The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-13

WARRINGTON, May IL.
"Yes, remember Chief Justice Marshall
very well" said Mr.. w. W. Corcoran, WASH
ington's aged philanthrophist, to your cor
respondent yesterday, talking Of the unyeiling
ceremonies at the capitol building. THAT
statue is very much like him, very much In
deed. He was tall, thin man as you see
by this marble representation. and = remark
able man intellectually as we'll as physically"
There are not many men, Mr.. OocoraD,
who have personal recollections Of the first
Chief Jpstice?"
mo, indeed, very few. 1 am in my eighty
sixth year, you see, and it IS not given to many
men to attain that age"
"And do you attribute your heightened
years to any special course upon your own
part?"
Nothing more than a careful temperate
life and an excellent constitution which
have always had. believe not one man in
two thousand atains the age which have at
tanned, and you see am pretty strong yet. 1
was out until 10 o'clock last night receiving
the doctors at the Art Gallery. My general
health Is verV good although l have reached
so great an age that when people ask me how
old am usually tell them 1 am one hun
dred."
Surely he did not look like man past
eighty-five-this straight, handsome gentle
man, with fresh face, full head OF gray
hair, whits moustaehe, shading mouth
which showed when his lips parted his natur-
al teeth yet well preserved, firm elastic step
and figure in marked contrast to the 'lean
and slippered pantaloon" in which Shake
speare pictures extreme age, eyes unsbaded
by spectacles and hearing scarcely touched by
the hand OF Time. Certainly a remarkably
young old man is this Washlngton's million
aire and philanthrophist.
"Yes, remember Marshall very WE'LL" he
continued, as he recalled the knowledge OF
that distinguished official, whose memory IS
now being especially honored. "He used to
walk up into this part OF the country, as IL was
then, from bis boarding house on Capitol Hill.
He was great walker. l can remember his
figure now, clad in closely fitting black clothes
with Knee breeches and CATERS such as were
worn in those days. 1 lived then in George
town and the Chief Justice used to walk from
his home on Capitol Hill as far as Georgetown
often, for he realized the benefit of an active
life as the people OF the present age are begin
ming to do. Exercise is a great medicine for
all, old as we'll as young. People who take
plenty of exercise live longer than othets. 1t
is just the same with people as with horses.
Take fine trotting horse that Is well cared
for and driven a great deal and the chances
are that he will live to much older age than
one less used"
"Was Justice Marshall as highly honored
in life as in death?"
Yes, he stood very high during his life
time. he was universally honored by those
who knew him, by everybody, indeed, as q
man OF great ability and OF the highest integ-
rity, as judge, a friend and citizen. In
deed the whole Supreme bench was a model of
ability"
do you agree, Mr.. Corcoran, with the views
expressed that public men of that date or Of
former days were stronger intellectually than
those Of the present day?"
"If they were it was because Of selection
and not because the country had men Of
greater ability than it has now. The fact 10
that in those days they we're more carefully
selected. The men chosen to office were from
the very best. They did not take their richest
farmer or their most prosperous merchant for
Congressman or for this or that office, but
selected their ablest man, the man who stood
highest 10 intellect and integrity. The place
selected the man to greater extent in those
days instead of tie man selecting the place as
is too often the case now"
"Are there many besides yourself who re-
member the Chief Justice personally?''
"Not very many" be answered with sigh,
"You see it is nearly fifty years since he died,
aud most OF those now living who were born
before 1885 we're very young when he was on
the bench, so that they had no personal ac-
quaintance with him."
"But your recollection of distinguished men
runs back still further than that, Mr.. Corco-
ramp
yes" hs said refsct:vely, 81 have per-
sonal recollection of every President except
Washington. 1 have shaken hands with an
the Presidents except the first. Jefferson /
saw probably twenty times, Adams once or
twice. After them 1 saw all the Presidents
numbers Of times. l am, perhaps the only
man living who has shaken hands with all OF
the Presidents except Washington.