Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-08-28

accept appointmsnt under any particular
terms of continuance in office, is widely
different. They take and hold ar the,
will and plealure of the PreGdent or Con-
grefs. This is knowaft them at the
time. The eoafitafiaa has not fixed the
conditions or.duration OF fuch Offices and
of eourfe, being created by the mere will
Of the Prehdens, or by Congrefs, may be
abolilhed by the fame power.
And yet, if the petition be true, that
judges have no more permanent in,ereit
or e.tate in tkeiy offices and compeniations
than others, it follows, that thofe words
in the contisution, g that. they, when ap-,
pointed, hall hold their offices auring good
.kebavioy, and (hall receive for their fer
vices ccmpenationnot tobe diminilhed,"
are wholly insignificant. The Executive.
OF LsgJRatiOe may difmiis them, at any
time, and for any caufe.
But the truth is, that the proyifon in
the Contribution is wife and necedary :.
and whether it is 70 or not, while it remains
there, the office of a Judge and the COM
pentation annexed to il, are as fixed as
the charter itielf, if he continues to behave
we'll.
The. Contribution announces, in explicit
terms, thar he who is appointed Judge,
" lhail hold his office during good behavi-
or, and receive certain eompeyiation. /"
The Legislature, when they create the
Office, do it under this contribution. The
perlon who AS nominated ard appointed
BY the PreGient and the Senate, receives
commiaion under the zeal Of the Urited
States, in which he reads Ihele express
words, I" That he is appointed judge OF
the Circnir Court of the United States for
the third circuit and is authorized and
empowered &c execute and fulfil the d.
ties of thar Office, according TO the Con-
titurion and laws of the Uuitea States y
and then follows words OF abiolute grant
(" To HAVE and to HOLD the faid oAlcg
with all the powers, privileges and emo
luments Of the fame OF righ appertaining
DURING HIS GOOD BEHAVI-
OUR"
With this commiilion and grant in his
has6 with the la7v of 'Congref, ereat.
Ing The e5Fce and fixing the fomts9/at'oa,
to authorize il; and with the eoxFHutioa
of the United States before him, poGtive
ly aGuring him, that the gJfee and the ia
larry fhall be boLden by him dsung his
good 5ekaVi5y, he accepts it upon the
terms ofe ed. And fhall he be deprived
of both office aud lqlary the next month or
year: OF Whenever the l<gj2atarS, who
is but eae out Of three parties to this TO-
Tenn covenant, hall be pleafed to fay,
!" you are no longer ueeeDary or agyer4bt
/" we can fndi jn4ges to cNcrciie our-of
fees cheaper, or who will be more (ub
fervient to our wilhes ~
/ fuch principles as ,helefhsll be FINAL
" fan6ioned by American judicatures, Ill
the beoble, The moral, virtuous, and dig
nihed people of the United States, tempt
ed by momentary patton, or parhmony,
can be brought to fanaion th,m, ther
will louguqge have Ct is ming, ard
tti5 mott flemn and faced c mr. cts maze
between the ba5ic ana rs evt2eas, their
obligation.
The ruin of mdiuiduqs and heir fami-
lies, who may have FUR adered comforta-
BILE Iivings, and loR honorable and lucra :
tive offices, u2oa The tAgbted faith Of the
U. States, ought to asrett fuch deftruttiye
tenetS.
Bat the prslsrvation effolidealfssdom
itielf is concerned in the rejection of fuch
doctrines. Let il once be decided by
ltg5Fetares and eourts Of jHyqice that words
mean nothing when applied to judges and
then compenfa ions, aud the contribution
is at an end. They have equal right and
power to fay, and when the temptation &C.
ours will fay, that they mean notbing il
any other cafe. Surely it deferves to be