Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-02-19
LUTHER MARTIN.

Hard dsiskinR. ,hosgh il does not al.
ways kil:. always spoils q man. An old
s"aker may live TO be ninety; and. in some
rare cases. doctors tell US, n man attains
old age tecaase he is an old soaker But
in every iesiauee hard drinking takes
from n man's life all that renders il valu-
able or pleasing TO himself and to others
Luther Martin is case in point. For
many years he was the glory and the
shame Of the Maryland Bar. aud his near
ess friends could scarcely tell whether they
more admircd or blushed for him.
lie was born in New Jersey. In 1744;
aud afscr graduating at Princeton, wan
dcrcd of 20 Maryland. where he taught
school. studied Law. and was admitted to
practice. Very early in his career he be-
came q man Of distinction; for he served
in Congress during the Revolutionary
War; snd by the time he was forty years
of age. be was, beyond oil comparison.
the head Il the bar in the State OF Mary
land. At a time when learning was the
prime requisite for success at the Bar. and
the quality held in most respect both by
the profession and the people. he was ad-
mii,ed to be the most learned of lawyers
Al what period Of his life he fell under
shc slavery Of drink, no one has recorded.
Ret we know .hat before be was fifty
years Of age the habit was 6xcd. and had
madc serious depredatious on his charac-
ter and ,alcn,s.
When young Roger fancy. in 1795.
came NJ 10 Aunapnlis to study law. and
visited the cour, where the judges still
wore long scarlet cloaks. and sat in sal
emn row in the great chairs on lofty
platform. he was all curiosity to see the
great Luther Martin. then near the height
of his reputation. Al last he had the
pleasure of hearing him conduct a cause
Great vas the disappointment ofthe youth
He saw before him coarse looking, dirty
and addressed man. who h,,d come into
court under tie Influence OF Rqnor His
attire vas distressing mixture Of the gay
and the unclcan. He wore ruffles at his
wrists. boricrcd with costly lace. although
they had long ago gone out Of fashion ;
and those ruflies. c'uspicuoasiy broad
were rumpled aud dirty. Ills voice. al
ways harsh, cracked when be was macl,
excited; arguncltS we're full Of digres-
sions; aud. as he INDUCED in constant
repetition. bis speeches we're usually very
long. He vas really very good scLol-
ar, and wrote With classical correctness;
but he seemed to take barbarous pleas
sre IN using such words as ootcA for
taught. and sos for sat. A. the table,
ing. I..-
With oil these obvious and offensive
faults. which constantly grew upon hims
he held bis place al the head Of his pro-
fesscn. scr at lcas, twenty years. The
lsae Cksss- Justice TaDey explains this mys-
terry:
He wss profound Lawyer. He new.
er missed the strong points of his case;
and. although much nigh. have been gen.
orally better omitted. every body who lis
teaed TO him would agree that nothing
could be added He had an IRON memo
". aud forgot nothing that be had read;
aud he had read grea. deal on every
branch Of law. and took pleasure IN show
ing IL when his case cid not require it
Many years after came to the Bar. when
vas engaged in an important case or the
rame side With Mr.. Shaaff. and Martin
was crpcsed 20 us, Mr.. Shasff aud myself
west ever the ease toge,hos very careful
lys end wken se bad done with the ex-
sssiess;ou, he sasd. I ,kiak the ea.e is
With us. aud I see nothing to be afraid
cf; tus Tam sfrays ofruid Of .Hartin. -
Ye, Mr.. SsaatF ranked then with the Tore
mcss usen in Maryland.
The greatest Of Luther Martins profes.
sicoal triamrhs we're at the trial Of Jui %
Chess, Of thc Supreme Court, In 1905. a,
> washing,on. Judge Chase was a vio.
leas, arrogant mar. who, il was charged
bad allowed his rrejudiccs as politician
20 influence his decisions as q Judge -
The inpeaeauens created universal inter.
ess. sod attracted great multitude O
people from all pssts ef the county,
Aarou Barr. the Vice President. presid
ed, and The Senate Chamber vas 6i,ed uy
In grand style. With places foe the for
sirn ambassadors. members Of the Hous,
sfRspsesentssives. and other spectators
The Senaicrs sas in great scH,i- circle OF
each side Of the vice-Prcsiient, and ID,
Temporary galleries we're draped with Blu,
elo,k; the whole psssenting . scene iha
mast have scse sirikiag in the extreme
A special interest wss impaired to the ,ria
ey the siiu.sioa of Colonel Burr. III
aael Nth Hamilton had occuTred . tev
usutL. before; ;wo indictments fos nur