Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-10
THE GAZETTE.
PERSONAL TRAITS OF JOHN MARSHAL
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE 10, 1859.

coat of, under the trees. Affection was
added to admiration, that was all. All ieit
what the bitter orator of Roanoke did, When
he said. in the old convention OF ls29, II
know the goodness of his heart too well to
have supposed it possible that he could have
intended to give me pain. Sir, l believe
that like my Uncle Toby he moaid not
ecen hurt a fy." He never wounded any
BODY, | believe. in all his life. One who
knew him well-a man whom l loved and
respected as / never loved or respected any
other man on earth, known in life, or read
of mean nv father-told me that this
kindness and sweetness of nature was so
delightful that it was like going into sun
shine to enter the presence of MARSHALL
His b%onhommie was perfect, and endeared
him to old and young A thousand anec-
dotes are told of it, as of his simplicity. A
gentleman informed me not long since that
his father, when a boy, had been a clerk in
one of the courts, and one day was sent round
to the Chief Justices house with a bundle
Of law papers, He was a mere youth at the
time, q copyist in the Office, aud his juve-
nile mind had been oyershadowed by the re-
pown and dignity Of the Chief Justice. He
therefore approached the square old mansion
on Marshall street with something very like
awe, and knocked at the door-there was no
bell-with no little apprehension of the
parsonage whom he Was about to see. The
Judge came to the door himself and vel
coined him into his study with a smile, max
ing him sit down while he examined the pa
pers. This ceremony performed, the awful
parsonage turned upon the boy, whose fears
had not departed. The lips of the great
functionary opened, he stretched out his
hand, and uttered the terrible words, 'Iour
name is Jimmy H, is it not, my boy?'
.'Yes, Sir" faltered the youth. "WeH Jim
MI" continued the Chief Justice. rising with
a~lacrity, "let as 90 into the back yord and
hare a qame of marbles!" And the game
was played accordingly: which triumphed
did not hear. Other anecdotes are better
known, but one or two may be briefly rela-
ted. as adding to the picture which wish to
present. 1t has always been a habit of many
gentlemen of Richmond to 60 to market
themselves, and sometimes to carry home
their W baskets of provisions. Judge Mar
shall pursued this course frequently. and he
might often be seen returning at sunrise
from the 'NOld Market" to his house on Shoe
ket of vegetables in the other. One morn
ing at the market a young fashionable who
had lately removed to the city was heard
swearing violently. He could hire no one to
carry home a turkey which he had pur-
chased. In the midst of his profanity a
plainly. clad old countryman, apparently.
approached and asked where he lived
The young man Informed him, and his reply
was, THAT is my way, and will take it for
YOU" He accordingly took the turkey; the
young gentleman strobe before and they soon
reached the house, whereupon the fashionable
took out his purse and said negligently, What
shall / pay?" "Oh, nothing Sir" was the
reply; "ycu are quite welcome; it was on my
way, and no trouble" " it'll which words
the plain old man bowed, and continued his
way. The other paused and looked after him;
there was something in the bow and the smile
which struck him. "Who is that old fellow
who brought my turkey homer" he asked of
an acquaintance passing. "The Chief JUS
tice of the United States" was the answer;
land he brought home your turkey to give
you a reprimand, and learn you to attend to
your own business" Such is the anecdote.
which is entirely true-an actual occurrence.
That the good Judge, however, did it to re
primand" the youthful gallant, / do not be-
lieve. 1t was more probably the resultof his
kindly and obliging nature. which prompted
him to serve the least amiable of his fellow
creatures. doubt if he would have cared to
be recognized beneath his plain garb. This
plainness more than once stood in his way,
and l shall present a single other anecdote
upon the subject.
One morning, after commencing the prac-
tice of the law, he was strolling along Main
street, or, as they called it then, Brick Row."
dressed in q linen roundabout, knee-breeches
of the same material, and cotton stockings.
He was eating cherries from a straw hat
which he held under his left arm, and stop
ped in the front of the old Eagle Hotel"
the scene of the great La Fayette rejoicing
in 1924, to chat a moment with the landlord.
After laughing and talking for some minutes,
he passed on, and the landlord turned to a
Mr.. P, from the country, who had come
TO town to engage counsel in a great suit, and
told him that the youth was Mr.. John Mar.
shall, whom he had advised him that morn.
ing to employ. Mr.. P, who had fully
intended to call and retain the young lawyer,
now revolted from such an unprofessional
looking character. He determined not to
employ him; and going to the clerks office,
asked him to recommend an able advocate
The reply was "John Marshall" as before;
and again the devourer of cherries, in n linen
roundabout, was declined. At the same
moment Mr.. v, q most dignifed oldlaw-
yer in a black coat, powdered wig, with an air
Of great learning and profoundly. entered,
and Mr.. P, charmed with his appearance
engaged him Immediately. Court met, and
another case came on first, and Marshall and
Mr.. V-encountered, to the complete over
throw of the latter. The inferiority of the
powdered wig and black coat to the wearer
of the roundabout and straw hat, was so per-
fectly obvious that Mr.. P-went to Mar
shall, apologised for his doubts, which he
frankly confessed, and retained him to assist
in his case. Marshall smiled and acquiesced,
but had his laugh and his Joke at the danger
oftrusting to powdered wigs and not the brain
beneath.
OF his kindness, let me tell, lastly, q little
circumstance which happened in Culpeper
as he passed through once. He met MIR.
s., an old army comrade, and found him
much distressed by an impending debt. He
must have $4,000, or he was entirely ruined,
and his house sold over his head. Marshall
said nothing at all, but, on going away, left
q letter with one of the family, for Mr.. S
That gentleman opened it and found a check
for the $4,000 which he needed. But his
sensitive nature revolted at the apparent
begging of his guest. He spurred after Mar