The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1903-02-24
BOOK NOTICES.

mould and shape the American nation three stand
ont conspicuously above their Acknowledging
tor. the peerless warrior and first President JEFF
ferson. the ablest advocate of democratic govern
ment; Marshall, who knit together the loosely
affiliated States into one strong nation. They did
not always work in harmony-in fact, Marshall
and Jefferson hated each other with cordial and
lasting hatred-but each left an enduring impress
on the new government, and their contributions
in a certain sense balanced and offset one another.
Jeferson's democracy may have been too extreme
for his day; Washington and Marshall were per-
haps not so democratic as they would have been
had they seen popular government more thor
oughly tested. But by takinp some of one mans
ideas and balancing them with some of his oppo-
nent's ideas, a harmonious whole was finally pro-
duced.
Marshall stood for a strong central government
and, rightly or wrongly, he stood for it effectively;
no other man did so much to overthrow the doc
trine of States Rights As Mr.. Thayer says in
the volume now before US:
at was MarshalPs strong constitutional doc
trine, explained in detail, elaborated, powerfully
argued, over and over again, with indispensable
earnestness and force, placed permanently in our
judicial records, holding it's own during the long
emergence of a feebler political theory, and show
ing itself in all it's majesty when war and civil
discussion came,-it was largely this that saved
the country from succumbing, in the great strug-
gle of forty years ago, and kept our political
fabric from going to pieces"
But aside from his greatness as a lawyer Mar
shall had an interesting personality-this I'M
gain3 ihnd unpretentious man who was a good sol
der, a skilful politician, a warm friend and, &C
cording to Judge Story, "the most extraordinary
man I ever saw for the depth and tenderness of
his feelings" Born in 1855, he served as ~lieuten-
ant in the Revolution from 1775 to 1879, and be-
gan the practice of law in 1880. Three years later
he married a bride of sixteen, and ITO the very
end of her life"-ffty years later-"he was her
devoted lover" ten children were born to them.
Eight times he was sent to the Virginia Legisla-
ture; in 1898 he was elected to Congress; in May,
1900, he passed into the cabinet, and on January
81, 1901, he was commissioned as Chief Justice.
Then began his great career as an expounder of
the Constitution, with the results already noted
"a service lasting thirty-four years, or until his
death, July G., 1885.
Like the other volumes in the Riverside Biog-
raphical Series, this book does not weary the
reader with unnecessary details. 1t is simply the
story of a great life, briefly and ~charmingly told.
H MENTOR. By Alfred Ayres. Cloth. 211
pages. 81. D. Appleton & Co., Publishers,
New York.
The aim of this little work is indicated by the
subtitle: For the guidance of such men and
boys as would appear to advantage in the So
clety of persons of the better sort" The book
IS by the author of "The Verbalist" and "The Or
t~hoepist," recently reviewed in these columns.
1t IS not a compilation of iron-clad rules, but an
emnently sensible discussion of the subjects of
which it treats, the titles of the chapters being
as follows: personal Appearance" DAT the Din
ner-table," "In Public" Conversation" "CalIs