Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3270 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSand New Jersey, his collegiate studies being pursued at Nassau Ball wherehe received his 13. A. degree at the early age of fifteen. Returning to Georgia,he entered the law office of Son. Joseph Clay. In his eighteenth year hewas called to the bar. Ten years later he became solicitor general of theEastern Circuit and before he attained liis thirtieth year he was electedjudge of the circuit, a position which he filled with distinguished ability forten years. While he was upon the bench the United States became involvedin a second war with Great Britain. Judge Berrien served in a doublecapacity, as administrator of the law and colonel of cavalry, and saw servicewith his command in the vicinity of Darien and other exposed points, wherehe discharged his duty to his country with fidelity and courage. Upon thetermination of his judicial labors, Judge Berrien was elected to the legislature from Chatham county and was made chairman of the Judiciary Committee."So commanding was the influence wielded by Judge Berrien during hisshort term of service in the General Assembly that in 1824: he was electedto the United States Senate. When he took his seat in that august body onthe 4th of the subsequent March he had not attained his forty-fourth year.Such, however, was the maturity of his views, such the breadth of his information, so exact his knowledge, so admirable his diction, so dignified his deportment and so impressive his intellectual and social demeanor that, per saltnm,he took rank among the famous men of that assembly. With no marks ofage about him, so convincing was his logic and so eloquent his speech, thatChief Justice Marshall styled him the 'honey tongued Georgia youth.'"Resigning from the SenaJe in March, 1829, he hccamc attorney generalof the United States in Ihe cabinet of President Andrew Jackson. Theduties of this office he discharged for more than three years and it is not anexaggeration that no one in the history of the government ever conductedthe affairs of that high office with greater efficiency, decorum or honesty.The New York Press of 1830 in its sketches of public characters says of him:'In the Senate he was a model for chaste, free, beautiful elocution. He seemsto be the only man that Webster softened his voice to, when he lurned fromhis scat to address him. The public of all parties have great confidence inhim and he stands fair for high promotion/"During his office as attorney general President Jackson tendered JudgeBerricn the mission to England. This compliment was declined for privateconsiderations. He returned to his home in Savannah and resumed the practice of his profession, which offered remunerative employment not only beforethe Georgia courts, but also before tribunals of last resort in Florida, SouthCarolina and at Washington. Re had fairly achieved that pre-eminence whichhe had so long enjoyed and was recognized as the most distinguished lawyerof the Sonth."On March 4, 1841, Mr. Berrien resumed his seat in the United StatesSenate and was reelectcd in 1847. In May, 1852, he resigned, and in theseventy-first year of his age laid aside the public mantle which he had so longworn without a blemish. Be was the companion of Calhoun, Clay, Webster,Forsyth, Hayne, Benton, Crittendon and many others. This was a periodwhen mighty men constituted the national council. Great measures were .fairly discussed by intellectual giants and statesmen of enlightened views.A contemporary well said of him: 'Be was indeed a man whose equal inmany respects the world has not produced since the days of Cicero. Americahas had her Benry, one of nature's thunderbolts; her Clay, of grand andsurpassing gifts to electrify the public by their soul-stirring eloquence, butneither of them had the polish of the Roman school with its rich stores oflearning and classic beauties gathered from every epoch and every clime. Itwas reserved for John Macpherson Berrien to stand alone as an example inthe nineteenth century.' In recognition of his distinguished services the statenamed a county in his honor.