Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-11-27
GREAT VIRGINIAN
AND AN EPISODE
Story of the Great Chief Justice
With Frederick County as Stage
By w. H. T. squires, D. D.

1O-NNNNN~
known as McGuire's, which was un-
fortunately destroyed by fire soon
after the interesting incident that
gives it a place in history. The
tavern was plain, frame building.
innocent of paint, located on Lou
doun Street in the midst of the
town. Within its walls many men
gathered, who were famous in their
generation.
The local newspaper, known as
the Winchester Republican, reported
this anecdote at the time it occurred.
1t was copied some years later by
Henry Howe into his Gazetteer of
Virginia, valuable book long since
out of print. The story is, however,
too instructive to be lost.
An elderly gentleman drew up his
horse and gig at the hospitable door
of McGuire's, evidently seeking re-
freshment and nights rest, for the
day was now waning. The shafts of
the ancient gig were broken and had
been tied with switches of hickory
saplings, else neither gig nor driver
would have reached the inn or Win
chester that afternoon.
The gentleman was plainly, one
might almost say poorly, clad. His
knee-buckles were loosened, and his
dress suggested negligence, rather
than poverty. Those who saw him
arrive supposed that he was one of
the honest small farmers of Freder-
lex County; or, perhaps, traveller
from the Shenandoah Valley.
The stranger had gotten himself
comfortably settled in a snug corner
of the tap-room when a jolly COM
pany, some three or four young law
yers, entered Their animated dis
cussion turned upon a peculiarly eff
fective appeal made that very day
before the court of Frederick Coun-
ty.
One of them volunteered that he
had recently heard an eloquent
clergyman and regarded him as the
most effective speaker to whom he
had ever listened. This called forth
considerable sarcasm from i S
friend, and the conversation drifted
at once into a general discussion of
the Christian religion. The young
advocates were evidently men of
culture, ability, and learning From
six in the evening until eleven the
debate continued without Interrupt
ton, to the entertainment of the
diversion, and to the immense salts
faction of the crowd which was ac-
customed to gather from the town
for liquid refreshment to hear the
general news of the day and to pick
up any stray gossip. In this able
debate it seemed that every argu-
ment for the religion of Jesus Christ
and against it was adduced.
Evidently the young lawyers did
not notice the old gentleman of the
knee-buckles and the dilapidated gig
but his eyes were intently upon
them. One of the guests remarked
later that he had watched the old
man from time to time, but could not
decide from his expression whether
he was gathering information, OF
appraising the value of the argu-
ment, or the ability of the debators,
or whether he was considering the
future of his country when it came
to be entrusted to the care of the
rising generation
At the conclusion of the long dis
cussion one of the young advocates
wheeled about, and his eye for the
first time fell upon the intent listen
er. With considerable familiarity
and not without some condescension
he rallied him with the question:
We'll, my old gentleman, what
think you of these things?"
He was rather surprised when the
old man accepted his invitation and
began to speak. He was further
surprised that he exhibited not the
least embarrassment, and still more
surprised at the old mans eloquence.
The simplicity of his language, the
precision with which he weighed
every word, the power of his diction
and the clearness of his thought
amazed the company. With the acu-
men of an expert he reviewed every
point advanced by every speaker.
He marshalled the facts presented as
a general calls forth his army. He
placed them in cumulative order and
logical sequence He restated ac-
curately each argument against the
deity of the Lord Jesus Christ
weighed it impartially, refuted it
logically, admitting the strength of
each and exposing its weakness.
The logic of David Hume and es-
pecially his famous argument against
miracles was considered at length.
Evidently the old gentleman was
thoroughly familiar with the works
of Hume and the theories of the
French deists. AS he warmed to his
subject his voice vibrated with emo
ton, and at times his pathos, terse
eloquence, and eogent reasoning
were intense and brilliant.
For almost an hour the old man