Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 13.pdf/223

1831, she breathed her last, his was a grief service of his fellow-men. "He sought to only those can know who have been obliged hand on unquenched that torch of freedom" to endure so inexpressible a loss. His letters for which he had fought, and to which he show the greatest solicitude for his widowed had consecrated the best powers of his mind sisters and sisters-in-law and their children. and heart. He grew all the time, and his in His humility and freedom from arrogance fluence on the life of the nation will be coter were apparent to all. This was shown in his minous with the nation. He will stand out great consideration for others, howsoever among the great men of the earth for the humble their position in life; he was always vastness of his intellect, for his insight into willing to listen to their opinions, howsoever the truth, for his righteous judgment, for his worthless. He did not settle matters of vast interpretation and defence of the Constitu import at once, or after only a shallow survey tion, for his high morality, and for his stain of great principles and truths which have less honor.1 been benediction to the world and the church for Centuries. He did not adopt the His disposition was most amiable. He latest vagary of an ever-changing so-called never had a personal enemy in his life. Story, scientific investigation just because it was in writing to a friend, said: "I think lie is the latest fad or the last utterance of some the most extraordinary man I ever saw, for "higher critic," and this in a day when the the depth and tenderness of his feeling." His great foundations of Christianity were as manner on the bench was dignified, but he sailed with a hostility unknown to-day. was a most patient listener. One who knew Looking before him and after him—possibly him well says that no symptom of irritation weighing opportunity on the one hand and was ever betrayed in his movements, no considerations of health on the other — he frown of impatience ever clouded his brow.z said that his father was an abler man than It is certain that Marshall's faults, if he he, and that his eldest son was possessed of a variety of gifts utterly beyond him. This had any, are hard to discover. Suppose, how is not to say that he underestimated himself ever, that one were compelled to serve as the devil's advocate, whose official duty it is to or despised his own gifts. . . . Loyalty to truth was one of his most dis urge objections to the proposed canonization tinguishing characteristics. We have no of a deceased person. Is there any fact which story like that of Washington and the hatchet would furnish an argument against putting to tell, but we have the even course of an John Marshall on the list of saints? I can irreproachable life to command our respect. think of but one plausible objection; a men The success which attended John Mar tal characteristic which he probably shared shall throughout his career may be largely in common with almost every public man of traced to the fact that he was ever mindful his time. And that is, failure to do justice to he had a mission in life — a mission only the motives of political opponents. A friend, he could fulfil. He seemed to realize, as few who has made careful investigation, tells me men do, that every gift is a trust, and that that he has found no evidence even of this men are trustees of life, of opportunity, of fault. Still I cannot help supposing that it possessions — each to be passed on to an existed. After making, however, all deduc other till the great Court of Assize shall de tion for this defect, it is safe to say that, termine the result. There is no ownership among all the Federal leaders there are not in life other than trusteeship. Thus, as a to be found three whiter characters than man, John Marshall stands before us great 1 Reverend W. Strother Jones. and trae in all the relations of life — a man 2 Honorable Sanford B. Ladd. ever ready to do his part in the common