Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1851-11-05
From Graham's Magazine for November.
CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL.

From Graham's Magazine for November.
CHIEF JUSTICE MARSHALL.
BY REV. j.. N. DANFoRTH.
In the history Of nations, especially Of free
republics, there are names which acquire
kind Of political sancti,y, The public mind
venerates them-,he public heart beats with
warm pulsa,ion of gratitude for the services
Of those who bore them. If with great in
tellec,ual ability there is blended amiabe-
ness of temper; if along with vigorous rea-
soning powers there be a certain winning
genIleness of nature, most grateful impress
sion is made upon the observant mind Such
parsonage was Judge Marshall. Virginis
can boast of many gifted, and not few H.
lusuious sons. Not the least among them
was MARSHALL. The particular sphere Of
action which he chose when entering pub
lie life did not admit Of those brilliant ex-
plolts which, as in the case of the success
full warrior, strike the public Imagination and
dazzle The popular eye. He rather selected
a laborious profession, in the practice Of
which the few become preeminent, while
the many do not rise above mediocri,y. 1t
was not his destiny, like that of SCoTT, to
chain victory after victory to bis march, and
thus 10 win swords and medals, but peace
hath her victories, too, and there are civic
wrea,hs for the serene brow of the advocate
and the jurist, as imperisha5le as any that
ever adorned the brow of the conqueror
Nor is the stain of blood upon them. The
tears of the mourner have not wet them. II
The early enthusiasm Of John Marshall, fed
by ths. love Of applause so common TO
youthful minds, prompted him TO turn an
ambitious eye to the field of danger and glory
those aspirations were repressed by pro-
viden,al influence that led him into those
walks through which he was predes'ined Ia
pass TO point Of elevation on which the
whole country should contemplate him as
The ornament and glory of her jurisprudence
II genius may seem to some minds TO be in
vested with dignity superior TO that which
appertBins to industry, the example OF Mar
shall would disprove its claims 10 that dis
slnction. Tha, he possessed genius is not te
be denied. 1t sa. enlhroned in that small
dark eye, brilliant as ''gem Of purest ray
SERENE" refec.ing The holy light of heaven
bu, it was only the impulsive power to .ha
intellect which, necessarily toiling in ,hs
mines of the law, conducted him 10 those
profound discoveries that gave him SO exalt
ed fame, and inspired such confidence ir
his legal decisions. His was thinking.
industrious mind. II must have been so, fol
it did not suit his mode Of professional, and
especially Of judicial action, to quote exlen'
svely from books. To an ornate style, .o
rhetorical excellence he did not prelend-his
Life of Washington sufficiently proves this
Nor, as may truly be affirmed OF Writ, was
he model of the graces Of elocusion. His
voice was too weak, his physical powers
too feeble for efforts in this department. He
never scenes to have cultivated the imaglna-
live powers, because IN them are found none
Of The elements Of demonstration. Abstract
principles were his delight, yet not abstract
in the sense OF being inapplicable to the al.
ring IN the process Of the administration o
justice. For discussing the relations and
dependencies Of various truths he had ma
lural aptitude. His mind steadily penetra.-
ed all their complications. 1t was rather
synthetic than analytic. do not mean
ths, it could not easily resolve compound
subject into its original elements, but that il
preferred broad and comprehensive s'ruc'
lures, where principle would rise on princi-
pie in beautiful proportion and indestruc'l'
BILE frmness. Facts weighed with him as
they afforded the means Of deducing those
principles which were vital and important
A succession Of facts in the history Of ou'
country, especially as connected with bel
progressive settlement, giving rise TO dispu,'
ed claims, which were brought before the
supreme tribunal for final adjudication, Great
ed the necessity of extensive reasonings ant
well-considered decisions, involving the
interests not only of mullludes of indI'
viduals, but Of rising states. Through ma
nv years Of toll did the patient mind o
the chief Justice investigate these subjects
and apply TO them those great principles o
law which are as immutable as the throne
Of justice itself The dignity Of law, the
claims Of justice, the sancity of charters, the
faith of treaties, and the rights of the people
were all nobly vindicated in the lucid argu-
ments and comprehensive judgments of the
illus,rious tribunal over which he was not
only chief justice, bu, chief ornament. We
have often looked with venera,ion on that
distinguished array OF Judges, MARSHALL in
the midst, on either side STORY, THOMPSON,
MCLEAN, BALDWIN, BARBOUR, nearly all
gone to take their place with the h"mbles,
before higher tribunal to which alone could
any appeal lie from their own.
Story lived to compose an eloquent eulo-
gy on his judicial associate, in which with
0reat e,nceritv he ascribes 10 him more viz
tues and fewer faults than commonly fall to
The lot of humanity. His advantages for
knowing The very interior Of his life wele
peculiar, so frequent is the personal in!ima-
cy of the judges. During the court term
they seem separated from The rest of the
world. constituting a conclave by them