Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/286

 MARSHALL

MARSHALL

A bronze statue of Marshall was subsequently placed on the spot where the tliscovery was made. He died at Coloma, Cal., Aug. 8, 18«5.

MARSHALL, John, statesman, was born in German town, Fauquier county, Va., Sept. 24, 1755 ; son of Thomas and Mury Isham (Keith) Marshall. He received his early instruction from Mr. James Thompson, a private tutor, and

attended the classical academy of the Messrs. Campbell in Westmore- land county, Va. He studied law, but at the outbreak of the Rev- olutionary war he joined a company of volunteers 'and took part in the [action at Great Bridge. 'His company was sub- , sequently reorganized and became part of the 11th regiment of Vir- ginia troops which was ordered to join Wash- ington's army in New Jersey. He was promoted captain of a company in May, 1777 ; was engaged in the battles of Monmouth, Brandywine and German town, and accompanied Washington to Valley Forge, Dec. 19, 1777. In 1779 he was pres- ent at the capture of Stony Point by General Anthony Wayne and subsequently covered the retreat of Major Lee after his attack on the enemy's post at Paulus's Hook, Aug. 19, 1779. He was ordered to return to Virginia to take charge of the militia which was then being raised by the state, and he repaired to Williams- burg, Va. While waiting for the troops he attended a course of law lectures by Chancellor Wythe of the College of William and Mary and in 1780 he was admitted to the bar at Williams- burg. Despairing of the organization of state militia he returned alone and on foot to head- quarters and received command of his company. He returned to Virginia in 1780 and joined the small force under Baron Steuben for the defence of the state. In 1871 he resigned his commission and entered upon the practice of law in Fauquier county. He early attained prominence at the bar ; was a delegate to the Virginia house of burgesses in 1780 ; removed his law office to Richmond, Va. ; was elected a member of the state executive council and was commissioned a general in the newly organized state militia. He was engaged in the celebrated case of Ware vs. Hilton involving the British debt question, tried in the circuit court of the United States at Richmond before Chief-Justice John Jay, the attorneys for the American debtors being Patrick Hinry, Alexander Campbell, James Irvine and

John Marshall. He was married, Jan. 3, 1783, to Mary Willis, daughter of Jacqueline and Rebecca L. (Bur well) Amber. He was a delegate to the Virginia house of burgesses, 1782-88, and was a member of the delegation from that body to the eastern and southern states to explain the danger which menaced the country through the tardiness of the states in meeting the requisitions of congress : ' ' On behalf of the army ; for the relief of public credit ; and for the payment of the debts contracted in prosecuting the war for indei>endence." He became a Federalist and soon after the expiration of his service in the legislature he resigned his seat in the executive council chamber and devote(i^ himself to the pur- suit of his profession. He was re-elected to the house of burgesses in 1784 and again in 1787 ; was a member of the constitutional convention of Virginia which met at Richmond, June 2, 1788, wl\ere he favored the adoption of the Federal constitution. He declined the cabinet ix)sition of attorney-general, and also a foreign mission tendered him by President Washington ; was again a delegate to the house of burgesses, 1788- 91, and practised law in Richmond, 1791-97. Upon the withdrawal of James Monroe as resi- dent minister to France and the appointment of Charles C. Pinckney as his successor, tlie French government became hostile to the United States and in 1797 ordered U.S. Minister Pinckney to quit the French territory and he went to Am- sterdam and thence to New York. This occasioned great indignation in the United States ; and an extra session of congress was convened and a special mission to France was instituted composed of Marshall, Pinckney and Gerry as joint envoys with orders to " demand redress and reparation from France." They arrived in Paris, Oct. 4, 1797, and were treated with due civility. The French Directory would not acknowledge the commissioners, but Talleyrand suggested through secret agents that an amicable settlement of affairs could be made by the modification of President Adams's speech to congress in which he had denounced the French government, and the payment of the sum of $250,000 by the Amer- ican government. To this proposition the com- mission replied that no such concession would be made and refused to have further intercourse with the agents. The preparations for a war with France were actively begun by the Adams administration and Washington was made lieu- tenant-general of the United States forces then being raised. Marshall and Pinckney left France, while Gerry, who was a Republican and was supposed by the Directory to favor the pay- ment of tribute rather than fight, was compelled to remain in Paris by threats of an immediate declaration of war if he left, but when he was