The Wilmingtonian., 1882-09-23
John M. Clayton.
Through the courtesy of ''The Delaware
Historical Society the Memoir of
JOHN M. CLAYTON,

| wa placed upon our table.
This work comprises 3O7 pages, and it is
model of typographical neatness.
The memoir opens with finely executed
steel portrait which gives a faithful delinea-
tion of that noble, sturdy man. To those
of us who were unfamiliar with the appear
ance of Mr. Clayton, this Portrait is a most
interesting study-it has most benignant
expression coupled with positiveness and
robustness of character.
He has commanding appearance that
speaks for him the leadership of men.
Judge Comegys, in the 'Memoir'' before
us, has done his work with an affection, and
with a fidelity and with completeness wor-
thy of his illustritrious subject-and he has
made all Delawareans tributary to him in
his faithful portraying ofthe life and the
services, of one of the most distinguished
men of America-John NJ Clayton-a ma
tive of Delaware.
| w UiSiSSs w ody tudb we are OF JnOSe,
who think That the rising generation should
have increased opportunities of familiariz-
ing themselves, with those who moulded
public opinion-and who directed the enter
prises of their native state in it's earlier days.
| The Biographies of such honored charact-
eEs, as Henry NJ. Ridgley; Willard Hall,
Thomas Clayton; chancellor Bates, Judge
Harrington, Judge Gilpin; John NJ. Clayton
and the Bayards, should be in every house
hold in this State.
From the Memoir we will take few of
the more salient points in the history of Mr..
Clayton.
He was born at Dagsborough, County of
Sussex, State of Delaware, on the 2nd of
July, A. d. 1896. His earlier life passed
without special note; he graduated at Yale
College, when but nineteen years of age
with the highest honors of his class, and
with the confidence and the attachment of
his instructors.
Graduating in the year 1916, he immedi-
ately entered the office of his cousin Thomas
Clayton as a law student; he remained the re
until March 1S17 when he returned to New
England to attend the then famous law
school at Litchfield, Connecticut, where for
twenty months he was most indefatigable
worker.
He was admitted 20 the bar in October,
1919. and commenced his professional career
at Dover. The severe mental discipline he
received at the Law school gave his mind a
marked analytical tendency, which he ever
after retained.
John M. Clayton dissscted, most through
ly, every case that engaged his attention
and he made his clients cause his own.
Tall, graceful, commanding in his personal
appearances-pose a handsome counte-
nance, moulded in the style befitting a great
charactcr-an unusally extensive preparation
his perfect Chesterfeildan grace and cour-
tesy, it is not surprising that he became at
once luminous member of the bar. The
influence of Mr. Clayton with juries was |
very extraordinary, and the late Hon. James |
A. Byard once remarked that he did not be-
lieve that jury lawyer superior to Mr.. |
Clayton, had ever lived in this country.
The Pea Patch Island case, in which he
was retained by the Government in its con-
troversy with New Jersey, probably did more
to give him national reputation as Law
yer than any other in which he was ever en-
gagged.
His associate in this case was his life long
friend-the Hon. James A. Byard-and this
was the battle of the Giants: And when
the discussion of the great questions invol-
we'd was closed, the Hon. John Sergeant
distinguished Jurist of Philapeiphia-
pronounced the arguments, the ablest to
which he had ever listened.
The question of Party Politics had been
a negative question in this country, until a
bout the year 1928, when political opinions
became so divergent, that the two great
parties throughout the country were organ
lied. Adams marshalling the wing forces,
and Jackson the Democratic.
Mr.. Clayton espoused the cause of Adams;
and thereafter he allied his nolitical inter