The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1919-11-27
10y Werthineton Ford In Boston
HePald)

Beveridge. Vols. III and ~. Hough-
ton Minlin Company.
With the issue OF the third and
fourth volumes Of the Life Of John
Marshall" Senator Beveridge COM
pletes his really great undertaking.
Doubly great, by reason Of the great
ness Of the subject and by the scale
on which tho work was planned. 1t
Is now possible to estimate the per
Torrance as a whole, for Marshall as
a judge-the real Marshall among the
makers of the republic-had not ap-
peared in the first two volumes. 1t
may confidently be said that Mr..
Beveridge has met successfully the ex-
acting requirements of his self-im-
posed task. His research Is full and
accurate. as his wide reading shows;
his handling Of the material is assured
and intelligently balanced; his por-
trayal of character proves just and dis
eliminating; his style, sometimes
strongly tinged with rhetoric, is vigor-
Gus and carries the reader rapidly
through the long stretches OF massed
detail; and his enthusiasm has endur.
ed to the end. He has lived with his
subject enough to feel confidence in
himself; he has not willingly erred in
giving short measure. To. read the
four volumes is to know Marshall and
the times in which he lived.
The third volume opens with Marsh
all as chief justice. a position de-
manding qualities not fully called into
action in his earlier career. 1t was
not as a lawyer stepped in learning
and guided by precedent. that Mar
shall took the office; rather as a man
whose clarity of reasoning and sound
common sense had recommended him.
and whose political experience could
serve him in a day when contest be-
tween parties took on acute stage.
1t is one of the greatest services OF
John Adams that he should have
placed Marshall where he could by his
magnificent strength lay the founda-
tions of national government. The
decisions he rendered, the influence he
exerted on the bench and bar. and the
traditions he created and handed down
10 his successors are evidence of his
mental power and personal character.
Each of his important decisions had
political bearings, and interpreted by
rNittcS they were = direct challenge 10
jefferson and his followers. Yet never
did Marshal! Indicate p political pur-
ncee. and lie SoulG have heen the 'aSt
W uI'f G'lt(it 81 e'ittt ''NA'
Durrocc Deeply interested in the con-
test of ra-tieS. federal;st from begin
ing 20 end. strong party man in the
hiogrs ply OF Washington. he divested
himself entirely OF that quality in his
decisions. Therein lie their furds-
mental greatness ard vitality. The
origin Of each case riSht 30 purely
nersonal or partisan: the tncidorts OF
continuance Nigh: he increasingly so
and involve the executive itself: in
the final act the calm. judicial stat'-
merit lifts the c>use above the irdivid-
ual or party, and becomes an abstract
Of general principles capable OF e&-
parsion in unexpected directions and
to unme dietaace7. From every
angle the result is the same. The
Judge dominates by sheer devotion to
principle and breadth % vision. He
If alwsvs greater than the cause.
Senator RereriCge could not but ap-
preach lis study of those decisions
With political Lias. The party rela-
action appeal TO him. He is exper-
fenced in public service and political
MANAGEMENT, and he has to his credit
shown on occasions independence OF
rarty dictation. The play for advaut-
age ir state and national politics at
tracts him. and his pages are rdo'ent
OF the contest between federalist and
republican forces, Of the conditions
which brought Jefferson and Jackson
into power and made Jeffersonian
principles lasting influence In
political development. Here Is much
OF Senator Beveridge. and we confess
that we have found this aspect Of the
volumes quite as interesting as the
summary OF Marshall's opinions. The
law Of the decisions has been expound-
ed again and again by lawyers and
for lawyers, and the later applications
would Of themselves constitute q val
ume, but the other feature which gave
them life at the time and has made
them organic since had been over
looked. This is the chief value Of this
study. It again sets forth the occasion,
the forces in antagonism, the leading
actors, the staging Of the contest and
the achievement.
The measure Of the writer may be
taken by his ill-concealed prejudices
What Marshall thought Of Jefferson
of Burr or Of Spencer Roane may
readily be gathered from his letters
Mr.. Beveridge goes further and has nc
hesitation in showing his own opinion
Of men. When Jefferson, became
President Marshall was inclined to
class him with the "absolute terror
lists" and his first measures directed
against the federalist policy were de
structive. To Mr.. Beverldge he 1s
1.-The great radical" concerned "only
with his influence on the destiny Of
the world; the "alert politician" ol
abnormal sensitiveness to even mod
crate criticism" and much more tt
the same effect. Jefferson as the
chief antagonist Of Marshall is usec
as foil throughout the work. and hit
attacks on the judiciary. his criti
cisms Of the life Of Washington, his
conduct towards Burr and his com
ments on the decisions. so subversive
of his doctrine Of states right, are Civ
en- their natural weight. as Is fit. with
an added running comment by the au
thor disclosing his dislike OF the man
and his policies. He is an open advo
cate of Burr. dislikes the Virginian
combination of Roane and Richie and
whatever savors of disunion. 1t Is
evident that Beveridge and Marshall
are one on nationalism.
Into details 1t would be impossible