Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-05-01

ing been engaged by Sir Robert Chal-
mers, as his deputy, to read lectures on
law at Oxford, an incident occurred
which in after years he used to relate in
these words "The most awkward thing
that ever occurred to me was this; I'm
mediately after / was married, | was
appointed Deputy Professor of Law at
Oxford, and the law professor sent me
the first lecture, which had to read inn
mediately to the students, and which |
began without knowing word that was
in II. 1t was upon the statute of young
men running away with maidens. Fan
cy me reading, with about one hundred
and forty boys andyoung men .glggling
at the professor Such tittering audi
ence no one ever had"
In contrast with the penurlousness OF
the Chancellors Kenyon and Eldon, let
us present the generous traits OF John
Marshall, the fifth Chief Justice Of the
United States. He was born in Virginia,
September "a, 1856, and died IN July,
1885, at the age Of eighty years. bis
father was a farmer in narrow circum-
stances, and could not give him the ad-
vantages of a regular education, but he
became classical and an English schol-
ar, as we'll as deeply learned In law. DE
held various distinguished appointments
and declined others. He was member
of Congress in 1899, and on the 3lst of
January, 1901, he was appointed Chief
Justice of the United States, position
which he held for thirty-fve years, until
his death. He wrote a History OF his
American Colonies and life of
Washington" in FIVE volumes. At the age
of eighty his mind was unimpaired. He
was a tall, venerable man, wearing his
hair tied in a cue, with countenance of
singular intelligence and benignity. His
whole life was marked by kindness and
benevolence.
He once indorsed a bond amounting
to several thousand dollars, and the
drawer having failed, he was called upon
to pay it. He knew the bond could be
avoided, because the holder had advanc-
ed the money at usurious rate of inter-
est, but he was utterly incapable of
throwing off the moral obligation in that
way, and paid it voluntarily, Learning
that there was lien upon the estate OF
friend, an old fellow officer in the army
of the Revolution, to the amount of sew
eral thousand dollars, about due, he pri-
vately left a check at the house OF the
person for the amount On receiving 1t
the gentleman, impelled by a spirit OF
Independence, mounted his horse and
rode after Mr. Marshall to return it. Mr..
Marshall strenuously opposed its return
to him, and finally the matter resulted
in a compromise, by which Marshall took
security on the lien, but never called for
pay. :.
journeying from North Carolina, wrap.
ped in profound thought, the wheel of
his buggy was suddenly caught in the
trunk Of tree. He called negro near
at hand, and requested him to cut down
the tree. The negro told him there was
no occasion for cutting down the tree,
but just to back the buggy. This was
done to the great pleasure of the absorb
ed Judge, who told the negro that he
would leave him something at the inn,
not far off In due time the negro APP
piled, and dollar was handed to him.
When asked if he knew who it was that
gave him the dollar, he replied; No,
sir | concluded he was gentleman by
his leaving the money, but | think he Is
the biggest fool | ever saw.