The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-26
CHIEF JUSTICE TANEY.
His Character, Opinions and Idlosy"'
crasies-A Talk with his Biogrnpner.

His Character, Opinions and Idiosy"
crasJes-A Talk with his Biogrnpher.
aSwede, " the lively Washington correspond
ant of the Cincinnati Commercial, in lette
dated the I'd, gives the following account OF
recent interview with Mr.. Samuel Tyler: tn
biographer of Chief Justice Taney:
JUDGE TANEY's CIRCUMSTANCES.
"Was Judge Taney rich, Mr.. Tyler? ?"
stNo, sir, always poor. His daughters a
this day live upon copying reports and paper
from the Department Of the interior. ON
OF them. I believe, lis unmarried; another 1
widow. They sre in as nearly state
of indulgence as I care to classify ladle:
30 tenderly reared. The Judge hlmsei
said to me, during the wor, that ne lament
ed his narrow means, because ,,,5 ne Huny nn,
ed to take another newspaper, and cou;d mo-
afford it. His birthplace was on the ChesS'
neeke Bay. below Annapolis, and his grand
PARENTS were English Catholics, who settled II
This country about 100. You know that MS
pnblic offices were Attorney General OF Mary.
land, Secretary Of the Treasury, ana, AT ias. tSa
Chief Justice He has often told me thai me
first was the only Office he ever coveted. HIS
pride of State was very strong. He loved
MARYLAND, and wished to be inferred at trede-
rick. where hespassed the majority of his prl-
vate life."
0AQQ he lE DurleQ CQeTe.
"Yes sir beside his wife, who was the Sis
ter of Francis Scott Key, author OF the star
Snanqled Banner" There it has been pro-
posed to erect monument to his memory.
There lie all the members Of his family whom
he loved in his lifetime. There, Sir, met tne
Chief Justice first, one OF his townsfner'
JUDGE TASEY's IDIosYcCRAsIEc.
"What papers did he take, sir? You have
alluded to his love Of contemporary reading.
II. V<r1y National
Intellipencer. the Globe, the Edinburgh. North
British, Quarterly and Westminster KeTlews,
and the London Times, regularly down to his
death. Heread every article IN them also'
ssWas he much Of q reconteur? -,
sYes, upon subjects disconnected Wltn DIM
self; but being Chief Justice he seemed TO
hold his personal affairs in jealous regard, pc
inc fearful that they might become public,
and so compromise his professional Opinions.
TO me, even, whom he had selected to write
his life, IL found it worthy enough, he would
seldom talk upon those concerns whicn was
curious to know"
Chief JusticeT
tIn 1896. sir. There never was country 80
fortunate in it's Chief Justices as the United
States. The TWO terms OF Marshall and Taney,
put together, extend over sixty years..
''Taney had not literary Abilities IKE MAT
shall 2"
" devoted lawyer, who refused to- express
Opinions, literary or otherwise, which might
seem TO obtain the sanction Of the name OF the
Chief Justice, and, although he read much, he
seemed to make an effort to compress his
mind and utterances into legal channels mere
". and looked upon his court with an eye SIN
gle. Efforts were made to drag him into po-
ing the uglas-Brechnridge campaign"
stWhat case was that, Mr. Tyler Z"
t.Well sir, one Mr. Hughes OF Hagerstown,
sn intimate friend Of Judge Taney, wrote to
the Judge in the heat Of that political cam
paign, saying that it was affirmed all through
himself in favor Of Mr.. Douglas for the Presi-
dency, Consequently the Irish Catholic voters
we're going pell-mell for MIR. Douglas. And
Mr., Hughes, who believed the contrary to be
the predictions OF the Chief Justice, wrote to
the latter for permission to deny that he had
expressed himself in support Of the Little
Giant, as he was called"
'sWhat did the Chiet Justice reply?"
'sHe wrote, in o letter, which possess, to
this effect-very nearly in these terms:
"'Sir am Chief Justice Of the United
States. As such, since the year 1886 have
never cast votel never permit any retainer
or under oficeholder Of mine to converse with
me upon candidates and their prospects. l
never give su7ice of fonGer service, voluntarily
pg inyoiuntarily upon any side. And so partlc-
f1ar am !, sir, that my name shall never Sp-
pear, with my consent, appended to any poll
tics, that refuse to permit you to deny that L
am for or against anybody at this juncture. Ii
any man has affirmed anything on the credit
OF my name, hold to my neutrality 30 tena-
ciously that refuse to let my name be used
hoodlh
aThere were probably other instances Of his
Y,olitica1 peutraljty 2"
"Yes. Irecollect that at one time the mar
shal Of his court, being stout partisan, want
ed to go to the polls in his official capacity, to
keep order, for the Democrats were hard
pressed, and required both physical and ofi-
cial aid. The Chief Justice said to him, MIR.
Marshal - he always gave every man his
official term, and insisted upon being entitled
to his ewn name officially, in like manner; MIR.
Marshal, you can go to the polls, sir, like every
citizen, but if you go as the marshal of my
court, you go at your perll'
BIS ooURAaE-HIs VIEWS ON SLAVERY.
"Was Judge Taney man of courage ?"
seYes, he could have died in the fire for o
principal. He was feeble, but q fearless man.
Somebody once asked to introduce John Ran.
dolp, of Roanoke. 4 am told said the Chief
Justice, 'that MIR. Randolph is in the habit of
insulting people fami!iarly. cannot know
any such charac er, sir Y
"Did Chief Jus..ce raney desire that slavery
should continue 2"
s'Why, sir, he gave the very best proof of
the contrary; for, though poor, he manumitted
all his negroes, and left his family, without
money or servants. Some time ago was ap-
piled to by nobleman, from Europe, for q
largo picture of Judge Taney, and found that
the only copies remaining we're marked as set
apart for his faithful. living slaves, -
and -"
In what pertained to his office, Judge Taney
was uncompromising, reserved and judicial, but
he was democratic as savage before his God.
At Frederick he used to wait in the rain out
side the Catholic Church till the priest was
ready to caH him to confessional.
The priest said, one day, "Judge Taney, you
need not wait among these Irish and negroes.
You can go into my Office, or be confessed inn
mediately."
''No, sir, said the Chief Justice, 'sI will take
my turD."
This man, with such alleged traits, defended
by Judah P. Benjamin against such lions OF
debate as outroared the accusers Of Warren
Hastings, will still have for the chiei epitaph
upon his long life:
"He ,orote the Dred Scott decision"