JUDGES OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
83
'J'he first volume was afterward published
separately under the title of "A History of
the American Colonies" (1824) and the en-
tire work was subsequently revised and con-
densed into two volumes in 1832. The hon-
orary degree of Doctor of Laws was con-
ferred on him by the College of New Jer-
sey in 1802, by Harvard in 1806, and by the
University of Pennsylvania in 1815. He was
a member of the American Philosophical
Society ; a fellow of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences, and corresponding
member of the Massachusetts Historical
Society. On February 4, 1901, the Supreme
Court of the United States, with the aid and
support of the President and Congress, cele-
brated the one hundredth anniversary of the
day on which h^took his seat for the first time
in the Supreme Court of the United States,
and by common consent all judicial business
throughout the country ceased, and state,
city and county bar associations held appro-
priate exercises, as did colleges, law and
public schools. His health began to decline
?t the opening of the session of the Supreme
Court in 1835. although he presided through-
out the session. He died in Philadelphia,
I Pennsylvania, July 6, 1835. '"^ ability as
a judge consisted in his almost supernatural
power of distinguishing at a glance the very
point on which the- controversy depended.
He was not always correct in his decisions
but there can be but one opinion as to his
nipid. resistless and astonishing penetration.
Washington, Bushrod, was born in West- moreland county. Virginia. June 5. 1762, the son of John Augustine, younger brother of George Washington ; was graduated from William and Mary College in 1778. and read law in Philadelphia in James Wilson's office. In 1780-81 he served in
Colonel J. F. Mercer's troop, which was dis-
banded after the siege of Vorktown. He
practiced at home, at Alexandria and at
Richmond : was a member of the house of
delegates in 17S7, and of the convention
which ratified the Federal constitution; and
from December 20, ijijS, was a judge of the
United States Supreme Court, receiving his
appointment from President Adams. He
was of "small and emaciated frame, and
countenance like marble." but eminent for
learning and ability. He published "Reports
of the Virginia Court of Appeals, i790-<)6.*'
in two volumes (1798-99), and of the
'United States Court for the Third Circuit.
1803-27," in kuT volumes (1826-29), partly
edited by R. Peters: these, in the opinion
of his biographer, did him but imperfect
justice. At the organization of the Coloni-
zation Society in June, 18 17, he became its
I^resident. As the general's favorite nephew,
he inherited Mount \'ernon, which after-
ward passed to R. E. Lee, through the Cus-
tis family. He (bed November 26, 1829.
His life, by H. r»inney. was privately printed
in 1858.
Barbour, Philip Pendleton, was born in Orange county, \'irginia, May 25, 1783. the son of Colonel Thomas IJarbour. He received his early education at the schools in his native county, read law, and was sent by his father to Kentucky to settle some land claims?' in which he was unsuc- cessful, and was thereafter left to make his own way in the world. He was ad- mitted to the bar. practiced law, and sub- sequently studied at William and Mary Col- lege. From 1812 to 1814 he was a member of the legislature, and from 1814 to 1821 a member of Congress from Virginia, when he became speaker of the house of repre-
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