Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-09-25

myr-JcsTIcg CHASE Never was a
man. with or without judicial training, as
signed a more difficult trust. at more
critical period. than was contided to the
late Chief-Jus,ice by his appointment as
head Of the Judiciary Of the United
States. And few have brought TO the per-
<ovsnancc Of grsve and judicial duty high
or discretion and Grmness. greater ability
and moderation. or sercner self-posses-
sion than he did These enabled him
from the first to fulhll promptly every re-
Iuiremen, OF the position. aud 10 bear
himself as one accustomed to its restraints.
He was at home in the traditional gown
from the day he took his seat, and his
anannsr mas as Of One always. and alto
gether a Judge. .I...
Although Mr. Chase had never claimed
great distinction as lawyer. he had for
many years been regaried'as an able iu-
rist by those acquainted with his profess
sianai career and competent to judge
And being endowed with physical strength
equal TO his mental energy. he was no
sooner commissioned than he entered upon
abe work OF preparation with oil the ap-
'plicntiou Of which he was capable, and
with saarcsolution 10 do honor to The
place. rather than to be honored By it
With this determination be s:udicd the
best models Of Judicial style. fan;liarizcd
himself with any principle Of law his prac-
aice had rot encountered. and mastered
the practice. rules, and decisions of the
s1onpai over wn'rh be was 10 preside
Aud ~ well did he accomplish, the TASK
that the bar Of the court aud his brethren
on the bench were as,onishcd to find his
opinions at once. as one Of the latter has
expressed it, models Of judicial excel
lence." His knowledge of every depart
rent Of the law was discovered 70 be deep
and profound. and his acquaintance with
preccdests wide as the range Of decisions.
This was early rcmarked-so early that
one year after his accession. when the wri-
ter of this paper first became familiar with
the affairs Of the csert. the fact was al.
ready the wonder of,he profession, AMI
the exclamation Of his late political asso-
ciatcs.
II is clear, from n close comparison of
styles. that anlcss nature endowed them
with such similar mental organisations ms
TO bcget in their mi,Nls like processes Of
reasoning. his immediate predecessor.
Chief. Justice fancy. was his chosen mo-
del. and that from, habitual study Of his
works he irhbibed from him d manner Of
judicial composition strikiugly identical
There is in their judicial writings the
sane succ;net statement OF facts. the same
diyrqnsss Up Sealpg vah ,.hs main aaes.
ton IN q case. and care 10 avoid irrelevant
and in.materisl matters suggested in the
argument There Il the same skill in
grouping. and order in arranging the sub
Sec.s Of discussion, and the same faeul,y
81 snarshaiing conclusions. 50 that they
swell aud increase in Momentum az the
opinion proceeds, aud culminate in con-
vincing logic as il cehcluaes. There is
the same elegance Of diciiou, force of ex-
preston. and ease Aed grace in passing
from satjoc: TO subjeet. There is the
same concentration. the same precision
and power. and like abseuce OF abrupt
ness. coarseness. aud incougruiiy. There
is no assertion. no dSclamaiion no pro-
lixity. but. in brief, the presence aud .ab.
senee Of every thing rcquired to make
their opinions exact parallels Of judicial
completeness aud iatsl.ectual mastery.
II is not claimed that tkis, eminent ju-
riss was his special study. admiration. aud
example because hcdid no, end great ex-
ccllencc elsewherc--ist 10 desc would be
10 Go injustice to hix estimate Of others.
and violence 10 truth--<hus beeanse Mr..
Taney's terse. unimsgiuative style pecu.
Gariy recommended itself DO his taste rs q
ior~iblc and compacs form Of expression
for judicial u,terauess. better adapted tc
,he uses Of reason andlssie taasithc more
rhetorical and sh,hellished foru,s. Mar
shall wss also an ideal Of hs of what q
Judge should DC; hat, his s7ore elaborate
aud ssstaphorisai style, haad mol ,he ~ ympa'
,thslie shstp Tor ,tia. which he found il
tLe,siRplss s5ht tboiic -sertsnees, Of Tspey
sad Which are 30 reparksbly .reprodpeet
IN lis yttings,-- Jekn s. Benson. IN Far