Marshall, John

(September 24, 1755—July 6, 1835), the greatest of American jurists, was born at German town, Fauquier County, Va. He was deprived of a collegiate education, and was a youth when the Revolutionary War began. Young Marshall served as a regimental officer through the struggle, and fought at Brandy wine, Mon mouth, etc. He then applied himself to the law, entered the Virginia House of Burge es and the council. As a member of the convention for ratifying the Federal Constitution in 1788, he contended on the Federalist side ably and succe fully against the eloquence of Patrick Henry and his colleagues. With Gerry and C. C. Pinckney he was Envny to France in 1797 at the time of Talleyrand’s attempted bribery of the United States. Returning the next year he served as Congre man in 1799-1800, and as Secretary of State 1800-1801. President Adams in 1801 appointed Marshall Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which position he held until his death. He is famous in the national annals for his great opinions defining and interpreting the Federal Constitution, and aiding to consolidate the Union. He presided over the Burr trial, and in 1829 was a member of the Virginia convention for revising the State Constitution. Marshall wrote a life of Washington in five volumes, afterward revised and condensed in two volumes, His writings were edited by Story. 437