The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-14
SUNDAY, OCTOBER IA, 1900.
JOHN MARSHALL AMONGST THE
IMnlORTALS.

The announcement of names that have
been selected for the Hall Of Fame If the
New York University contains some sur
prises One would hardly have expected
TO find in a collection of iInmortals Asa
Gray, Gilbert Stuart, Elias Howe, and
several others that could be mentioned. 1t
is also most surprising that the name Of
Robert z. Lee should have appeared in
such a Northern collection, though his
deathless fame will probably outiive the
fame of most of the others.
But it is not surprising that the name
Of John Marshall appears amongst the
foremost, and the only surprise so far as
he Is concerned is that he was not upon
the ballot cast by Grover Cleveland.
We owe our independence to George
Washington, but, we owe the Union 10 John
Marshall. He came to the place of Chief
Justice of the United States when the I'm
ion Of States was little more than a Union
in name, and he laid down his Office at his
death with the Union a consolidated entity
that nothing short Of a decree of fate can
ever dissolve; and this marvellous meta
maphns:s was wrought through the intel
lectuai efforts of this one man, through
the force OF logic and reason directed in
great part at minds completely hostile to
his views. It is one Of the most wonderful
achievements of pure reason that history
affords US any example Of, if it is not the
most wonderful; and its results will bring
happiness and contentment to thousands of
millions of people in many remote ages.
AT the last meeting of the National Bar
Association, held during flle summer just
ended, AR. George r. Peck, of Chicago,
delivered an address upon Marshall's work
as Chief Justice, which is one Of the most
notable papers that has been laid before
the American people in long time. Com
n1encing witt. MIR. Justice WILSON'S inquiry
at the beginning of our Government, when
the State of Georgia was summoned by
one Chisholm to the bar of the Supreme
Court 10 answer a money demand, rs this
a nation2" he proceeds to show how John
Marshall answered that question in thirty
three years upon the bench Of the Su-
preme Court, by consolidating inharmo-
nious fragments and converting what had
been wholly centrifugal until he came to
the bench, into compact and solid mass
that can withstand the buffe,s of all storms
and laugh dissensiors to scorn.
Marshalls first occasion for waking the
people up and informing them OF the gi-
Eantic agency they had created in adopt
ing their Constitution was at an early
stage of his judicial career. when. in Mar
bury rs. Madison, IN 1853. he pronounced
an act Of the Congress of the United States
void because the Constitution had not con-
ferred upon Congress any power to enact
it This was an astounding act 10 the
minds of millions of men. Such thing
had been deemed possible in theory, but
men had never known such a thing to be
done IN actual life.
Some years later one of the States of the
Jnian enacted statute which touched
upon the grants OF sovereignty which the
States had made TO the United States, and
this act coming before Marshall. he pro-
nounced 1, void as being repugnant TO the
Constitution Of the United Sites. In these
two cases he made The people of this Un-
ion understand tina: they had created a
power greater than Congress. greater
than Their State Legislatures. and he set
all men to thinking what this meant and
would lead TO. AS they thought they saw
that it led inevitably to a rule Of justice
sanctioned by law. which Is backed by
power. and as time passes the gigantic
work OF tho man grows upon men. He is
fast becoming the cynosure of all eyes IN
this Union. and the New York University
did well when It placed him amongst its
immortals.