The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-01-26

vatchiu' oye OF the Legislature is UPON
them, and If ever they should allow them
selves to he influenced, we hold the purse
strings.--lIe did not say such state OF
things was probab.-. Bat if il were; the
Legislature, as the accounting power,
would be sufficient to contr.l them. But
where is the necessity for their assembling
st Washington; Where is the necessity
OF their breathing, as the gentleman from
Pennsylvania designated il, the tainted air
Of Washington Not tainted, he hoped,
By Executive patronage. Where is the
Aeccssity for their sitting here always;
Are there 50 many cases here: No. Let
the Court hold a session here--another i'm
Louisville, Frankfort, or Cincinnati, or, if
more Convenient for the West, at Pitts
burgh--and another at New-York. for the
North. BY this plan, great sums would be
the expense OF going to those different
places; and cannot such a plan be adopted ?
Are there any objections? If gentlemen
are bent Oh equal justice, why not adopt
this plan? But it is said, b., the gentl1~
man from Massachusetts, that it is neces-
sary for the Supreme judges to exercise
cir:li, da.ies. in order that they may un-
derstsnd the feelings of the people. Is it
nece ssury for Judge to travel to acquire
this knowledge? II like the Stoic's god,
all soul and no passion, he comes on the
bench, let him 30 to his closet, and alb
stract himself from society, devoting him
self to study? Thus he will become ga
Judge, altogether a Judge, and nothhfr
but Judge" He would not let him min
gle with the people, for the sake of hunting
for praise, and inviting local feelings and
prejudices, He was always of opinion that
h Judge must be made good by his books
and his judicial experience, and the more
he is separated from the people the better.
The late war had produced kind of
practice for the Supreme Court, which re-
eures the knowledge Of a different kind of
law from what it had before. Was this for
want of knowledge? He contended that
it was not. The cases were of new cha
racter, but the knowledge ofthem has been
subsequently acquired.
Will not our Judges have sufficient op-
portunties of understanding local laws,
when they are brought into continual inter-
course with members Of the bar from all
parts, who come, semper porati, whenever
their cases are called on. Have not the
Judges every opportunity Of acquiring this
knowledge, if they seek for it? He him
self knew well the anxiety Of the Judge Of
the Northern Circuit TO acquire the inior
NATION which would lead him to correct de-
cision. If he know that it lay in the bow
OILS Of the earth, he would be ready to cm-
bark with John Cleves Symnies, and seek |
1t there, if there were no other way ; IT Ill
the moon, he would take an airy flight with
Madame Johnson, in search of it, if there
were no other way. Every breeze waited
knowledge to him. He was in close cor
Tespondence with that great man, Sir Will
liam Scott, and from that intercourse de-
rived constant wisdom. Yet it is said to be
necessary to do Circuit duties, in order to
understand local laws.
. But the bill is to extend equal Justice
The gentleman from Louisiana had said
chat if we give Judge of the Supreme
Conrt to one State, we should give such a
Judge to every State. He agreed with the
gentleman. Ifhe goes into one, he ought
TO 90 into every district. We understand
chat it is the object ofthis bill to extend this
equal system. Have we not, in all our dis
cussions and deliberations or this bill, over
looked most important section of the Un-
ion, containing million of people lie al
luded tn the western part OF the State OF
New-York. Does the bill extend 10 them
equal Justice? Pass it, and you will hear
from that quarter voice ofcomplaint which
will run along the shore oftheir canal, and
be heard from the waters of Erie, to those
ofthat ocean with whom she was so recent |
" Joined in holy wedlock. You will hear
the small voice of some % or q Repre-
sentatives, calling out for ah extension Of
Justice to that section, which has been quite
overlooked in this bill. Yet the gentleman
from Louisiana says we should have equal
Justice. Have these men equal justice
We are told they can appeal. Is this equal
Justice? Great as may be the feeling OF
allegiance which the gentleman from Lou
isiana acknowledges towards his adopted
State, he should not forget what is due to
his native State--the land of his birth--the
Fairest,land on the face Of the earth"
No doubt the clamours of that section will
be heard, and if they are not listened tn,
they will hereafter knock at our door with
q voice which will make itself heard.
But we are told ten Judges are not too
many: twelve will not be too many shortly
In the language of the gentleman from
Virginia, we may have twenty or thirty.
We may have an army Of Judges. If we
look to other countries, we shall find no
such numbers. In England, the Court Of
Kings Bench has but four; the Common
Pleas has four and the Exchcquer four.
The Supreme Court of Massachusetts con-
sisted Of Eve; by the late act they are re-
duced to four; in New-York they were four
by the late act they are reduced 10 three.