CHAPTER XVI 
GREAT LAWYERS OF THE UNITED STATES 
The United States has no reason to be ashamed of the great 
lawyers it has produced. The legal history of the United 
States is short. It covers a period of only about a century 
and a half. Yet during that time enough great lawyers have 
appeared to make any nation proud, and the memories of 
many of them will be cherished as long as this nation shall 
endure. 48 
Chief Justices. Some of the great lawyers of the United 
States have been chief justices of the Supreme Court of the 
United States, a tribunal which in dignity and importance has 
no superior on earth. Not every one of the chief justices 
has been a lawyer of the first rank, but among the entire num- 
ber there is not one who should be condemned to oblivion for 
his mediocrity. In all there have been ten chief justices, 
counting J. Rutledge (1739-1800) given a recess appointment 
in 1795 and not confirmed by the Senate. Of these by far 
the greatest was John Marshall. We shall briefly refer to 
each one in the order in which he held office. 
Jay (1745-1829). 49 John Jay was the first chief justice of 
the United States Supreme Court. He was appointed by 
Washington, who always tried to exercise a wise judgment in 
his appointments; held office from 1789 to 1795; and was re- 
appointed by John Adams in 1800 but declined the appoint- 
ment. He was born in New York; was descended from 
French Huguenots; studied law in an office; was acquiring a 
good practice when he was drawn into politics; was a dele- 
gate to the First Continental Congress; was the author of 
addresses to the People of Great Britain, to the People of 
Canada, and to the People of Ireland; prepared the bill of 
rights of New York and the constitution of New York; was 
chief justice of New York; was sent to Congress; was sent 
as a diplomat to Spain to borrow a million dollars and to 
get the freedom of the Mississippi River; with Franklin and 
Adams negotiated the Treaty of Peace; was special envoy to 
Great Britain; and resigned the chief justiceship to become 
48 Beveridge, Life of John Marshall; Warren, Supreme Court in United States His- 
tory; Carson, The Supreme Court of the United States; Lewis, Great American Lawyers. 
49 13 Green Bag 1 ; 6 Col. L. Rev. 289. 
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