Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-02
INCIDENT IN MARSHALL'S LIFE.
Chief Justice Amazes Small Audience
by Fervid ElOquence.


Among the many incidents related OF
Chief Justice Marshall is one which Illus
trates both his modest bearing and his
great erudition. A Virginia newspaper pub
lished in 1921 first gave publicity to the
story, as follows:
ut is not long since gentleman was
travelling in one of the counties Of this
state. and about the chose Of the day
stopped at q public house to obtain re-
freshments' and spend the night. He had
been there but short time before an old
man alighted from his gig, with the ap-
parent intention of becoming feiloW
guest with him at the same house AS the
old man drove UP he observed that both
the shafts of his gig were broken, and
that they were held together by W1thes
formed from the bark of hickory sappllng.
Our traveller observed further that he was
plainly clad, that his knee buckles were
loosened and that something like negli-
gence pervaded his dress. Conceiving him
to be one of the honest yeomanry of our
land, the courtesies of strangers passed
between them and they entered the tavern
1t was about the same time that an addi-
ton of three or four young gentlemen was
made to their number. most, If not all Of
them Of the legal profession.
LAS soon as they became conveniently &C
commodated the conversation was turned
by one Of the latter upon an elegant ha-
rangue which had that day been displayed
at the bar. 1t was upheld by the other
that he had witnessed the same day a de-
gree of eloQuence no doubt equal, but that
1t was from the pulpit Something like q
sarcastic rejoinder was made to the elo-
quence of the pulpit, and warm and able
alteration ensued in which the merits of
the Christian religion became the subject of
discussion. From 6 o'clock until IL the
young champions welded the sword of ar
gument, adducing, with ingenuity and abil-
ity, everything that could be said, pro and
con. During this protracted period the old
gentleman listened with all the meekness
and modesty Of child, as If he was add
ing new information to the stores Of his own
mind; or, perhaps, he was observing, with
philosophic eyes the faculties Of the youth
full mind and how new energies are evolved
by repeated action; or, perhaps. with pa
triotfc emotion, he was rejecting upon the
future deStinieS Of his country, and on the
rising generation upon whom those desti-
MES must devolve; or, most probably, with
a sentiment of moral and religious feeling,
he was collecting an argument. which, char
actertstic OF himself no art would be able
to elude and no force to resist Our tray
eler remained spectator and took no part
in what was said.
AT last one Of the young men remarked
that it was impossible to combat with long
and established prejudices. He wheeled
around and with some familiarity ex-
claimed, Well. my old gentleman. what
think you of these things?'
If, said the traveller @ streak Of vivid
lightning had at that moment crossed the
room, their amazement could not have been
greater than 1T was with what followed
The most eloquent and unanswerable ap-
peal was made for nearly an hour by the
old gentleman that he had ever heard or
read; so perfect was his recollection, that
every argument urged against the Chris
tian religion was met in the order In which
1t was advanced. Hume's sophistry on the
subject of miracles was. If possible. more
perfectly answered than 1t had already been
by Campbell. And in the whole lecture
pathos and subimity, that not another
word was uttered-an attempt to describe
it, said the traveller, would be an attempt
to paint the sunbeams.
1T was Immediately matter Of curiosity
and inquiry who the old gentleman was.
The traveller concluded 1t was the preacher
from whom the pulpit eloquence had been
| heard; but no, 1t was the chief justice of
| the United States, John Marshall