The Late Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. 25 



mother." " A hard necessity," said he, " compels us to en- 

 dure the evil of slavery for a time. It was imposed upon 

 us by another nation while we were yet in a state of colo- 

 nial vassalage. It cannot be easily or suddenly removed, 

 yet, while it continues, it is a blot on our national charac- 

 ter; and every real lover of freedom confidently hopes 

 that it will be effectually, though it must be gradually, 

 wiped away, and earnestly looks for the means by which 

 this necessary object may be best attained." The jury 

 after being out only a few minutes, returned with a verdict 

 of not guilty. A report of the trial was at once published, 

 with a letter from Mr. Gruber, in which he says : " I hope 

 while I keep my senses I shall consider involuntary, per- 

 petual slavery, miserable injustice ; a system of robbery and 

 theft." 



Mr. Taney stood high in the public estimation ; he was 

 a popular man, trusted and confided in by the people. 

 The purity of his life, and the integrity with which he 

 discharged his duties as a citizen, and as a lawyer, were 

 never called in question. He was regarded as a true rep- 

 resentative or leader of opinion ; he was twice put in nomi- 

 nation as the candidate of the federal party during his 

 residence at Frederick; once for the house of delegates, 

 and once for congress. Though defeated on both occa- 

 sions, his allegiance to his party remained unchanged; he 

 stood by his opinions in the day of adversity like an honest 

 man. He remained a federalist until the war of 1812 had 

 gone on for some time ; and until the leaders of that party 

 in the eastern states had, by opposing the war during its 

 progress, begun to cripple the government. The attack 

 upon Washington and Fort Henry had aroused deep feel- 

 ing in that part of the country. His party began to divide; 

 some opposing the war utterly, as in the beginning, and 

 some supporting the government in its prosecution. 



Trans. viii.~\ 4 



