Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-06-04
VOL. ). NO. 255
DAILY lIRGINIAN.
Chief Justice Taney.


Roger Brooke Taney is native of Calvert
county IN the state Of Maryland, and was born
on the Eth Of March, l177. His ancestors were
among the earliest settlers of the colony, and
were the Roman Catholic faith. He graduated
Mt Dickinson College. IN IDS; studied law at An
nnpeli~, IN the office of Jeremiah Townley Chase
and heing admitted 10 the bar in 1893, returned
to- his native county 10 practice his profession
lie was elected n member of the House of Dele
gates ut the age of twenty three, and declininpa
recollection removedto Fredericktown, now the
city OF Frederick, whore he continued TWENTY
two yenrs until his removal to Baltimore. He
soon earned for himself n regulations and was ac-
tive ely engaged in the neighboring county courts
and III the court of appeals.
In iSlh; MIR, lnnev WINS elected state senator
IRON Frederick county, aud after serving out the
term fer which he was elected, he again return
ed To the uninterrupted pursuit of his profession
Removing To Baltimore in 1899, after the deaths
OF Martin, Harper. Wnder and Pnckney, he
sto.l with Wm. Wnt, the only remaining repre-
sentative of older members of the profession.
among band of rising lawyers who have since
shed n brilliant lusfre ON the Baltimore bar al.
ways remarkable for learning aud ability.
At this time ho wn- introduced 10 the forum of
the supreme Court where he encounted Webster,
Vert and Emmett. In 1877 he received the ap-
polntment of Attorney General Of MARYLAND from
governor and council opposed to him in poll
tics, ut n time, too, when party feeling ran high
lie enjoyed an extensive practice in the state and
federal courts, and down to tho time Of his ap-
poinmcnt Us Attorney General of the United
States, was engaged in nearly every cause of i'm
portanoo IN the Maryland Court Of Appeals.
In 1881 he came into the cabinet of General
JACK son, as Attorney General. With his course
IN thnt bitter political contest all are familiar-
Ills appointment as Secretary of tho Treasury
was rejected by the Senate, and hero ended his
political lie. In December. 1885, he was nomi-
n"ted ns Chief Justice, aud confirmed after vio-
lent opposition. This office he still udorns.
\ SINGULAR DEIusIoN.-A recent letter from
Paris mentions the death of the Countess do Nal
d'Sny, one of the greatest beauties at the Court
ct Versailles Mt the age of ninety four. The
writer says Ever since the revolution of July
she had shut herself up entirely with the past
III company with her former friends and lovers,
whose actual presence was represented To her
under the form of birds and lap. dogs, the cats
and monkeys, by which she was surrounded
On every other subject but this Pyhagorean
drlnslon, she was perfectly sane shrewd, but
here sho had grown erdiie in the highest de-
gree.
Tho good faith with which she believed in
tho imporsonatlon of her departed friends, the
care sho always took to speak and act towards
Them according to their tastes and habits while
IN lie, was certainly one of the most curious
studies Of human alteration which il could be
possible to behold. IIor adoror tho Cardinal do
RochalL whose soul has passed into tho form of
u large grey parrot always sat ON the arm of
her chair during dinner, and Nj. dc Lrraguais
the beau of the court, who fought two duels for
her sake, plnoed himself upon her shoulders in
the shape of n small brazilian monkey, who GER
talnly at times would be observed to wink his
eyes and look in her face with great meaning
whenever the stupidity Of his rival, the Cardinal
called forth rcprimand from his MISTRESS
Her hotel and garden were filled with her friends
and admirers, and tho airs and graces of the
court of ancient days, which she would exhibit
whlo walking ON the lawn, where she had gath
cred the chlei members of tho arstocracy her
time, were suro to excite either the most hilarious
mlrth, or the most compassionate tears. Her
last request was to have the actor Mole. an old
brown Spaniel buried by her side; but her grand
son has not seen fit to comply with her injunc-
ton. With all her eccentric oddity she was
much cherished among her friends. and much
beloved by Tia" poor. spending the greater part
OF her large income in works of benevolence and
love"