Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-09

! III Is DlOt on our national character,
and every real lover Of freedom conf
IDENTITY hopes that it will be eiiectually,
though it must be gradually. wiped
away. and earnestly looks for the
means by which this necessary object
may be best attained" The jury, af-
ter being out only few minutes, re-
turned with verdict of not guilty. A
report of the trial was at once pub
lished, with Il letter from Mr.. Grubcr,
IN which he says: IL hope. while
keep my senses, shall consider inrol-
untary, perpetual slarery. miserable in
justice; system of robbery and
theft
just at the close of the war Tin
1870, Mr.. Taney was elected by com
mon consent member of the Senate
Of Maryland, and served out his term
of five years with great advantage TO
the State, and apparently with much
satisfaction 10 himself His biogra-
pher tells US he was not fond of public
life. and did not much value or seek
after political honors. Without this
assurance. and judging solely from the
facts OF his life, we should have infer
red exactly tue contrary. Neverthe-
less, we must admit that these facts
are consistent with higher love for
his profession, and that he rose stead
iiy 10 the highest position at the bar
IN ms native State. lie had become
supporter of General Jackson for
the Presidency, and he was in ls2. ap-
pointed Acknowledgement of Mary
land. Ihis appointment was made by
GOV hent, warm supporter of the
administration Of Mr.. Adams. IL con-
ierred upon him considerable power
and influence, and it imposed upon
him heavy burden of hard work. work
which he performed with ability and
unilagging industry.
When the cabinet of Gen. jackson
| broke up, in 1881, some two wears after
his inauguration and under rather sim
gular circumstances and influences, Mr..
fancy was appointed Attorney-Gener-
al of the United States. and thus came
into association and friendly relations
with one of the most remarkable men
ever chosen to the Presidency. With
out gong into particulars, it is clear
that his appointment was suggested
and brought about through the inau-
ence of his friends, and that he after
wards won the confidence of Jackson.
Martin Van Buren, did the same thing.
And yet these two men, of about equal
powers and with same points Of re-
5eEfip fRpftil Up ftile YsSf siib'sfratuiR 81 enaf0l:
ter. and they were both utterly unlike |
the old hero of New Orleans, whose in- .
flexible will appears everywhere as the /
chief element, the main strength OF his
nature.
Every one knows the steps Of Ia f.
neys advancement how President T.
Jackson waged war on the United /,
States bank how the bank used its I
means, its peculiar weapons Of oiense |
without scruple or conscience how the /
President resolved on the removal of |
the United States deposits to the State |
banks how his Secretary of the Treas !
ury, William J. Duane, refused TO 4
make the order TO that effect how I
jackson removed him at once and ap- /
pointed fancy in his stead; how the |
latter Immediately made the order, APP
pointing certain State banks as the |
repositories of the public fund: how
this act was justified in the Presidents |
message TO Congress, and criticised by /
that body; how the appointment of |
the new Secretary OF the Treasury was
sent 10 the Senate for confirmation,
and instantly rejected by that body, !
and how Mr.. fancy thereupon resign
ed the Office and went home TO Balti- |
more, political martyr, as Mr.. Van
Buren, came home from England.
Early in 1885, a vacancy happening
on the bench of the United States Su-
preme Court. the President at once
nominated Mr.. Taney for the place,
and the nomination was ''indefinitely
postponed" The war of parties went
on; the great Chief Justice Marshall
died In the summer, and the President,
in December, nominated Roger Il. Ia
ney TO fill his place. The majority in
the Senate had passed over TO the side
Of the administration, and in March,
1886, the nomination was confirmed.
The boy that had walked home from
college, eighty miles in two days, was
now Chief Justice of the United
States.
We have had a good many Presi-
dents; only few Chief Justices. John
Jay. an honored name in the history OF
New York, held the Office till 1894,
when he was sent minister to Eng
land.
John Rutledge, OF South Carolina.
was then appointed, and held the Of
flee one term; his appointment was
not confirmed.
Oliver Ellsworth. of Connecticut,
succeeded, and held the office till '99.
when he was sent minister to France,
as Jay had been sent to England. In
January, 1901, John Marshall, of Vir-
! ginia, was nominated to the office, and
unanimously confirmed. 1t is worthy
of notice that these four men were
Federafsts, that they were not mcn Of
extreme opinions, but men of large
experience and great natural capacity.
| The fifth in the line was educated IN
the same school of politics. Not until
| the great rebellion had been well nigh
conquered, not until 1864, was that
high office filled by a man, Salmon z.
Chase. educated in the political faith
of Thomas Jefferson.
For many years Chief Justice Taney
administered the law. and discharged
the duties of his office, with great sat
isfaction to the country. 1t was
thought 10y some that he showed
leaning toward the doctrine Of State
rights, tendency to limit the powers
of the General Government to the
strict letter of the Constitution. He
certainly showed no disposition to en-
large the Jurisdiction OF that great
court over which he presided; an ex-