The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-30 00:00:00

MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR. MARCY.

William L. Marcy was born at Sturbridge,
Worcester county, Massachusetts, December 12,
1786. His parents were in comfortable circum-
stances and gave him a good education, which was
cempleted at Boston University, whence he gra
duated with honour in 1808. He soon after set-
tled in Troy as a. lawyer, but devoted himself
mainly to politics, which were then beginning to
be of absorbing interest. Imbued with the poli-
tical faith of Jefferson he ardently supported the
policy of which President Madison and Governor
Tompkins were the leading exponents. He ar-
dently supported the declaration of war against
Great Britain, volunteered to serve in said war,
and is said to have captured a British flag in some
skirmish on our northern frontier. We believe,
however, that his services in council were deem -d
more valuable than any be could render in the
field. In 1816 he was appointed Recorder of Vie
city of Troy, but identifying himself with the
" Buektail" opposition to Governor Clinton he
was removed in 1818. In 1821 the Bucktails
acceded to power on the election of Governor
Yates, and made Mr. M-ircy, Adjut.nt-General,
from which poet he was transferred to the more
responsible one of Controller in 1823. He there-
upon removed from Troy to Albany, which
city be has ever since considered his home. He
soon became a member of the famed " Albany.
Regency," an association of able and energetic poli-
ticians, by whom the politics of our State we-e
mainly directed for a number of years. In 1829
he was appointed a justice of our Supreme Court,
and in 1831 transferred thence to the United
States' Senate, wherein he served with distinction
until the close of 1832, when be was elected
Governor over Francis Granger, at the same time
that General Jackson was re-chosen to the Presi-
dency. In 1834 his re-election for Governor was
opposed by William H. Seward, but he was re-
elected, as he had been first chosen, by abo:it
12,000 majority. In 1836 he was opposed by
Jesse Buel, whom he beat by nearly 30,000 maje-
rity. In 1838 be was supported for the fourth
and last time, but was for a second time opposed
by W. H. Seward, who was now elected by ovi-r
10,000 majority after a most spirited contest.
The election now turned on the financial policy
which had culminated in the specie circular, suh-
treasury, and introduction of small bills ; and we
b lieve there is no dispute as to the fact that Go-
vernor Marcy, while he had heartily co-operated in
the war on the United States' Bank, would havech;-
sen to stand aloof from these measures of quasihesti-
lity to the State banks. He has not since been acan-
didate for copular election. Governor Marcy re-
turned to office in 1845, on the accession of Presi-
dent Polk, who appointed him Secretary of War.
We believe it to be generally conceded that he dia-
-1 charged the duties of this important post with
energy and marked ability, and that he signaly
contribu- ed therein to 'the general vigour and suc-
cess of the war on Mexico. He retired, of course,
with his superior, on the accession of General
Taylor to the Presidency. He had supported Gen.
Cws for President in 1848, without sundering h's
personal relations with the Van Buren'', Cambre-
ling, Dix, and other leaders of the Free-soil Demo-
cracy, and he became an early and efficient negota-
tor for that reunion of the party which was so com-
pletely consummated in the contest of 18i2. Gen.
Pierce, on assuming the Presidency, offered him the
portfolio of the State Department, which he ac-
cepted, though his tastes and pursui-s had hitherto
led him away from the field of foreign po-
litics. Probably, no greener Secretary of State
ever entered upon the duties of that post ; yet
few or none ever filled it more effectively. Seve-
ral of his State papers will long be treasured and
admired, and he may be said to have reflected hon-
our even on the administration of General Pierce
—as achievement to which few men would have
proved equal. That he was its g, sod genius was
very generally realised. That he never approved
nor countenanced the violation of the Missouri
Compact is beyond dnubr, ; and this is all the
foundation there ever was fur the Southern report
that he was about to join the " Black Republi-
cans." Had he yielded to his natural impulse in
1854, resigned his seat in the Cabinet, and placed
himself at the head of the opposition to Douglas's
Nebraska policy, he raieht, perhaps, have died
President of the United Stites. But Governor
Marcy was .:rained in that, mi-taken political school
which holds it better to be wrong in the Democra
tic party than right out of it, and he lived and died
in conformity with that error. In person, Gover-
nor Marcy was tall and strongly built, though
stooping in his gait, with a bead and face which
bore uumistakeably the stamp of power. His
manners were frank and unceremonious. We be-
lieve be leaves a widow and children.—New York
Tribune.

A FRENCH REDPATH.—Tae Court of Assizss of the
Diiubs was on Friday and Saturday occupied in trying
M. Monnot, cashier of the branch of the Bank of France
at Besancon, for embezzlement and forgery; and M
Vital Preval, banker in that city, as his sac implies.
The case excited great :interest. Monnot, it appeared,
who is the son of Baron Monnot, a distinguished colo-
nel in the army of Napoleon 1., was in 1841 appointed
cashier of -the branch bank established at Besan-
con. Unlimited confilenee was placed in him, and
he was charged to receive all the Fume paid in, to
effect all payment., and to keep the accounts. Some
Mme back it was discovered that for 10 years he had
been in the habit of committing embezzlements, and that
their total amounted to the enormous sum of 420,0001. ;
also that he bad falsified his accounts, and fabricated or
suppressed receiptl and other documents, so as to disguise his frauds. The greater part of this sum he had
employed in carryizig on a bank in the name of his
wife, who had been a wile. ',weed Prevel, awl ou her
death, which t,,ok place in 1853, in that of her son, the
other accused ; aril it was alleged that this young mass knew perfectly well that the smug su
in-law ware not honestly c‘,Ene b pplied by 11.14 fatner.
y ; also tiat he (Preyel)
had spent a not inconsiderable portion of them
in keep.
ing a mistress and horses, sod that he had indulged m
.exravagatit luxury. Thejary aequMed Prevel and con-
vioted Moimoro though with extenuating circumstances.
The court sentenced Om to eight years' hard labour,-..