Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 13.pdf/84

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John Marshall.

59

he earnestly deprecated any change in the Justice Marshall) for saying that he will vote scheme of government. Perhaps it is worth for their proposition; and immediately after while to reproduce here some of his senti another gentleman from .Loudon made an ments there expressed upon the independ occasion to say, that his highly venerated ence of the judiciary. "I have grown old in friend was his political father, that he took the opinion that there is nothing more dear delight in following his lessons and that it to Virginia, or ought to be dearer to her was gratifying to his heart to find that his statesmen, and that the best interests of our very venerable friend from Richmond was country are secured by it. Advert, sir, to willing to take what they proposed to give, if he could not get the duties of a what he preferred. judge. He has to But, sir, have we pass between the heard one word government and like a purpose to the man whom meet the generous that government spirit of that gen . is prosecuting, be tleman with a like tween the most generous spirit? powerful individ Any, the least in ual in the com timation, that if munity and the their proposition poorest and most failed, they would unpopular. It is accede to his? of the last impor Not one word . . . tance that in the The generous and exercise of these affectionate dis duties he should position of the observe the utmost gentleman from fairness . . . The ju Richmond they dicial department applaud and com comes home in its pliment; but they effects to every — they will yield man's fireside; it nothing!" passes on his JOHN MARSHALL (from an old painting) We come now property, his rep At about the age of 40. to a consideration utation, his life of the judicial ca his all. ... I have always thought, from my earliest youth till reer of the great Chief Justice, and it now, that the greatest scoifrge an angry must be brief. Xo lawyer can approach Heaven ever inflicted upon an ungrateful it without a feeling of admiration and rever and a sinning people, was an ignorant, a cor ence. To adequately treat it a critical ex rupt, or a dependent judiciary." amination of all his opinions, including as A vivid conception of the attitude of the they do judgments of the greatest moment Chief Justice towards the Convention and upon questions of constitutional law, of of the Convention towards him is derived equity jurisprudence, of the common law, of from the remarks of Mr. B. Watkins Leigh: admiralty, of prize and international law is "Up gets the gentleman from London, and necessary. It would be a high and worthy thanks his honored and venerable and ven task, and alone can sufficiently present to erated friend from Richmond (Mr. Chief the profession and the world the greatness