politically in harmony during the Madison administration, which they both supported. Federal writers of that period assumed that a very powerful triumvirate had large influence on the policy and destinies. of the country, "James Madison, Felix Grundy, and the devil."* But when the irreconcilable issues sprang up that divided Clay and Jackson, Grundy adhered to the latter. In 1830, alluding to the subserviency of the Senate to Jackson's will, Clay evinced his feeling against Grundy in a letter to J. S. Johnston: "Does it (the Senate) imagine that the miserable sophistry of that pliant tool, Felix Grundy, will justify it?" Clay was then still smarting under the charge of "bargain and intrigue," for which he held the friends of Jackson responsible. In 1840, Mr. Clay was in better humor. It was the period of the Harrison campaign, when he visited Nashville in the interest of the Whig cause, and with the view of arraigning the Democracy for the mal-administration of Jackson and Van Buren. Notwithstanding Grundy had been, and still was, identified with the opposing party, Clay was desirous of meeting him, and eagerly inquired for him on reaching Nashville. Being told that he was absent attending a Democratic meeting, "Oh," said Mr. Clay, "I am not at all surprised to hear that mine ancient friend is still engaged in his accustomed occupation of defending criminals." The late Senator Foote, in "Bench and Bar of the South-west," thus estimates Mr. Grundy: "As a jurist, he has not been regarded as having been very deeply and extensively informed, nor did he ever manifest an ambition for the highest celebrity in this respect. In scholastic attainments no one has thought of claiming for him a very high rank. His general reading was very extensive, and his knowledge of the affairs of the world and of the human heart was such as has seldom been surpassed. His person was impressive and commanding, his face radiant with mingled beams of genius and benevolence, his voice was naturally of great strength and sweetness, and it had been so modulated by judicious discipline as to adapt its tones most happily to the expression of all the emotions of which the human soul is susceptible. His gesticulation was never profuse, but always apposite and graceful. When addressing either court or jury his manner was composed and full of dignity, unmixed with either arrogance or affectation. His countenance was habitually serene and benignant." He spoke apparently without preparation, yet Foote intimates that this was more apparent than real, and that he was Olive Branch, by Cary. † Bench and Bar, page 156. simply adept in the ars celare artem. He admits that Judge Grundy could be humorous when he chose, and sometimes indulged an inoffensive mimicry. His relations with Mr. Hardin were always kind. "I remember," said Mrs. Governor Helm, "seeing Felix Grundy when I was a school girl. It was at Dr. Burr Harrison's residence, in Bardstown. When I first saw him I took him for a red-faced Irishman. He was a man of medium size, is my recollection. When he saw me, and was told I was Ben Hardin's daughter, he ran and caught and kissed me." II. JOHN ROWAN. In a previous chapter, some of the incidents in the life of Judge Rowan, occurring prior to the year 1824; have been mentioned. Others are to be referred to now. FEDERAL HILL, THE HOME OF JUDGE ROWAN, AT BARDSTOWN. When a young man, he had taught school-or, as he sonorously expressed it, on one occasion, "engaged in the humble employment of a pedagogue." In his early career at the bar he made his mark as a criminal lawyer. In the early years of his practice he received the appointment of prosecuting attorney. After convicting a young man of felony, Rowan experienced such compunctions that he resigned his office, resolving never more to prosecute. Thereafter he only appeared for the defense. His defense of one Skaggs, tried for murder at Bardstown in 1798, was pronounced masterly, and "obtained for him a reputation which followed him through life as one of the ablest lawyers at the bar of Kentucky, especially in criminal cases."* In 1803, he became involved in a personal, difficulty, over a game of cards, with Dr. Chambers, of Bardstown. In the course of the play a dispute arose between them. Dr. Chambers was exceedingly overbearing and offensive. The following account of the duel that followed is from an interesting sketch of "Jo Daviess, of Kentucky:" + "A dispute had arisen between the parties. Rowan, unaccustomed to endure such treatment, answered hotly, at which the doctor sprang up from the table with an oath, exclaiming that it was not for him to remain in such company, to be contradicted by the son of an obscure plebeian.' Stung by such insolence, Rowan replied that it was better to be the son of an obscure plebeian than the husband of a woman who had—', alluding to some whispers then current in relation to the conduct of Mrs. Chambers. Such an expression of course admitted of but one reply, and a challenge was given on the spot. But the young man, ashamed of having in his anger reflected so coarsely on a woman, refused to accept it, making at the same time the most ample apologies. The doctor, however, would take no explanation, and insisted on a meeting; and as Rowan's reluctance to fight in such a quarrel became more manifest, his opponent's insults grew more outrageous, until the high-spirited youth could submit to them no longer. He accepted the challenge, remarking as he did so, 'Since Dr. Chambers compels me to fight after making every apology, I shall be sure to kill him,' adding, and I will hit him in the button nearest his heart.' The parties accordingly met, Jo Daviess and Colonel Allen (who was killed afterward at the battle of the Raisin) being Rowan's seconds. At the first fire Dr. Chambers fell, the bullet entering his body within an inch of the button which his antagonist had previously designated as his mark. The wound was at once known to be mortal, and all engaged in the affair felt that they must fly immediately, for they well knew the family of the unfortunate