The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-20
Chief Justice john Marshall.

After the surrender at l orktoNU he
commenced the practice OF law. In which
he soon attained honorable distinction.
lie rapidly devcloped those powers Of
reasoning which subsequently, made him
so Just a Judge. He is described at this
time as Tall. gaunt, awkward and IL
dressed he made a striking figure among
the fine gentlemen Of the Virginia towns
but his talents were CONSPICUOUS and he
rose rapidly in his profession By his re
markable power of seizing the attention,
extTscting at once the kernel Of ques-
tioH aud producing conviction 10 the
minds of his hearers. When he first ap-
peared iE Richmond to argue case. he
sauptered about the streets In a plain
linen roundabout looking like a siouciiy
country pumpkin but once IN court he
astonished the Judge and the bar by his
wonderful powers of analysis-
On the Sd Of January. 1888, he married
Miss Mary Willis Amber. TO whom he
had become attached before leaving the
army. A Welsh parson once said "A
bride should have nine qualifications be-
ginning with the letter p-viz piety
person and parts patience. prudence aud
providence privilege, parentage ani
portion but that which should be first
of all In consideration, which is plety
is now always thought Of last of all, and
by many not at ali, and that which
should be least OF all and last of all in
consideration, which is portion. is now
become first and most of all, and by some
all in ALL" Miss Amber possessed
these nine qualifications, and IN the
right order. for she was very pious
John MarshalTs marriage was one of
the three events of his life which he
deemed worthy of commemoration in the.
simple inscription, which, two days be
fore his death, he wrote TO be placed
upon his tombstone. His birth, mar
riage and death. He lived with his wife
nearly fifty years and was a most de-
voted husband. !" Her death.' says
Judge Story, least a gloom over his
thoughts. from which he never recover
ed" Mrs. Marshall's father, Col.
Jacquelin Amber, was direct descen-
dant of the celebrated Jacquelins of
France, and man greatly beloved and
respected. He was Treasurer of Vir-
ginia. Tier mother was Miss Rebecca
Burwell, daughter of gentleman Of
Gloucester county. Va, and one of the
greatest beauties of her day. She dis
carded Thomas jefferson to marry Col.
Amber. Miss Randolph gives this ac-
count Of Jeilerson's courtslIip of Miss
Burwell: He is q boy aud is lndispu
tablytin love i'll this good year 763, and
s-he ceurts and signs, and tries to capture
his pretty little sweetheart. as plous. it
is said, as she was beautiful, but. like
his friend, George Washington, fails, the
young lady will not be captured He
wrote to his friend, John Page, II would
fain ask Miss Becca Burwell to give me
another watch-paper of her own cutting,
which | should esteem much more,
though it were plain one, than the
incest in the world cut by other hands"
1t is a somewhat notable fact that Miss
Mary Cary, who discarded George Wash
ington. married Edward Amber. broth
er of the gentleman preferred to Thomas
Jefferson. The great men of that day
were unfortunate and seem TO have been
taught by sad experience that kissing
goes bv favor" The story goes that
Washington, short time before his
marriage to Miss Curtis, wrote to Miss
Cary, telling her it was not even then
too late for her to change her mind,
that if she would consent to marry him
he would break of his engagement with
Mrs. Curtis
In 1896 Gen. Washington offered Mar
shall the office of Attorney General oi
the United States, which he declined.
Gen. Washington consulted him fire.
quently on many subjects. In 1896 he
asked him to accept the place of Minis
ter to France, on the recall of Mr.. Mon
roe. This he also refused. Il then
thought said he, my determination
to remain at the bar unalterable the
situation appeared to me more Indepen-
dent and not less honorable than any
other my preference for it was deci,
ded. In 1897 he was appointed BY
President Adams as Envoy Extraordi'
nary to France to endeavor, with the
: aid of Gen. Pinckney and Mr.. Gerry, to
settle our disputes with that country
He kept journal of all that transpireC
and copies Of letters, from which it is
easy to see why the mission was fruit.
less. His handwriting is plain. easy tt
read. very indicative Of the character o
| the man. as is the simple signature, j
Marshall, to all the papers, placed be
tween Pincknev's AMI Gerry's. In vain
1.-THE Prince of Diplomatists' brough
his artful powers to bear upon thes'
men Talleyrand failed-balked by tn,
honesty and the wisdom of Marshall
To such a man the character of Talley
rand must have been peculiarly repug
7 nant. as the tide of affairs progressed
and the part he was playing became
more and more plain. On the 18th O
June, 1898, Marshall returned to New
York. "where he was received with th'
! highest marks of respect" His en-
, trance into Philadelphia, two days later
, had all the eclat of a triumph.
On the 3lst of January, 1901, Mr.
Marshall was commissioned Chief Jus
tice of the United States, having beel
appointed by Mr.. Adams some time be
fore. There was perpetual clashin,
of opinion between the Executive an,
the Supreme Court during the follOwin,
, administration. Jefferson and Marshal
were repellant to each other.
Chief Justice Marshall occupied th
: highest seat in the Supreme Court Q
, the United States thirty-ive years. Hi
I decisions are recorded and will ever b
the nOblest monument a man cOul
, have or wish. In reference TO two G
2 them Judge Story says: ''If ali the act
of his judicial life or arguments ha
E perished, his luminous judgments o.
D these occasions would give an enviabl
e Immortality to his name" Judge Stor
r said of the mode of life of the judges a
these general terms of the court: ''Ou
intercourse is perfectly familiar and un
{ constrained. and our social hours whe
! undio oturbed with the labors of law, ar
: passed in gay and frank conversation
which at once enlivens and instruct.
We take no part in Washington society
D We dine once year with the Presiden
e and that is all. On other days we din
2 together. and discuss at table the qucs
q tions which are aroIed he fore rs We al.