The Life of John Marshall (Volume 2 of 4)
Albert Beveridge
Albert J. Beveridge
The Life of John Marshall (Volume 2 of 4)
LIST OF ABBREVIATED TITLES MOST FREQUENTLY CITED
All references here are to the List of Authorities at the end of this volume
Am. St. Prs.See American State Papers.
Beard: Econ. I. C.See Beard, Charles A. Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States.
Beard: Econ. O. J. D.See Beard, Charles A. Economic Origins of Jeffersonian Democracy.
Cor. Rev.: Sparks. See Sparks, Jared. Correspondence of the Revolution.
Cunningham Letters.See Adams, John. Correspondence with William Cunningham.
Letters: Ford. See Vans Murray, William. Letters to John Quincy Adams. Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford.
Monroe's Writings: Hamilton. See Monroe, James. Writings. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton.
Old Family Letters.See Adams, John. Old Family Letters. Edited by Alexander Biddle.
Works: Adams. See Adams, John. Works. Edited by Charles Francis Adams.
Works: Ames. See Ames, Fisher. Works. Edited by Seth Ames.
Works: Ford. See Jefferson, Thomas. Works. Federal Edition. Edited by Paul Leicester Ford.
Works: Hamilton. See Hamilton, Alexander. Works. Edited by John C. Hamilton.
Works: Lodge. See Hamilton, Alexander. Works. Federal Edition. Edited by Henry Cabot Lodge.
Writings: Conway. See Paine, Thomas. Writings. Edited by Moncure Daniel Conway.
Writings: Ford. See Washington, George. Writings. Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford.
Writings: Hunt. See Madison, James. Writings. Edited by Gaillard Hunt.
Writings, J. Q. A.: Ford. See Adams, John Quincy. Writings. Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford.
Writings: Smyth. See Franklin, Benjamin. Writings. Edited by Albert Henry Smyth.
Writings: Sparks. See Washington, George. Writings. Edited by Jared Sparks.
THE LIFE OF JOHN MARSHALL
CHAPTER I
INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION ON AMERICA
Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than it now is. (Jefferson.)
That malignant philosophy which can coolly and deliberately pursue, through oceans of blood, abstract systems for the attainment of some fancied untried good. (Marshall.)
The only genuine liberty consists in a mean equally distant from the despotism of an individual and a million. ("Publicola": J. Q. Adams, 1792.)
The decision of the French King, Louis XVI, on the advice of his Ministers, to weaken Great Britain by aiding the Americans in their War for Independence, while it accomplished its purpose, was fatal to himself and to the Monarchy of France. As a result, Great Britain lost America, but Louis lost his head. Had not the Bourbon Government sent troops, fleets, munitions, and money to the support of the failing and desperate American fortunes, it is probable that Washington would not have prevailed; and the fires of the French holocaust which flamed throughout the world surely would not have been lit so soon.
The success of the American patriots in their armed resistance to the rule of George III, although brought about by the aid of the French Crown, was, nevertheless, the shining and dramatic example which Frenchmen imitated in beginning that vast and elemental upheaval called the French Revolution.[1 - "That the principles of America opened the Bastille is not to be doubted." (Thomas Paine to Washington, May 1, 1790; Cor. Rev.
: Sparks, iv, 328.) "The principles of it [the French Revolution] were copied from America." (Paine to Citizens of the United States, Nov. 15, 1802; Writings: Conway, iii, 381.)"Did not the American Revolution produce the French Revolution? And did not the French Revolution produce all the Calamities and Desolations to the human Race and the whole Globe ever since?" (Adams to Rush, Aug. 28, 1811; Old Family Letters, 352.)"Many of … the leaders [of the French Revolution] have imbibed their principles in America, and all have been fired by our example." (Gouverneur Morris to Washington, Paris, April 29, 1789; Cor. Rev.: Sparks, iv, 256.)"All the friends of freedom on this side the Atlantic are now