Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-08
A series OF Portraits--No. r.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
ROGER BROOKE TANEY.
WAsHrNGroN,

structures need not tell you how tame deolae and un-
Interesting every thing appears ill arises upon the
scene.
II was at what the fashionable people of this place. call
"Soree,a term every way ungracious TO the OF
plain Virginanthat was first made known TO the Ator-
ney General His person tall, slender and feeble He
Is about ity Of age and during the thirty that he
has been at the Bar he has struggled against reiterated
attacks OF disease and continued debility OF frame. In hi.
manner there is nothing finished; such find in
John Wckhan: still is full OF Kindness, and ankness
and beuovoencc and OF concaes your profound
regard. This gentleman Is one OF that small number OF
men, to be found in society," to whom the whole world
inclined to grant every thing they would ask,yho
enjoy the benefit of all the talents and merit they NAV pos
sess and whom mankind desire help forward instead of
pulling them back No matter what point of elevation
such men may reach there always those below them
who will cheer and applaud all their laudabc efforts
tain to still higher round on the ladder of fame They
are men who manifest respect the offspring of
inward feeling for their fellows, which these willing
to repay with than usurious interest They have
much discreon that they seldom ask for what they do
not fairly deserve to rcccvc Their integrity wholly in
corrupiblethcy possess bewitchng moesty and gen
teness of temperher passions hurry them al
most to madness in pursuit of their obecs-;heir natures
recoil from state Of continued hostility their fellow
men.
Mr.. fancy was born in one of the lower counties of
Maryland He removed at early day TO Frederick
ty in his native State where he commenced the practice
Of the Law and stood in the front rank of his profess
soh His early education not extensive that of
others Indeed all can hope for at the present
day, the diffusion, by Of Schools and Collie
ges OF arespcctablc share of instruction in literature
Ia the sciences, among those classes which hold the high
est situations and have the extensive influence i'm
society This is perhaps object of importance to
the public, than the discovery of new truths In almost
all the departments of learning, the elementary doctrines
are OF Tar more practical utility than the absrusc
vestgaions
The Attorney General has never graspcl at TOO much
nor aspred TO eminence in many different departments
He has not suffered his attention to be divided aimed
at the praise OF attainmcnts All that he has been
able TO spare from the abors of the forum, has been
poycd in the acquisition of what for the sake of prcci
sion, is called useful knowledge: and in securing this
kind of knowledge he has passed by the political in
situations OF his own country. know OF man. any
where who looks these institutions with more iumi-
mated Jndgment-wbois more devoted TO their progressive
Improvement, or who better conprehends and reishes
The beautiful philosophy which so be found in them
Ii the Attorney General has been convinced that was
his duty, continually TO inform his memory exercise his
Judgment and enlarge the stock OF his knowledge, it was
that he might the successfully eneratt thereon the
acuteness of the lawyer BY what have here said do
not mean that Mr.. fancy has neglected those pursuits
which are very properly considered essential gem
have heard Mr.. fancy at the bar OF the Supreme
Court Very soon after he commences is apparent TO
the auditor that his mind thinks itse-tha he has pre-
pared himself to argue MS with great labor and
sudy-that in selecting his positions not committed
te SIN either oil carelesness haste. When addresses
the court, he knows that Bench of Judges is creatrf
reason rather than of suscepbiy-that it is 10 be con-
guered argument and notify imprisoned speaking-and
that this kind of discussion suits the codness of judicial
temperamcnts He employs efforts TO strain from the
authorities OF the law, any hidden and refined sense His
eg arguments are models OF clear and powerful
ingrch in law learning, and put together with logical
precision lie is quick in perceivng the aacies of his
opponent and skiliu in reiting them In his pleadngs
there is not the slightest approach to the imagnntve r
the fanciiuto the vehement or mpassioned The sense
Is sound, and is clothed in plain pure ujousl correc,
English. N'''e'
As the Attorney General advances through his aryu-
Iheht' ne gains upon your attention and that of the
cour-he dove tails part into the other YOU see
after while that he is presenting you with close and
mastery legal disquon upon the question made by the
record. y ~
the case permsit, he travels TO the Oldest au-
thorites He TO have read Plowden with the same
una, ged son OF genius now reads of the
wavery novels IL the title TO landed estate be the
subject OF contest he brings up the enacments of the
days of "My Lord Baltimore" This fon,Iness for the
NAKED law, is not uncommon with those who have
pursued it for many And by the way philosophy
cal mind in the quaint style of Plowdcn and his
contemporaries their close and sometimes arbitrary rea
soning ON the question of the Common Law much of
sturdy English character In the enacimcnts the DAYS
OF My Lord Baltimore, the pleader may detect pre-
dominant policy OF those carly times, all the memorials
which rapidly fading away. In the Legislation of
inc Colonies what rich mine of authentic history is 10
oe found-a mine which, as yet, is scarcely sprung
have heard Mr. fancy also before the Jury 1t is on
this theatre that he enjoys all the advantages that gen
era good will for him. to which have already advercd
when he rises IT apparent that he il regarded by the
jurors and the members of the Bar with deep esteem
No'hng can disturb the peculiar equonimty of his
per. His statements of facts perspcuous acci-
rate: His arrangement of them is ielictous His eve
shews him to be exqusely sensible every fine emo
ton But his has no temporary Vaccinations His
audience is not attracted towards him by any lorid but
transient glow of feeling He pracses arts TO add to
his consequence, His style is simple and wholly una
dorned lie enters into ingenious specuations. He
as not saiirist. What, them the elements of that
power which Mr. fancy employs in his addresses TO the
enabled
him to sustain himself long aud successfully before
the public answer-sheer good sense, urged with mas
culine force aud inextingushable spr-combncd with
that "truc ortitudc Of understandings which consists i'm
not suffering what we know be disturbed by what vo
do not knowby his enduring love of ru, and nsicc-
his chvarous hcnor-by universal conviction OF his
perfect fairness and canor Thus part of his ascenIon
cy over men, he owes TO property of a mora nature
ne Attorney General, after pro,gacted and almost cx
elusive pursuit oil The law, has entered the field of
politics. He has always been modest and too proud 70
throw himself rudcy before the public lie met ha,o
known that his talents would last raise him TO situations
OF emnence and dgnyalthough he cannot boast of anv
very high and POSITIVE encouragement held out to genius
Mr. fancy, together with of his come xions and
friends, was attached TO the Federal Party But in the
heat OF those conflicts which were waecd so LONE and so
crcely between Fedcralsts and RcpubIicansnore mar
ticulary in Maryland, such was the Of
ms notives-the moderation of his conduc-and The ILc
raty OF ms sentiments that whilst he cnoycd the con
dcnco oil his friends he the respect of his po
ca' opponents The truth Of this remark is acsed ~,
'ne iac, mat when he was appointed the high station
winch he now occupies, there throughout the whole
populac" of his native State one spontaneous unycrs
expression 81 gmthcdion.-But is at this dav bardI,
worm while 10 speak of the Federal Party eo ,o,,ine
" mum mr. New questions now eupross fI,c n,inds of
our Statesmen When Ajax, cnvelopcd i'm the mist ,,
which Jupiter had surrounded him. asks not FIR HE uC
but only that he might perish in the face of dav Goo
are struck by his bold Indifference TO cverv thing hut Io
ry 30, now, the cry OF here is if we ,ns die l
us perish IN defending tariff for protection! and of o
eTs the constitutional doctrine ,,tIiifcafiony That
tho Attorney General is sincerely devoted TO the cause o
liberty any of any party is most
est wound the rights Of the humbIcst individual f.
bIc for tn ho inf;