manhood that I ever saw, Calvin Pease, then Chief Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, as the title was then, dressed in a way that would make a dude faint, the most per fect dress I ever saw on a man, and the nicest ruffles to his shirt bosom, looking the very beau ideal of a gentleman of the olden times. By his side sat Peter Hitchcock. Now what a team that was! Woe unto the man who had a bad cause and tried to palm it off onto them; he was just as sure to catch a drubbing as ever was a man who offended an Irishman and got a licking for it. What great men they were! Hitchcock was on the bench much longer than Pease, though Pease achieved a wonderful reputa tion, and a deserved one, so much that Mr. Ewing once said to me — when I say Mr. Ewing, everybody knows that I mean Thomas Ewing — that of all the judges he had ever appeared before, in his opinion Calvin Pease was the greatest. On the bench Pease was stern and dignified, but when off the bench he was jocular and fond of telling stories. A reference to the at tempted impeachment of Judge Pease has been made in the first part of this article, and his portrait also appears there. John McLean was born March u, 1785, in New Jersey, removing to Ohio in 1797. His family being poor, he attended school as much time as could be spared from work. At eighteen he was employed in a subordinate position in the Clerk's office of Hamilton County, joined a debat ing society, and studied law under Arthur St. Clair, son of Governor St Clair, who was one of the ablest Territorial lawyers. Admitted to the Bar in 1807, he located at Lebanon, Ohio, where he soon obtained a good practice. He was elected to Congress in 1812, and re-elected in 181 5. In 18 16 elected a judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, where he served six years, until he was appointed by President Monroe in 1822 Commissioner of the General Land Office. In 1823 the President appointed
him Postmaster-General, in which position he made a complete revolution, establishing a system placing it in successful opera tion as one of the most important depart ments of the government. President Jackson tendered him the Postmaster-Generalship and Secretaryship of War, which he declined. The President then appointed him to the bench of the United States Supreme Court, which he accepted. Judge McLean was a man of magnificent presence, and in per sonal appearance the most dignified and majestic personage who ever sat on the bench. He remained on the bench thirtytwo years, till his death in 1861. In addi tion to his opinions in the General Reports of the Court, he published several volumes under title of McLean's Reports. Jessep Nash COUCH was born at Red ding, Conn., August 3, 1778. From early youth he was a lover of books. He grad uated from Yale College in 1802 with first honors, in a class composed of men who afterwards became distinguished and honor able citizens. Judge Couch came to Ohio in 1805, locating at Chillicothe. His certif icate of admission to the bar is dated Chil licothe, Feb. 23, 1805, and signed by Dan iel Symmes and William Sprigg, judges of the Supreme Court. This certificate, to gether with his college diploma and Blackstone, are still preserved as valuable me mentoes by Col. Charles E. Burr of the Columbus bar, whose family was connected with Judge Couch. His accession to the bench of the Su preme Court, dated February 16, 1816, be ing commissioned by Thomas Worthington, then governor of Ohio. He continued in office and in the regular discharge of its duties up to the time of his death, which event occurred at Chillicothe on the 29th of June, 1821. Judge Couch was a great student through out his entire life, accumulating an extensive library. He left his law library to Judge Thompson, an intimate friend, and his mis
