e of annoyance or disaster, was suffered so to ruffle his mood as
to make him heedless or indifferent to the claims or sensibilities of
others. He never conceived that any of his virtues gave him a right to
trespass upon the proprieties of social or public life. An anecdote is
related of him which illustrates the veneration which he entertained for
the regulations of society and law. It appears that, when the war was
over, one of his closest intimates and nearest friends--one whom he had
trusted long, and who had shared with him in all his campaigns, stood
within the perils of the law for some offence of which the facts have
not been preserved. Presuming upon his well-known services, and the
favor in which he was held by the public, he refused to submit to
the ordinary legal process, and bade defiance to the sheriff. While
maintaining this position, Marion sought him out. He used no argument to
convince the offender of his error, for that, he felt assured, the other
sufficiently knew. But he addressed him in a style, and with words,
which conveyed much more than any ordinary argument. "Deliver yourself,"
said he, "into the hands of justice--submit to the process of
the sheriff, and my heart and hand are yours as before;
--resist,--refuse,--and we are separated for ever." It need
not be said that under such an exhortation the refractory spirit was
subdued. How much to be regretted it is that so few anecdotes have been
preserved of his character, illustrating a life which, according to all
testimony, was consistent throughout in a just appreciation of all that
was pure, virtuous and becoming, in the character of the individual man.

Early in the year 1783, the following resolutions passed in the Senate
of South Carolina, Marion, who was a member, not being present at the
time:

Senate, South Carolina, February 26, 1783.

"RESOLVED, nem. con., That the thanks of this House be given to
Brigadier General Marion, in his place, as a member of this House, for
his eminent and conspicuous services to his country.

"RESOLVED, nem. con., That a gold medal be given to Brigadier General
Marion, as a mark of public approbation for his great, glorious, and
meritorious conduct."

Two days after, Marion being in his place in the Senate, the President
took occasion to convey to him the sense of these resolutions, in a neat
and highly laudatory speech. He said, among other things--

"When I consider the occasion which calls me