Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 03.pdf/87

 66

that represents in his person a sovereign State, Pennsylvania owes more than to that interpretation of dignity that led a chosen governor to walk up from the railroad to his inauguration with his grip-sack in his hand. To wear a scarlet coat in these late plain days would have been scarcely more ridicu lous than such a burlesque of " simplicity." Thomas McKean's acts, language, appear ance, and handwriting are all of a consistent and vigorous individuality. He could hardly have been a conciliatory person. But it is recorded of him that on being addressed in a petition as "The Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice," he corrected the sur plusage more mildly than most mistakes he dealt with, saying, " These are, perhaps, more titles than I can fairly lay claim to, but the petitioner has erred on the right side." Gouverneur Morris, one day speaking be fore him in some fashion displeasing to " The Right Honorable," was suddenly commanded to take his seat. " I will cease speaking," said Mr. Morris; " but whether I shall sit or stand depends upon my own convenience, and I prefer to stand." A leading attorney began a motion by ex plaining that the novelty of its subject was such that he was uncertain of the appropriate form for it. " If you don't understand how to make a motion, you had better consult your books and learn," said the Judge. One day at Harrisburg", a mob outside the court disturbed him, and he ordered the sheriff to disperse them. ." I cannot do it," stammered the sheriff. "Why do you not summon your posse?" pursued his honor, raising his voice to a roar. "I h-have summoned them, but they are ineffectual," the miserable man replied. "Then, sir, why do you not summon me?" The officer braced his tottering faculties, and finished, " I do summon you, sir." And upon this, up reared the scarlet McKean, and descending, suddenly loomed tre mendous on the rioters, and seized a couple

by their throats. The horrified remainder evaporated, and Justice remounted her pedestal. When Mr. McKean became governor in 1799, his fulfilment of those new duties was equally robust. Having vetoed a bill, the Legislature waited upon him and diffidently urged his reconsideration. The Governor took out his watch. "Will you please to put her to rights?" he remarked to the chairman, who protested he was a carpenter and unfitted for the task. The others of the committee each declined, for similar reasons. The Governor affected surprise, observing that any watchmaker's apprentice could do it. Then he informed the committee that he had spent a quarter of a century on the law. "Yet you, who can't wind this little watch, become lawyers all at once and presume to instruct me in my duty." Mr. McKean de clined to pay toll one day, driving through a turnpike bar. " I am the Governor," he said to the gate-keeper. This custom was re peated till the man complained to the com pany, and received instructions to make no exceptions in the matter of toll-paying. The next time Mr. McKean came, he found the bar closed. " I 've told you before I 'm Gov ernor McKean," he shouted to the keeper. "Well, you may be Tom McKean or Tom the devil, but you're not going through that gate till ye pay." The potentate at this took out a dollar and flung it on the ground. The toll-man went to his till, returned with the proper change, accurately set it down on the spot whence he had picked up the dollar, and then opened the bar. It is not reported whether the Governor descended to glean his small silver, or whether he waived this exactness and drove on. Naturally, such a person had bitter oppo nents. But he triumphed even signally when impeached, and his three elections are sufficient evidence of the esteem he com manded. To him, as has been said, Penn sylvania owes the appointment of the most deeply learned and widely cited Chief-Justice she has produced. When Governor McKean