John Marshall Essay Example

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Marshall played a significant role in advocating for the ratification of the constitution in Philadelphia in 1787. When George Washington offered him the position of attorney general upon becoming president, Marshall declined so that he could remain in Richmond with his family and law practice. He also turned down a later offer to become American minister to France.

In 1798, Marshall joined two other envoys as part of President John Adams' delegation to revolutionary France with hopes of maintaining peaceful relations between both countries. However, he refused to consider paying when he learned that the French government expected it before receiving the American emissaries, recognizing it as soliciting a bribe.

The American people were outraged upon hearing news about XYZ affair. When Marshall came back home in the summer of 1787, he was celebrated as a hero and chosen as a Federalist representative from Richmond during the subsequent fall elections.He greatly supported President John Adams' Federalist policies and assumed the role of secretary of state, effectively guiding the government in Adams' absence. Despite being distantly related, Marshall and Thomas Jefferson had little agreement and frequently clashed over fundamental and constitutional issues. Their opposing political beliefs led to conflict, with Jefferson advocating for limited central government power while Marshall supported a strong federal government led by wealthy landowners and merchants. While Jefferson championed agrarian democracy, Marshall aligned himself with Washington, Adams, and Hamilton in endorsing Federalist policies. The inevitable clash between the Supreme Court and executive branch occurred as Jefferson ruled from the Executive Mansion while Marshall served as Chief Justice. With a firm belief in a powerful national government, Marshall aimed to strengthen federal institutions; meanwhile, Jefferson

firmly believed in state sovereignty and remained vigilant against encroachment by the federal government. In legal matters, Jefferson preferred strict interpretation of the constitution to restrict federal power, while Marshall believed in fair interpretation that honored the intentions of its founders.According to Marshall's perspective, any law or executive action that violated the constitution held no validity. Jefferson also believed that the other branches of government had the responsibility and authority to make constitutional decisions. In 1803, the Marbury v.Madison case allowed Marshall to demonstrate his belief in the Supreme Court as the ultimate authority on constitutional issues. He used this case to establish that US courts could declare laws unconstitutional. If historians and constitutional lawyers were asked to choose a representative figure for the Supreme Court, John Marshall would undoubtedly be selected. According to Brian McGinty, Chief Justice John Marshall transformed the nation's highest court into a genuinely supreme institution, both in name and practice. It was Marshall's court decisions that had the greatest influence on his country. According to McGinty, the ruling in Marbury v.Madison by Marshall was arguably the most significant decision ever made by the United States Supreme Court. This ruling introduced the concept of Judicial review, which granted The Supreme Court with authority over interpreting Constitution and determining powers of national government along with states.This principle became foundation for American constitutional law.During Marshall's tenure as federal judiciary leader , which lasted over thirty-four years,the court's authority and prestige experienced consistent growth.
James Buchanan, who later became president of the United States, expressed in 1830 his belief that Marshall was one of Virginia's most remarkable individuals. Additionally, Joseph Story stated that Marshall's appointment

to the Supreme Court played a crucial role in upholding the genuine principles of the Constitution, surpassing any other event in our nation's history.