Sander's Theatre was well filled yesterday afternoon at the meeting in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the appointment of John Marshall as Chief Justice of the United States. Acting President Walcott introduced Professor J. B. Thayer, of the Harvard Law School, who delivered the memorial address on Marshall's life and judicial work.

Professor Thayer began with a brief sketch of Chief Justice Marshall's life, and the events preceding his appointment to the supreme bench. His appointment came at a critical time, when amidst the strife and change of political parties contending over points of a constitution but half interpreted there arose the need of a great lawyer to explain clearly and aright the true principles of the American scheme of government. Cases involving the subtlest points of the Constitution came before Marshall during his long term as Chief Justice, and to the wisdom of his decisions is due in great measure that prevalence of sound constitutional doctrine and opinion that has made the permanence of the Union possible. To this and all his work John Marshall brought "a great stateman's sagacity, a great lawyer's lucid exposition and persuasive reasoning, a great man's candor and breadth of view, and that judicial authority on the bench, allowed naturally and as of right, to a large sweet nature which all men loved and trusted."

It was Marshall who established in unquestioned integrity the position of the judiciary as co-ordinate with and equal to the legislative branches of the government, and made the Supreme Court recognized as the power qualified to sanction or veto legislative acts. He laid down for all time the fundamental considerations which fix and govern the relative functions of the nation and the States, he defined the powers of the legislatures, and made clear the conception and theory of the American doctrine of constitutional law. He was not overweening in his assumption of the power of the court, but, on the other hand, he did not flinch from asserting what he believed its proper authority; or in his own words he "never sought to enlarge the judicial power beyond its proper bounds, nor feared to carry it to the fullest extent that duty required."

Lofty in character, sagacious and keen in judgment, loyally devoted to the law, to the Constitution and its defense, John Marshall stands as one of the great forces that made for the enduring stability of the United States.