With the return of peace the courts were again thrown open, and Marshall began that brilliant legal career which has made him one of the most famous men in our history.  His success was marked from the first, as his professional talents were such as to make themselves felt anywhere, and his personal popularity aided him greatly in overcoming the difficulties which lie in the path of a young aspirant to legal honors.  In 1782, the people of Fauquier elected him to the House of Delegates in the General Assembly of the Commonwealth, and in the fall of that year he was appointed one of the Council of State.  In January, 1783, he was married to Miss Mary Willis Ambler, with whom he lived in the most perfect happiness for over fifty years.  His bride was a woman of great personal beauty, and in every respect a fitting helpmate for such a man—­than which no higher tribute could be paid her.  About this time, Mr. Marshall decided not to return to Fauquier, but to locate himself permanently in Richmond, where he could enjoy many more professional advantages.  In spite of this, however, his old friends in Fauquier re-elected him to the Legislature, and in 1787 he sat in that body as representative from the county of Henrico.

He was very plain and even careless in his personal attire, and this often led to amusing occurrences.  Soon after he began the practice of his profession in Richmond, he was strolling through the streets one morning, dressed in a plain linen suit and a straw hat.  The hat was held under his arm, and was filled with cherries, of which he ate as he walked.  In passing the Eagle Hotel, he stopped to exchange salutations with the landlord, and then continued his walk.  Sitting near the landlord, on the hotel porch, was a Mr. P——­, an elderly gentleman from the country, who had come to the city to engage counsel in an important case which was to be tried in a day or two.  The landlord referred him to Marshall as the best lawyer in the city; but the old gentleman was so much prejudiced against the young advocate, by his careless appearance, that he refused to engage him.  On entering court, Mr. P——­ was a second time referred to Marshall by the clerk of the court, and a second time he refused to employ him.  At this moment entered Mr. V——­, a venerable-looking legal gentleman, in a powdered wig and black coat, whose dignified appearance produced such an impression on Mr. P——­ that he engaged him at once.  In the first case which came on, Marshall and Mr. V——­ each addressed the court.  “The vast inferiority of his advocate was so apparent that at the close of the case Mr. P——­ introduced himself to young Marshall, frankly stated the prejudice which had caused him, in opposition to advice, to employ Mr. V——­; that he extremely regretted the error, but knew not how to remedy it.  He had come to the city with one hundred dollars as his lawyer’s fee, which he had paid, and had but five left, which, if Marshall chose, he would cheerfully give him for assisting in the case.  Marshall, pleased with the incident, accepted the offer, not, however, without passing a sly joke at the omnipotence of a powdered wig and black coat.”