The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-05-17

tant trusts. ne consequence WAS w
hunted like fox by the enemy, and enViea
ny'those who oughtSo have been my trends
Twas compelled to remove my family hve
times in few months, and, at last, tiXed
them in little log A,se on the banks OF
the Susouehanna. more than All hundred
miles from this place but safety was not to
be found there, for they were soon oOilSed %
remoye again. on account of the incutslons
of the Indians"
On the twenty eighth of July, liz, he
received from the supreme executive cohh-
Gil. the commission of chief justice OF Penn-
sylyania, and performed the duties OF that
high station with distinguished zeal and II
delity for twenty-five years At the time OF
his appointment, he was speaker OF the
house of assembly, president OF Delaware
and member of Congress.
On the tenth of July, 1871. he was, on the
resignation of the honorable Samuel Hunt
ineton, President of Congress. On the TWEEN
ty-third of October, 1881, the following let
ter was laid before that body by the secre-
tary:
.sS1H, ! must beg you to remind Congress,
that when they did me the honor OF ei'ctlng
me president, and before l assumed the
chair, informed them, that, as chief JUS
tce of Pennsylvania, / should be under the
necessity of attending the supreme court OF
that state, in the latter end of September or
at farthest, in October. The court will be
held to day. l must, therefore, request,
chat they will be pleased to proceed TO the
chce of another president"
Congress accepted the resignation OF MIR.
MKean, but postponed the election Of
president until the next day, when, on no
tion of DR.. Witherspoon, was unanimously
resolved, that Mr.. M'kean be requested to
resume the chair, and act as president, I'M
til the first Monday in November, the rcso-
luton of the previous day, accepting his re
sgnation Notwithstanding. 10 this meas
ure he acceded. On the fifth of November,
the honorable John Hanson was elected pres
ident on the seventh, it was "ReSoived, that
the thank of congress be given to the hohor-
able Thomas M'Kean, late president Of
congress, in testimony Of their appreciation
of his conduct in the chair, and in the exc
cution of public business
Independent Of his principles and conduct,
Mr.. NJ MKean, as chief justice OF Pennsylva-
MIA, performed the duties of his office with
impartiality and infexibilty. During the
progress of the revolution, Philadelphia be-
ing the seat of general government, and an
object of peculiar watchfulness on the part
of the enemy. the just performance Of MIR.
the learning of the lawyer, but the unyield-
ng spirit of the patriot. Proclaiming from
he bench, the law of Justice and his coun-
try with distinguished learning, ability and
integrity, neither fear, nor power, could
bend him from the stern line of duty. ke-
gardless Of the powers Of the crown Of Great
Britain, he did not hesitate to hazard hi,
own life, by causing to be punished, even un
70 DEATH those who were proved TO be trai.
tors to their country
But no popular excitement against individ-
uals accused Of offences, could, in the slight
est degree, divert him from the firm and in
flexible discharge of his public duty. His de.
cision in favor ofSamuel Chapman, Data,
Tehorts, vol j. $50 e,inced the souudness o
his judgment, and the disdain he felt for tht
popular Glamour, excited by the occasion.
His firmncss in the execution of the laws
is eXemplihed by another striking example
In 1878, he issued warrant against Colonc
Robert l.. Hooper Col. Hooper waited ol
General Greene, then quarter-master-g
eral, to inquire whether the circumstance
of the army would admit Of his absence
Gen. Greene, in letter to Mr.. M'Kean
dated Camp, Valley Forge, third June 1873
observed, among other things relative to th
subject, that, a the army was Just on tn
wing, he could not, without great necessity
"conSent" to Col. Hooper's being absent
This direct interference of the military will
The civil authority, reused the official spiri
of the Chief Justice, and occasoned the fol
towing severe, but just answer:
81 do not think, sir. that the absence, sick
ness, CT even death of Mr.. Hooper, could b
attended with such consequence that u
ether tersoD could be found who could CIV
the necessary aid upon this occasion: bu
what attracts my attention the most, is you
observation that yon cannot, without grea
necessity, consent 10 lis beng abScnt. AS t
That, ] shall not ask l2fsr consent, nor tina
Of any other person, IN or out of the army
whether my precept shall be obeyed or na
in Pennsylvania.
i he warrant for the arrest Of Mr.. Hope
being special, no other Magistrate can tax
cognizance theseof but myself The mod
you propose, of giving bail, cannot be adopt
ed, for many reasons.
should be very sorry to find that the e.;
ecution of criminal law should impede til
operations of the army, in any instance; br
much more so, to find the latter impede tn
former"
Mr.. NJ Kean industriously devoted himse
tothe discharge ofthe duties Of chief ustc
until the year 1893, when he was electe
governor of the commonwealth of Pennsy
yania. In all the qualifications of Ii
Judge, it may, without hesitation, be saic
that be had but few equals in this,