"The Most Important American Never to Have Been President"

George Will marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Chief Justice John Marshall.

Will believes that Marshall's impact on our country was greater than that of all but our two greatest Presidents, Washington and Lincoln.

Will says that the Liberty Bell cracked tolling Marshall's death and never rang again. This is but one theory among many about the Liberty Bell's crack, documented by the Liberty Bell Museum.

Update: Bench Memos also noticed the Liberty Bell issue.