Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-02-17

leading personages Of the Supreme Court, and OF
the Senate us the United states:-
WASHINGTON. Feb l.
Every individual who visits the city of Wash
inston for the first time brings with him cata-
Iogue Of questions, for the solution OF which eve
~ elbow neighbor is troubled. The trumpet OF
fame with its noisy blast has awakened his curl.
osity; and hundred names hang on his lips for
which he seeks locality. ! obtained an answer
to nv catalogue soon after my arrival, but am
every day put to the task OF answering the very
same. The keepers Of the Rotunda have print.
ed explanations of the paintings hung up on the
wall. respectfully suggest that the Sergeants
at Arms to the House and Senate have permis-
sion to label the great men IN the northern and
southern wings Of the capitol; and that the Clerk
of the Supreme Judicial Court be ordered to hang
over the heads Of the honorable Judges their re-
spective appellations. If you 80 into the supreme
Court at IL o'clock. YOU will soon see coming in
tall. spare, slow-moving antque-dressed, pa
triarcha man, the honorable relic Of another age.
dispensing courteous but dgnifed salutations. to
whom every eye is directed. Who s'thaf? is
the question that every stranger puts into your
ear. at is Chief Justice Marshall" The eye
of every inquirer brightens at the answer, if he
has any sensibility, and strains itself for keen
-er look. One feels flush of pride that he has
seen this venerable man, whom Unsuitable Time
must in the natural course of life, soon take to
his grave. The very look is sort Of intangible
bequest for posterity. Well. the other Justices
are in, and soon put on their silk robes.
The members of the bar. such members as Ser
yeant, Writ, Webster, Ogden, &c. soon gather
round: and BY and by. one Of the Judges begins
to read the decision of case in quavering, fee
BILE and weakened tones that age has evidently at
fected. You can barely distinguish them across
theroom. Another stranger puts TO you the ques-
ton, acho is that? 1t is the same Chief Justice
MARSHALL Every individual to whom have
made this reply under such circumstances, seems
10 have been aroused from a trance. What,
think they. that Chief Justice Marshall! There
is associated with his reputation of great logical
power and acute discrimination something. know
no, what. that the stranger expects to find indi-
Gated by the voice. Voice, it has been said, and
I believe il in part. is the index of the mind
That Chief Justice Marshall then should not BIZ
heard distinctly that old age should have shatter.
ed his voice and and left his mind unimpared,
and that man, with such voice, should be the
very first man in America, and among the first
in the world for keenness Of intellect-all in.
tellect, as il is now!-l aver ia something that
puzzles me as well as every body else.
My stranger by this time having seated himself
in my neighborhood, proceeds-" And who is that
man to the right of the Chief Justice bald head
ed, dodging his spectacles up and down, and NOV
ins IN his chair for the right and eft-who looks
so zealouslv, and who hates to sit stI?" "That
is Justice story And who is that on his right
the young looking man, with bony figure,
projecting nose, a marked cOuntenance, with un-
graceful aud rather rustic motions. features indi
eating strong ruugh mind and high passions,
and with look saving he had rather be some
where else than there3'' =. Tha: is Justice M.
Lean" "And who is that on the left Of Judge
Marshal. with head siver'd DER with age
motionless-thoughtful- features indicating
mind well disciplined rather than mighty by
uature-with round face and a retreating fore
head.' THAT is Justice Duval."@ And " who
is that grey-headed man on his left, whom can
not see distinctly, as the light is so reflected by
the window in the rear!'' e 1t isJustice Thomp-
son." And '.who is that middle aged man on
the extreme left, with large figure, active eve.
contriving c0untsuance, and a sort Of question
able facet" sit is Justice Baldwin" Here the
inquirer finishes. as the six benches have been
run over, the seventh beinS vacant as yet owing
to The indsposition Of Justice Johnson:
Next lawyer rises to speak. Perhaps it is a
man ofsmal stature. not six feet. who has so lit
tle oulk that you fancy he has no right to be in
this great Areopagus OF our country-but
who has an AIR and manner SO imposing, with
an eye so speaking. aud mouth so express
sively ,curved, as to provoke every body to in
auire his name. "That IS John Sergeant" "What
that little man John Sergeant, the candidate for
Vice President?' "Yes add if you hear him ar
que his cause aud see his eve kindle. and mark
the grasp of his intellect, you viii soon learn that
mind 10 not proportioned to body" Blu, there
is one face here, whose physiosnomica indica-
tons puzzle me grievously. | see large sized
man, with eoncave-looking good na,ured phiz.
tearing brother lawyers arguments all to pieces
and pouring forth profundity Of learning and
metaphysical law. And all this too from man
whose countenance. the forehead excepted. indi.
Gates any thing else than intellect-but, perhaps
ought also to except little uneasiness in the
eye, often expressive Of acute powers. But this
man il the great Mr.. OgdeC Of New York. One
case more and leave the Court, for the great
questions of constitutional law, the rights of
States, corporations discussed in technical