The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-04-17
Death of Judge Mclean.

The following biographical sketch of the
late Judge Mclean is from the American
Enclyclopedia:
MCLEAN JOHN, LII. D., an American
Judge and Statesman. born in Morris coun-
ty, N. j., March IL, 1875. Four years af-
terward, his father, poor man with large
family, removed to the West, settling first at
Morganstowr, Va. afterward Nicholasville,
Ky, and finally in 1893 in what is now War
rcn county, Ohio Here he cleared farm
upon which he resided till his death, 40 years
later. His son, at the age Of 1S, desiring to
study law. went to Cincinnati, where he
maintained himsalfby writing in the Office
Of the clerk of tha county, while he pursued
his studies under the direction of Arthur st.
Clair. an eminent counselor, the son of the
revolutionary general of that name. In the
spring of 1907 he was married to Miss Re-
becca Edwards, and in the autumn of the
same year was admitted to the bar and COM
menced practice at Lebanon, Warren county,
o. In Oct. 1912. he was elected to represent
in Congress his district, which then included
Cincinnati, receiving a large majority rs a
Democrat in favor Of the war with England,
and supporter of President Madison's Ad-
ministration. In 1914 he was unanimously
re elected, receiving the vote of eve,y voter
that went to the polls In 1915 he declined
to be candidate for the U S. Senate though
his election was certain; and in 1916, the
Legislature of Ohio having unanimously
elected him judge of the Supreme
Court of that State, he resigned his seat in
Congress at the close of the session. He re-
mained upon the Supreme bench of Ohio till
1922, when he was appointed by President
Monroe Commissioners of the General Land
Office. In July, 1923, he was appointed
Postmaster General, the Post Office Depart
ment being then in very dsordered and in
efficient condition Under his administra-
ton this branch Of the public service was re-
stored to order, and managed with a vigor,
method and economy that soon secured an
almost unexampled degree Of applause and
public confidence. BY nearly unanimous
vote, of the Senate and House, the Postmaster
Generals salary was raised from S4, coo to
$4,000 year. John Randolph, who voted
against the increase, said he would vote for
it if the salary could be reduced to its orig
ial amount whenever Judge Mclean went
out Of Office. In 1929, having declined the
War and Navy Department, which was offer
ed to him by President jackson, Judge Nc
Lean resigned the ctiice Of Postmaster Gen.
cral and accepted a seat upon the bench of
the Supreme Court of the United States, en-
tering upon his duties as Associate Justice
at the January term of 1880. In this capac.
ay his charges to Grand Juries while on cir
cult are distinguished for ability and elo-
guencc. One of the most noted of these was
delivered in December, 1888, in regard to
aiding or favoring unlawful military combin-
ations by our citizens against any Foreign
Government or people with whom we are at
peace, with special reference to the Canadian
insurrection and its American abettors. In
the Dred Scott case he dissented from the
decision of the Court as given by Chief JUS
tice Taney, and expressed the opinion that
slavery has its origin merely in power, and
is against right, and in this country is sus-
tained only by local law Judge Mclean
has long been identified with the party op
posed to the extension Of slavery, and his
name was before the Free Soil Convention
at Buffalo in 1S4s as a candidate for nomin.
alton as President. At the Republican Ma
tional Convention at Philadelphia, in 1856,
he received 1876 votes for the same Office to
$50 for Col Fremont At the Republican
Convention at Chicago, 1860, he also re-
ceived number of votes.
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