Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
Green Glt. freeman
MONTPELIER VT.
Thursday Morning, April Is, 1861.
Judge Mclean.


Judge Mclean, whose death we briefly an
nounced last week, has occupied SO large a
space in the public life Of this Country, and
been so long connected with its political and
legal history, that the following sketch of his
life, which we abbreyiato from a contemporary,
will not seem out of place in our columns
Judge John Mclean, LII. D., who died on
Thursday morning, at Cincinnati, OHIO, at the
age OF seyenty-slx years, was born in Morris
County, n. j., March II, 1888. Four years
alterward, his father, Il poor man with a large
family, removed to the West, settling first at
Morgansuown, Va, afterwards near Nicholas
vile, Ky, ana finally in 1899 in what is now
" warren County, ONO. Here lie cleared a
farm, upon which he resided TIL his death, for
ty years later. His son, at the age Of eighteen,
desiring to study law, went to Cincinnati,
where he maintained himself BY writing in the
office Of che Clerk Of the County, while be per.
sued his studies. In tie Spring If 1907 be
was married, and in tie Autumn u the same
year was admitted t. the blr, and commenced
practice ut Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio
In October. 1872, hr was elected to represent in
RtIElAHo MS Aleh lAAf NIAAu liNi
%cinnati, receiving a large majority, as a Demo
crat in favor Of the war with England, and a
supporter Of President Mldisons Adminlstra-
ton. In 1874, lie was unanimously re elected,
receiving the vote Of every clector vino went to
the polls In 1873, lie declined to Be a caudl-
date for The United States Senate. though his
election was certain and in 1916, the Legisla-
turc Of Ohio having unanimously elected hun a
Judge Of the Supreme Court Of the State, lie
resigned his sat in Congress at the close Of the
session. lie remained upon the Supreme Bench
OF Ohio till 1872, when he was appointed by
President Monroe Commissioner OF the General
Land Office. Ia 1898 he was appointed Post.
master. General. Under his administration this
branch Of the public service was restored to or
der, and managed with a yigor, method, and
economy that soon secured an almost uneXln
pied degree Of applause and public confidence.
by u nearly unanimous VOC Of the Senate and
House, the Postmaster Generate salary was
raised from S.. 600 to So 900 a year. John
Randolph, who voted against the Increase, said
he would vote for it if the salary could be re
duced to its original amount whenever Judge
Mclean went out Of Office In 1929, Judge
Mclean resigned the office Of Postmaster. Gen
~'"Ai ohN HNNNf W. u o-hb UpOu AIe btuNI VI
the Supreme Court Of the United States, enter
ing upon his duties as Associate Justice at the
January Term OF 1890. Ia this capacity lis
charges to Grand Jurlcs while on circuit are
distinguished for ability and eloquence. One
Of the most noted Of these was delivered in De
cember, 1898, in regard to aiding or %favoring
unlawful military combinations by our citizens
against any foreign Government or people with
lion we are at peace, with specia, %feierence to
the Canadian instruction and its American
abettors. In the bred Scott case he dis.ented
from the decision Of the Court as given by
Chief Justice fancy. and expressed his opinion
that Slavery had its origin merely in power,
and il against right, and in this Country is
sustained only by local law Judge Mclean
has long been identified with the party opposed
to The extension Of Slavery, and lis name was
before the Frce-Sol Convention at Buffalo, in
1919, as a candidate for nomination as Plesi
dent. At the Republican National Convention
at Philadelphia, in 1856, he received one hun
bred and nlnety.six votes for the same Office, to
three hundred and ffty-nine for Col. Fremont.
At the Republican Convention at Chicago, il
1860, he also received a number Of votes.