CHAPTER XXVlll
 

^HE term of fifteen years for which Judges
Richard H. Alvey and William Alotter
"had been elected in 1867, ended in 1882
and at the November election of that 3'ear,
Judge Alvey came up for re-election. He was
opposed by William J. Read, of Allegany County,
the Republican nominee but Judge Alvey was
elected. Judge William Motter was not nomi¬
nated and his career on the bench ended then,
and he died a few years later. He was a native
of Frederick County, bom in 1817, graduated at
Princeton and came to Washington County in 1845.
In 1859 he was elected State's Attorney and in
1867 to the Legislature. He married a daughter
of William D. Bell. Judge Motter was a man of
the strictest integrity, painstaking and conscien¬
tious. His decisions were seldom reversed by the
Court of Appeals. His successor as Associate
Judge was Andrew K. Syester.

Richard Plenry Alvey whose second term as
Chief Judge of his circuit began in 1882, occupies
a place in the front rank of the great Maryland
jurists along with Roger Brooke Taney, William
Pinkney, John Buchanan and Reverdy Johnson.
In an address before the Alaryland Bar Associ-
. ation in 1904, on the Chief Justices of Maryland,
Chief Justice James AlcSherry said of Chief Jus¬
tice Alvey: "The opinions of Judge Alvey as As¬
sociate Judge are reported in volumes 28 to and
including 60 Maryland Reports; and as Chief
Judge from 60 MaT3dand, to and including 77
Maryland. His opinions are strong, vigorous and
broad. He never failed to grasp the underl3dng
principle of a ease and never erred in its appli¬
cation.    His work speaks for itself.    His knowl¬
 

edge of the law is profound and his capacity for
applying it remarkable.    His industry was mar¬
velous.    In a word his opinions as reported are
not excelled in the judicial annals of the State
or by the judgments of any other Judge where the
English tongue is spoken."    Before the Civil War
Judge Alvey had taken a leading part in public
affairs and was a leader of thought in the County.
From the close of the war down to his retirement
from the bench on the last day of December 1904,
a period of nearly forty years, he gave himself
to the public service.    Richard H. Alvey was the
eldest son of (ieorge and Harriet Wieklin Alvey.
He was born in St. Alary's County, Md., Alarch
6, 1826, attended the County schools, taught by
his father and at the age of 18 years became dep¬
uty in the office of the  Clerk of the  Court in
Charles County, studying law while he held this
office.    In 1849 he was admitted to the Bar and
early  in  1850  he  settled  in  Hagerstown  whicli
has ever since been his home.    He began the prac¬
tice of his profession in Hagerstown in partner¬
ship with John Thompson Mason and later was in
partnership with AAdlliam T. Hamilton.    In 1851
he was nominated by the Democratic party for the
State Senate, George French being his opponent
on the Whig ticket.    The campaign was animated
and the election was a tie.    Another election was
held and Air. French was elected by a majority of
forty votes.    In 1852 Mr. Alvey was candidate for
Presidential elector and canvassed the State for
Franklin Pierce.    After the Presidential election
of 1860 he was pronounced in his opposition to the
coercion of the South or the denial of their right
to secede.    At a mass meeting in Hagersto"wn he