“If you Whigs make a President, in 1848,” said I one day to a friend, “let it be Judge M'Lean.” “Do not wish that, Mrs. Maury,” was the reply, “Judge M'Lean is canonized; if he were taken away from the Supreme Court, where is the Guardian of the Constitution?” Such was the compliment paid to the virtue and talents of this good and great man by one of the most eminent of the Whig leaders, and his public and private life, presenting one fair page of integrity and honour, fully justify the words. I frequently visited the Supreme Court, sometimes spending many hours in listening to the able advocates engaged in the business going on; and, before I had ever been presented to Judge M'Lean, was honoured by his protection, and gratified by his notice. My little son was, on general occasions, my only escort; he attended me to my seat, and then took leave, generally returning every hour to enquire if I was ready to retire. I was thus alone in the Court, and might probably have felt somewhat embarrassed, being unknown, and in the midst of strangers; but Judge M'Lean entering at once into the delicacy of my position, always bowed to me from the Bench, as well on my departure as on my entrance. The compliment was the more gratifying, because M'Lean was usually at that time the presiding Judge on the Bench.