Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-01
LIFEOFLOTHERMA MARTIN
ADDRESS By JUSTICE GOULD OF
DISTRICT SUPREME COURT.
Subject Of Sketch Most Talked Of Man
in Els State, Yet With
out Biographer.

By special invitation Of the Bar Associa-
| ton Of the District of Columbia, Ashley NJ.
Gould, associate justice Of the District Su-
preme Court, delivered an address last
night in University Hall, George Washing
ton University, on the life of Luther Mar
| tin, one Of the most brilliant legal minds
| in the country a century ago.
After speaking of the critical time in that
period of American history incident to the
struggle for independence, Justice Gould
called attention to the unique place among
the men of the period which was occupied
by Luther Martin of Maryland.
HE was no orator, as were Henry, Writ
| and Pinckney," said the speaker; 'he was
not capable Of constructive statescraft he
did not possess the power of clear analysis
and the judicial temperament Of Marshall,
but as lawyer, and lawyer alone, he
was an acknowledged leader Of the Ameri-
can bar for two generations.
For thirty years he was the attorney
general of his state. At the age of forty
three he was her most influential represen-
tative in the constitutional convention of
1851 He was a leading counsel in the two
greatest state cases of our earlier history.
the impea chment of Samuel Chase and the
trial of Aaron Burr, and at the conclusion
| of the last mentioned trial had the honor of
being hanged in effigy with John Marshall
in the city of Baltimore.
1.-The brevity cot fame achieved by one
who is only a lawyer, no matter how
learned and successful, is aptly illustrated
by Martins career. Beyond the circle Of
the bar of his own state his name is now
i practically unknown, except to historical
students of the period of his activity. EX-
cepting a sketch of his career written by
Henry P. Goddard, and published by the
Maryland Historical Society, this eminent
lawyer, the most talked Of man in his
state for fifty years. is without biogra-
pher.
Native of New Jersey.
Luther Martin was born at New Bruins
wick, N. j., February 8, 174S. being the
third of nine children. His ancestors were
among the first settlers of New Jersey, hav-
ing come from New England and obtained
extensive grants of land along the Raritan
river, and his early life was one of privation
and toll.
''In his thirteenth year Martin was sent
to grammar school, from which, in the
following year, he entered Princeton Col
lege. He graduated in 1866 at the head of a
class of thirty-five, among whom was Oliver
Ellsworth, the third chief justice of the
United States. Immediately after gradua-
ton young Martin started out on horse
back, with no other possession than small
amount of pocket money, for the eastern
shore of Maryland. Arriving there he
taught school as means of livelihood, at
the same time continuing his study of law.
Luther Martin married the daughter of
Col. Michael Cresap. Soon thereafter he
took up his residence in Somerset and prac-
ticed in that and Worcester county, Nd,
and in the two adjacent counties of Ac-
comac and Northampton, Va. At the time
of the interruption of business at the out
break of the revolution he was in receipt
of an annual income of 1000 pounds
Justice Gould then detailed the life-work
of Luther Martin. particularly dwelling
upon the important part played by him as
member of that body of patriotic Ameri-
cans from whom emanated the Constitution
of the United States. He also gave a vivid
description of the proceedings incident to
the Impeachment of Samuel Chase, the
only justice of our highest tribunal who has
been subjected to this ordeal" and the
important part taken in that celebrated
case by Luther Martin. An epitome of the
latters inspired defense Of Aaron Burr two
years after the Chase impea :hment was
the closing feature of Justice Goulds re-
marks.
Luther Martin was admitted" as a coun-
selor to the bar of the Supreme Court of
the United states February S, 1871, and was
the thirty-third lawyer to sign the roll
Martin died of old age July 10, 1896.