Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/651

Rh in 1829, on account of being under twenty-one years of age, and removing to Montgomery, Alabama, entered the practice of the law, with well-deserved success. His abilities brought him so rapidly into public favor that in 1836 he was elected to the legislature, where he did the State great service as chairman of the Bank committee. But his fame chiefly rose from his career as a jurist, and in consequence he was tendered an appointment as secretary of legation to Great Britain by Andrew Jackson, also a position as justice of the Supreme court of Alabama by Governor Clay, both of which he declined. Afterward in 1842 he was chosen as a member of the legislature from Mobile, and having taken part in the discussions arising during the years 1849 and 1850 he was appointed to represent his State in the important Southern States convention which met in Nashville, Tennessee. Once again in 1852 he declined appointment to the Supreme court of Alabama, but in 1853 accepted the position of associate justice of the Supreme court of the United States, which was conferred by President Pierce and unanimously confirmed by the Senate responsible position, which he attained at forty-three years of age, was filled by him with great ability. It suited his tastes and talents, withdrawing him from the turmoil of politics and the contentions of practice, while it gave his judicial mind full scope to ascertain legal principles with opportunity to announce them.

He had been noted as a conservative thinker and actor in all public questions, indisposed to antagonize where compromise could be secured. This disposition led him to hope that secession might be averted by interposition of men who were free from 'political entanglements. At the outset he frankly dissented from those who advocated secession, and endeavored to be the mediator between Mr. Seward and the Confederate commissioners in March and April, 1865. With a noble purpose to bring the parties together, to avert war, to stay the progress of