

Marshall, John

Marshall, John (1755-1835), a great American lawyer, was a native of Fauquier county, Virginia, After serving under his father in the American war, he, in 1781, began to practise as a lawyer. He soon became head of the Virginian bar, and was several times elected to the Legislature of the state, In 1788 he assisted Madison to obtain the acceptance of the Federal Constitution; and in 1797 went to France as one of the special envoys of the United States. Soon after his return he was elected to Congress, and in 1800 became Secretary of State, but resigned in the next year in order to take the office of Chief Justice of the United States. His decisions as such have always been regarded as of the first importance; a selection of them appeared at Boston in 1839.