Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-03-05

sophie and salubrious habit, suPeradded 10 pro-
per method in the distribution 81 his ime' III
urnaliy, enabled him well to execute all MS au'
ties, and vet enjoy all his reereations. no
wonder such department and the ripe fruits OF
self.acouired attainments, OF the soldier, ei.i-
zen. LAWYER and companion, should be apprcei-
a,ed by the correct judgment Of public and Pri-
ya,e citizens in Richmond, and throughout VIZ
GINA. More especially too, where there e1,
is,ed no alloy of vice; nor even the oiemisn oi
an irrasible temper; besides these great mega
tive advantages, the modesty with whlch he
wore The civic honors which then began 10
thicken over him, was such an embel!ishmeh.
Of his public character, as disarmed ehV! anu
cherished good will. II is not Our fault that
his true history looks SO much like Panegyrlc:
but we sincerely think that no intelligent man
can have the opportunities that we had, with
out discovering in his character the union OF
well balanced mind with the most frank SIM
piicity Of manners, unspotted probity and high
minded honor. We thought then, and we think
now, that SELDOM have SO many amiabie and
valuable qualities met together, in one person;
that seldom have virtues and attainments been
better blended than in John Marshall. For II
we consider him in private life, we shall Ind
few more worthy Of our affections, and II in
public, none more worthy OF our respect. iis
mind and manners never fail TO attract and win
the regard, even Of strangers, who accidenty
approach him. Indeed his gentleness, arising
from an exemplary ful6lment Of all the "chari-
ties Of father, son and BROTHER" seemed dit
fused throughout his temperament, and is ma
infested in such amenity, towards even common
acquaintance, every heart alive to the impress
sions Of goodness, becomes more attached to
him by afec lion, than by any bond OF authority,
interest or fear.
John Marshalls's pre-eminent capacity has
never been questioned: Nature has been liberal
to him. She granted him the rarest gift Of hea-
ven to mortals-the faculty Of darling, as IT
were, ntui,ively into the depths OF truth; dis
solving all,he mis,s of ambiguity and confusion;
irradiating perplexity, and separating ideas the
most entangled. His knowledge also OF men
and their affairs in free communities, has GER
tainly been supplied by much intercourse with
kindred minds, as well as by extensive research
and signal opportunities. Besides having been
early employed in local legislation, we know
that he had been military officer, and law
yer in extensive practice. 1t is now rerollec,ed
also, that he was leading member of that il
lustrious Convention, in which Madison, Pen
dleton and small maority'of all the great men
in Virginia, IN 1887, accepted and fixed the
constitution of the United States. Under that
constitution, ten years afterwards, he became
representative to Congress. BY the first Pre-
sident he was nominated in even,tul times an
Envoy 10 great Nato"; by the second, Secre-
.ary Of State; and, ultimately and most happily,
Chief Justice Of the United States By ar &C
ceptable discharge Of so many diversified AMI
imposing functions, his power, originally I'M
common, became improved, ripened ard per
fected More especially as great diversity OF
employment must probably have sharpened has
penetration in that all-important brarch Of mo-
raj science, knowledge OF the genius Of free
States, and the character both OF our people and
their representatives, Happy opportunities
valuable Improvements. For during The past
twenty years, questions have been drawn into
discussion in the upper tribunals OF this coun-
TRIVIAL to its integrity as confedera'ed nation
No doub; the settlement of such Questions
requires double potion of prudence, which a
grea, deceased statesman abroad considered the
god of this lotcer UorH. Great Jurists are, in.
deed, the great lights Of every free nation
They personally purify the Temple Of Legisla'
tion.-They hold in equilibrium the sacred
scales of Justice; and when IN such scales, state
Rights and Sovereign,ies are 10 be- weighed, and
national controversies adjusted, surely Judica-
ture itself can admit Of no lof,ier function. Yet
SUCH mas DcSfl lDt SOUHUSICc VI pSO-
pie in the ability and integrity of their highest
Court, that potent States and turbulent parties,
have again and again soquiested in decisions
irritating TO their pride and repugnant to their
loo al NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and events pregnant
with political benefits gCeat and polished
communities, by exhibiting the efficacy of mo-
raj influence enthroned upon the ruins of ultima
ratio regum, which has enslaved mankind
The moral influence Of Washineton's unparal-
Ieled character during his energetic and mo-
mentous life, PROVED The sheet anchor Of our
fluctuaiug vessel Of state. Since the loss Of the
utility Of that immense counierpoise to faction,
it is in vain for superficial leaders 10 deny, that
such needfd freight in This east confederocy, has
been eaefy supplied by the aiSdom Of the DEGREES
Of the Supreme Court Of the United States. And
the truth of this Grafton, which will be de-
veloped and demonstrated by historians Of
the next century, affords even now the best eu-
logy Of our Chief Justice. Such in briefs John
Marshall, one Of the grea, lights in the upper
region Of American Jadiea,u Long may he
continue such-cise and ,ceil-annually seated
as he now is, on the bench Of our Supreme
Court in Washington. Although now passing
down the vale Of years, long may he yet bless
and adorn and illuminate his country. BY the