the several states, to be by them exercised." This is the first declara- 

 tion of the doctrine of. State Rights. It secured the adoption of the 

 Constitution, and drew from John Adams the statement that " our 

 Constitution was made for a moral and religious people ; it is wholly 

 inadequate to the government of any other." 



Having accomplished this work, Parsons again retired to his profes- 

 sion, to receive the highest honors which the law can bestow. Under 

 his administration as Chief Justice, the confusion and complication 

 which had attended the forms of practice here, began at once to dis- 

 appear ; and to him more than any other may be attributed the re- 

 formed state of the dockets ^throughout the Commonwealth, the 

 promptness of decisions, the regularity of trials, attesting the bene- 

 ficial effects of a system which he did so much to render popular and 

 permanent. 



As a jurist he was undoubtedly among the great lawyers of this 

 county and state. To a citizen of Essex County the name of Story 

 will at once occur as a contestant for the highest judicial distinction 

 among us. Story and Parsons, both learned in the law, both endowed 

 with large intellect, both possessing a high moral tone and yet how 

 different! The one diffuse, impetuous, unconstrained the other 

 concise, systematic, condensed, exhausting. Parsons left the most 

 law Story the most books. Parsons cut his path directly to the ob- 

 ject Story led his followers through devious paths obstructed by 

 difficulties of which he never lost sight. Parsons loved the sharpest 

 analysis Story delighted in an accumulation of all that related to 

 his subject. Parsons was a great thinker Story a great talker. 

 Parsons gave his opinion to a jury Story gave the argument. Par- 

 sons never forgot that he was a judge Story never forgot that he 

 was a lawyer. Parsons was an accurate mathematician, a careful stu- 

 dent, a good scholar. Story's proper sphere was in the walks of his 

 profession. The piercing, penetrating eye of Parsons was always di- 

 rected upon the point aimed at the eye of Story roamed through all 

 space. Both had industry, both had humor, botli had a kind humanity, 

 both had deep faith. Both had a certain intellectual arrogance, the 

 prevailing reproach of all great human powers, and both had that 

 genuine kindness and private affection which attend all true greatness. 



Mr. H. M. Brooks, after a few remarks, moved that the thanks of 

 the Institute be presented to Dr. Loring for the paper read this 

 evening and that a copy be requested for the archives. 



N. K. Allen, B. H. Osgood and E. A. Smith of Salem; B. C. Perkins, 

 A. M. Dudley of South Danvers ; William Rowland, of Lynn ; W. W. 

 Eaton, Edward Hutchinson, Augustus Mudge, Frederic W. Went- 

 worth, George Farley, and George W. Andrews, of Danvers, were 

 elected Resident Members. 



MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1868. Regular Meeting. 

 Vice President GOODELL in the chair. 



Correspondence and donations announced. 



The following notes, received from Dr. HENKY SHIMEK, of Mt. Car- 

 roll, 111., were comuuicated by Mr. Putnam: 



