. Tradition adds that
when the court adjourned, the judge was heard to ask the major: "Est ce
qu'il y a une femme dans cette cause la?" Whether the court decided the
case on the theory of there being a woman in it or not, history has
failed to record.

A MOMENTOUS MEETING.

The people of St. Paul have often been proud of a remark which was made
by Hon. Wm. H. Seward, in a speech delivered by him in 1860, at the old
capitol on Wabasha street, where he said he believed that the center of
power on the North American continent would be very near the spot where
he stood