The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-10
JOHN MARS HALL.


rounding mans youth shapes his tastes
aud manners; habits Of thought acquired
through intercourse with meaty DO ks, and
through contact eth sound minds in daily
conversation. develop his intelligence t. a
high degree; these conditions, and The
examples of sslf-reliant, brave and fra *
natures tha: life lived in the country or in
tho small communities Of a new land fur
nish, produce men OF sound sense. refined
sensibilities and high character. And when
the youth has an active mind. the close as
ISOLATION with nature such country life
requires makes unconventional thought and
its powerful expression possible. Ii we add
to these influences that prepare the way for
the reception of great ideas, the circum-
stances that surround men Jealous of their
liberties and resisting oppression. we have
the mould in which were cast those stat.s-
men. i'll the best sense, who
guided the destinies of thi, ma
ton during the revolutionary era.
In coloAy remarkable for the open hos
pitality, high character, liberal education
and sturdy manhood Of it's people. and
whose environment during their youth and
early maturity was that which has just been
mentioned, were born and reared Washing
ton, jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Henry.
Marshall, and host of others whose names
are inSeparably connected with the history
of our country. The law of supply aud de-
mand required the prominence these men
attained, for it was necessary that the great
events in which they had 80 large a part
should be controlled and directed by force
full minds.
OF the one of these men who, il seems to
me, Is in many respects the most prominent
citizen America has produced, | propose to
speak tonight; simply because the study of
the man and his life is a favorite pleasure to
me, and with no idea OF presenting any orig
inal estimate Of his charac er and abilities.
Indeed, on the contrary, l shall use much of
the thought and no little of the language OF
others.
John Marshall was born in Fauquier
county, Virginia, Sept. "a, 1855, and was
the eldest Of the fifteen children Of Thomas
and Mary Marshall. His father was a gen.
tleman Of good sense and solid education, a
surveyor by profession, and the intimate of
Washington. Thomas Marshall's domestic
life seems to have been most happy, and his
lllustrious sons early life and schooling were
lived and had in domestic and social at
mosphere of peculiar purity and of in
vigoratiDg quality His education in books
was chiefly directed by his father, AID I'M
der the supervision of his father, by Scotch
man named James Thompson, who was "a
fine classicist. Col. Marshalls mea being
too slender to admit of extensive regular
schooling and collegiate education for his
children, Only for year during his child
hood did John Marshall enjoy the sys-
tematic Instruction of a schoolmaster away
from his home, but that year was spent
under an efficient instructor, the Rev. Mr.
Campbell, clergyman of the Episcopal
church, who had been the instructor Of his
father and Washington, and VINO was
man possessing all The solid learning char
acterlsSic Of the educated ScOtchman.
Marshall early acquired taste for En-
glish literature, especially its history and
poetry. and became thoroughly convers9nt
with the best examples of these branches.
HIS vocabulary was thus acquired. and
natural instinct for direct and simple ex-
preston formed the style that marks all his
speeches and the decisions he handed down
from the bench.
Born at time and living through a
period momentous in the history of the
colony OF Virginia; in the midst of people
intensely Jealous of their liberties, and in
the immediate neighborhood where lived
the slgners OF the protest against the first
stamp act-that of 1765--it was inevitable
that patriotic spirit should have oiled his
oreaSs, aud that a brain SO cast as his should
have bee1 fed on the food best suited to the
developments of his after-proved genius.
Marshalls first appearance in public
capacity or which there is any record was
as youth of 20 years, when he was ap.
pointed lieutenant in a minute company
formed in the neiRhb )rhood of his home for
the service of the colony in the war lust
opening.
His personal appearance is thus described
by one who was present at the first muster
Of his company, when, in the abseaoe of the
captain, he put the new made soldiers
through their drill, then told them in a
familiar way of the news Of the contest, and
wound up the day by resolving the com
pany into gathering for athletic sports
by challenging one of his hearers to game
of quoits-a game which seems to have been
ms faVorite amusement throughout his
life.
HE was about six feet high, straight and
rather slender, Of dark complexion, show
ing little If any rosy red, yet good health,
the outline OF the face nearly circle, and
within that eyes dark to blackness, strong
and penetrating, beaming with intelligence
and good nature; an upright forehead,
rather low. was terminated in a horizontal
line by mass Of raven black hair of IN
usual thickness and strength the features
OF the face were in harmony with this out
line, and the temples fully developed"
30 he appeared as he was entering the es-
tate of manhood; aud if we fill in this
sketch with those lines indicative of a quar-
ter of century of fruitful study and ele-
waiting thought-lines that add intellectual
s beauty, strength and power to the express
slon, we have his picture as he appeared at
z the time of his elevation to the bench
VI MarshalPs career as q soldier there is
not much to say. except that his perform
ance OF duty was as prompt and exact as
could be desired. Holding no place in the
army higher than that of captain, he was
not, OF course, a conspicuous figure in the
battles fought, although he CALAMITY bore
as part in all in which he was engaged.
but however little there is TO be said of his
record in battle, be left a record in camp
mat might well be coveted by any soldier.
especially at Valley Forge was his pre-
cept and example of immense value. APP
preciattng the difficulties in the way
u the commander of the army, he ac-
cepted with cheerful and willing spirit the
ulscomforts and hardships Of that severe
winter. Testimony is borne by one of his
.ei'o" officers to the fact that he never COM
blalned, but was always good-natured and
ohtelted with his lot, and that by the
.orce OF his example and the good-natured
tallery to which be treated grumblers and
-auit -nnders, he performed a valuable
rGrk and aided materially in quieting the
army
and here the judicial quality of Marshalls
tttllu' and the JustueSs and honesty of his
l lSlct were first called into play on be-
ia.l oi others. for so great was the conf
o1ce reposed in his appreciation of honor,
tro ~ Inc business Of his judgment, that he
,1s frequently selected to perform tue
i, S'' Sate TASK OF composing disputes between
Is brother officers.
b a'tt sing his command by the expiration of