The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-09

Maryland bar and on the unanimous
recommendation OF the Baltimore bar
Mr.. fancy was appointed attorney
general of his State. the only office
he then said he had ever desired to
hold. by an administration opposed to
him politically.
In speaking OF Mr.. Taneys politi-
cal career. Judge Christian said
II was apparently wholly unsougbt.
undesired. uncongenial and unexpect-
ed to him. but as stormy In many
| or Its aspects as the fiercest of some
of those in his judicial career
On account OF rupture In the cabi-
! net President jackson removed Mr..
Duane secretary of the treasury. and
appointed Mr.. fancy in his stead.
Baneful Influence OF Combinations
No man, said the speaker, ever
/ lived who dreaded the baneful In
| huences of the combinations more
than Mi. fancy, who said, II Is q
fixed principle OF our political in
stitutions to guard against the UNI
necessary accumulation OF power
over persons and property in any
hands and no hands are less worehy
to be trusted than those of nToneyed
corporation.
Almost Immediately on his APP
| pointment as secretary of the treas
ury. MIR. fancy ordered the removal
of the deposits to the State banks. No
one understood better than ne the
evidence of the storm which this act
would bring upon his head, but hs
saw his duty clearly and did not hesi-
tate to perform it,
The manner in which he was as
! sailed for this conduct in the senate.
especially by the great triumvirate,
Gay. Calhoun and Webster. and in
( the house by McDuffie, Binney.
Adams and others is perhaps with
out parallel SO. that when his nomi-
nation as secretary of the treasury
was laid before the senate it, was
promptly rejected. the first time IN
the history of the country that the
senate refused TO confirm n ca binet
appointment named by the president.
Called PLANT Instrument.
Mr.. W ebster even went SO far as
to refer TO MIR. fancy as the "pltant
instrument of the president, ready
To do his bidding" to which Mr..
fancy al a dinner given him at Elk
ton. replied
Neither my habits. nor my prin-
ciples lead me TO handy terms of re-
proach with Mr.. Webster or any one
else, but IL is well known that he
has found the hnnk profitable client.
and ] submit 10 the public whether ,
the facts | have stated do not furpish
ground for believing that he had
become its plant instrument and IL
prepared on all occasions to do its
bidding whenever and wherever X
may choose 10 require him.
Judge Christian declared tina.
there was never more chivairous
man than MIR Taney and SO with all
his intellectual powers. the thin tex
ture of Mr. Websters moral armour
vac easily pierced by This arrow from
the CULVER 81 MIR Taney
In January, 1885. Judge Gabriel
Duval resigned his position an asso-'
ciate Justice OF the supreme court
and President Jackson al onca nerni-
mated Mr.. fancy ne his successor.
Although the nomination was urged
by chief Justice Marshall the senate
indefinitely postponed action which
was equivalent 10 rejection
Appointed Ia Supreme Bench.
On the death of Chief Justice Mar
shall in the summer NJ is2b President
Jackson nominated Mfr fancy as his
successor. While a hard fight against
IT was made In the Senate. tho or
position, led by clay and Webster,
1t was confirmed In March. 1880. by
a majority of fourteen.
In speaking of his judicial career.
Judge Christian stated that Il was
the most important and Interesting
part Of Mr. TaBpY's life.
Distinguished as Cfief Justice.
Judge Christian here quoted from
John II. Shirley. OF New Hampshire.
who in speaking ~ the Supreme
Court saif
The present Judges ara varying.
hui In general ~ emiuently respect
able a'tairments Some of them are
very eminent tn special departments
bat no fact is More painfully nppa-
rent to those who have studied close
y the course Or that greas tribunal
than that Its decisions lack the unity
which marked them during tbs DID,
ttatsFship Of Maryland and under
the great triumVifate Of the old
bench fancy, Nelson and Camp
bell,
judge Christian said he agreed
with MIR Shirley In his opinion az
Mr. Tancy and others. and added
that II coats scarcely he claimed thar
any Of them were superior I'll Hnr
way to the two great chief Justices
Marshall and Taney.
The speaker ~hera quoted fEata an -.
address made by Judge Curtis before
the Bar Association at the time ~
the death OF Justice fancy as fol-
lows:
1T is one Of the fayurs which TIM
prosidepce of God has bestowed on
our once happy country. that for the
period Of sfstythree years this great
office has been filled by only two
persons, each OF whom has retained
to extreme old age his great and
useful qualities and powers. The sta
hility, uniformity and completeness
OF our national Jurisprudence are in
no small degree attributable to this
fact.
Judge Christian Applauded.
Judge Christian In his recital Of
The attachments and incidents In the
judicial career Of the hero of his ora
ton held the undivided attention Of
his hearers and his address was fire.
quentily punotuated by storm OF
applause.
In concluding his mastery speech
Judge Christian said:
THE jewels of our republic, Nks
those, of the iseman mothers, are her
children. and ii is the radiance Of
their virtues and talents which con.
stitutes the effulgence OF their re-
galiss.
Fortunately the time has coma
In our history when the clouds Of
passion and prejudice. have been
swept away, and In their stead sober
Judgment truth and righteousness
have come to dwell where men can
recognize true greatness and right
conduct wherever they are to bs
found.