man would urge the prosecution against them with a rigor seldom shown at that time, when dueling, though forbidden by the law, was by public opinion scarcely regarded as criminal. Daviess made his way on foot to my father's house, thirty or forty miles distant, and remained for several days in a sort of semi-concealment." The event produced a profound sensation-feeling being strongly against Rowan. An excited mob visited his house with the purpose of vengeance. Discovering its approach, he dressed one of his negroes in his hat and cloak, and started him on his riding horse across the fields, while he hid himself in some cliffs. This he easily Allen's History of Kentucky-sketch of John Rowan. did, as the mob, misled, pursued the negro, who escaped. In a few days Rowan was arrested. Felix Grundy was at the time Commonwealth's attorney, but resigned to avoid prosecuting. The prosecution, by some means, failed--the usual result in that day of dueling homicides-Allen and Daviess acting as his counsel. * In the full tide of his popularity as the leader of the Relief party, Judge Rowan was elected as successor of Isham Talbott, United States Senator. On passing from the turmoil of a “Relief” Legislature to the dignified quiet of the National Senate, he relinquished none of his ultra views in favor of popular rights. He had argued as a lawyer and held as a judge-as observed in a previous page-the constitutionality of the occupying claimant law. The contrary decis ion of the Supreme Court in no wise shook his convictions. When it was proposed in the Senate to reorganize the judges of that court, he offered an amendment that a concurrence of seven of the ten judges should be necessary to declare any legislative act unconstitutional. He advocated in a powerful speech the abolition of imprisonment for debt under process from the courts of the United States, and in 1828 such a law was enacted, partly the result of his strenuous efforts. Judge Rowan was the colleague of Colonel Richard M. Johnson, and neither of these gentlemen was in favor with Mr. Clay, at that time secretary of State under President Adams. "I am sorry,' wrote Clay to Crittenden, in March, 1826, "to tell you that our senator (Mr. Rowan) is among the bitterest opponents of the adminis tration. He appears as if he had been gathering a head of malignity for some years back, which he is now letting off on poor Mr. Adams and his administration. He is, however, almost impotent." Judge Rowan was in sympathy with the movement then already begun in the interest of General Jackson's candidacy for the presidency. It was not part of the policy of that movement to contribute anything to the success or serenity of the Adams administration. Two months later, Clay again wrote Crittenden: "Our Senator, Mr. Rowan, made a violent opposition to Trimble's nomination (as justice of the Supreme Court), and prevailed upon four other senators to record their negatives with him. He is perfectly impotent in the Senate, and has fallen even below the standard of his talents, of which he has some for mischief, if not for good." The firearms used by Judge Rowan in this encounter were thus disposed of in his will: "My dueling pistols I bequeath to my son John during his life, and at his death to his eldest son. They are never to be used by either but when their honor imperatively demands it, and in that case I know they will be held steadily." Perhaps the relation between these two great men was such that neither did nor could do justice to the character of the other. Judge Rowan's opinion of Mr. Clay was hardly more flattering. Rowan was of the Jeffersonian school of democracy. "That he should have been strongly inimical to the Whig policy, of which Mr. Clay was the chief exponent and champion in Kentucky," says Mr. Webb, was but natural." But he gave Mr. Clay little credit for exalted mental gifts, still less for statesmanship. He was often heard to express the opinion that Daniel Webster was much the superior man. He could not understand why it was that the Massachusetts statesman was so much in the habit, as he expressed it, of "playing second fiddle" to one so greatly his inferior. Speaking on a certain occasion of the distinguishing characteristics of these eminent men, he illustrated his idea by the following supposed case: If the two should go duck shooting together, Mr. Clay would expect Mr. Webster to assume the office of spaniel, to bring out the birds, and the latter would not perceive that there was any degradation in his assumption of such an office."* The last public service performed by Judge Rowan was in the capacity of commissioner to adjust claims of citizens of the United States against Mexico, under the convention of Washington, of the 11th of April, 1839. In this office he labored with great assiduity. On the temporary adjournment of the commission, he visited his family in Kentucky, but, being prevented by indisposition from returning to Washington on its reassembling, he resigned his post. On the organization of the Kentucky Historical Society, in 1838, he was elected its president, and held the position until his death He died, after a short illness, at his residence in Louisville, the 13th of July, 1843, in the seventieth year of his age. In person, Judge Rowan was a large, broad shouldered man, six feet one and a half inches in height, erect, tending to obesity in later life, but, younger, was of great physical strength and endurance, which, however, was impaired by lameness resulting from a stagecoach accident. Over his intelligent gray eyes jutted a massive forehead, crowned with thick hair, and terminating at the base in shaggy brows. His strongly-marked face betokened the character of the man and plainly hinted at his Scottish origin. His presence was extremely stately and imposing. He has been described, when in the excitement of debate, as leonine in appearance. He was a man of rare scholarship, who delighted in the classics. He read the Latin with the same facility as English. He prepared a *Life of Lazarus W. Powell, by B. J. Webb. |