Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-04-02

Il well as in common converse lion. You may
recollcct the bitter prosecution against the late
Judge Chase before the Senate of the United
States, because he was independent enough TO
do his duty in defiance of popular cIamor and
the persevering insults of those whom his opn-
ions and decisions offended cannot have
forgotten the late attempt TO call our present
excellent Chief Justice TO account before
our Legislature, because he sat in trial
Of certain cause in which Gen. Ripley was
a party, and pronounced some opinions
which extremely wounded his pride and feel
ipgs. You cannot have forgotten how obsti-
nately the late Governor Gerry persisted in
his attempts to oUera1ce our Supreme Court
on account of some decision respecting the
Lao Of Libels (which did not please him; dis
covering not only 7cish but determination,
if possible, to beat dozen the independence of
the Court and render it subservient to the
views and prejudices Of an inAamed Iegisla.
ture.
We know that many influential men among
ms have been open advocates for such meas
ures. It's to be presumed that they acted
sincerely; and can you, my fellow crtizens,
believe, that without any visible cause, the
sentiments OF these people have cl-aged
Can you believe they have lost ,.reir sincerity ?
lost their love Of Poscer or oopgfgy fiwor? dave
tti1ey al uIIec forgotten IL be AMBITIOUS and
are they now signing ior .'the peace of
meekness and the con- eminent Of resignation
to mild and gentle la~s, calculated to sweeten
and prolong their lives IA Inc quiet o., retire.
meni before you answer this question, re-
collect the facts TO which have above allu-
ded: attend, also, to an amendment of the
constitution which has just been proposed in
Congress, the object OF which is to IT nder the
Judges Of the Supreme Court of the u. States
removable by the two houses OF Congress; or
in other words to render them dependent on
Congress for their offices, and of course less
firm, impartial and independent III opinion than
they now are With this ayowed hostility to
the independence OF the Judiciary, and in the
present state OF feeling on fais as well as other
subjects connected with the possession Of pow
81, can any thing more lmffudent be attempt
ed than an exchange oil the blessings which
we nosv enjoy under our present judicial es-
tabllsenlhnt Tor others Of less 1diue, which per-
haps we mag enjoy-an exchange Of Court,
vsss, firm, and impartial; for one which may
not be srise and which, unless independent,
cannot be firm or impartial. am sensible
that the friends of separation distinctly state
that they intend our new Judges shall be in
all respects Independent as our present Judges.
They assure us they esteem it of high impor-
lance that the tenure of Judges office should
be his good behaviour; but what authority
have these people to make this declaration
they Cannot controul the people who may OPP
pose their judgment. Besides; allowing the
full claim for sincerity which is made by the
advocates Tor separation yet men are DIFF
terent at different times and under different cir
eumstances. With respect TO the question Of
separations, now is the day Of courtsup--of
had and fail promises aud far hopes. But
when the object of these hopes anu soicita-
tons, shall have been obtained, these geper-
Gus promises and kind assurances are too Of
ten forgotten; and the whole department is
governed by the impulse Of the moment.
ARlSFiDES.