Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-03-10
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sKETLHEs OF PUBLIC MEN.

SKETCHES OF PUBLIC MEN.
letter from gentleman at Washington,
published in the New-York Statesman,
after describing the apartment, &c. for the
accommodation of the Supreme Court Of
the United States, gives the following brief
sketches of all the Judges, excepting Judge
Thompson, whose abilities as jurist, are
satisfactorily evinced by the decisions Of
the Supreme Court of New York, of which
he was for some time the Chief Justice:
Along the tribunal, covered with
green cloth, you see Chief Justice Mar
shall take his seat in the centre. You
think of him as the author of the volu-
minous, authentic, and valuable, but
not elaborate and polished, life of Wash
ington, sooner than as Chief Justice of
the United States. He is now, appa-
rently at the age of about 60, without
any marks of infirmity in his person.
He is large, thick-set and athletick
man, with grave, substantial counte-
nance, of dark complexion, and with
no prominent features. His hair is of
an iron-grey, cut short before, and tied
in club behind. | have hardly heard
him speak, except in interlocutory hui
s,ness, and probably in an under-tone
of voice.-ln his movements, he appears
to manifest much of the Virginia state
illness and dignity of manners. His ex-
ternal appearance indicates him TO be.
what he is in fact, a solid and substan.
tial man, without an extraordinary
share Of genius, taste or elegance.
On his immediate right sits Justice
Washington, heir to the name and es.
tate of his illustrious ancestor, George
1 Washington, of whom he is the ne.
phew. He is now at the age Of sixty
FIVE, with sallow countenance, moi
very strongly marked, but deeply fur.
rowed by the hand of time, and bearing
the marks of infirm health.-He wear:
his dark, uptrosted hair, long, ant
combed back from his forehead. In his
person, he is small, and in no respec
remarkable.-There are not to my
knowledge, any prominent acts Of his
life, either literary, political or judi
cial, which give eminence and form
points upon which the biographer car
seize. If he has erected any memo
rials of his talents and his fame, in hi
public career, they are unknown Il
me, and am therefore unqualified It
speak of his reputation or character.
Next to him on the right, sits Justice
Tod, of Kentucky, of whom know
nothing, except, that ne is dark com
: plexioned, good looking, substantial
man, at the age of about sixty; and oil
the extreme right, Justice Story, o
Massachusetts, has his seat. He is the
: youngest man on the berch. being pro
badly not more than forty-ive. Hi
baldl,ess and his glasses, however, give
: him an older appearance. In person
he is perhaps below the middle size, o
light, airy form, rapid and sprightly ii
his motions, and polished and courtly ii
his manners. His countenance indi
Gates genius, afability, versatility o
thought, and almost any thing but the
fpatient research of the Scholar, and the
gravity and wisdom of the Judge. Ye
he is known to have been laborious
interchangeable, not to say Flooding, stu
dent; and TO be among the first on the
bench for his legal attainments, his lit
erary requirements and general knowl
edge. The precocity OF his talents i:
well known TO the public. AT Il very
early age he published a volume o.
poems entitled, +" Pleasures Of Solitude, >
with the merits of which am not &C.
quainted, not having read it for many
years. With the character of his Spe
cial Pleadings and other legal publica
lions, you are more familiar than my
self. 1t is believed however, that they
are standard works in our courts of law
and are frequently cited as authority
He has also been contributor TO the
North American Review, and some o
the productions Of his pen we have
both admired. He is said to have beer
eloquent at the bar. heard him in ar
important cause many years since, bn
do not recolect much of his manner
Several specimens of his eloquence or