Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1844-03-20

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Speech of MIR. Woodbridge.
DELIVERED IN THE SENATE OF
THE UNITED STATES, FEB. IA,
1914, ON THE BILL TO RE-
NIT THE FINE IMPOSED UP
ON GEN. JACKSON AND UPON
THE INCIDEN tai QUESTION
OF THE RIGHT ASSUMED BY
THE STATURE OF A
STATE, TO INSTRUCT A MEM
Der OF THE SENATE OF TIL E
UNITED STATES.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: Il has no, been my
intention to lay before you an elaborated
exposition Of the views entertain on the
SUBJECT of The bill before the Senate it
has been too much and too generally dis
cussed to render such an exposition ap-
propriate. But | find myself placed, as
other Senators have been placed, in cir
cumstances which seem to make it prop
er for me 10 express some opinion On an
importam topic which has incidentally
arisen. Tina: opinion [ have no desire
to suppress. nor would it be proper for
me to withhold it. My name will be
round on the list OF those who, on form
er occasion, voted IN favor of remission
Of the 6ne which has been so much the
subject of remark bat | gave the vote
IL ~, rS.hn Of 9th
ers than from any feelings or well-rea-
soned opinion Of my own. | had some
misgivings then, and have since had, as
10 whether that vote were sanctioned by
duty. | remembered the tri;e remark,
(too little considered, perhaps, because it
is trite,) that the Judiciary is by far the
weakest of those three great departments
into which all the powers of Government
we're distributed. Il rs department,
which can stimulate the ardor of lis advo-
Gates by no pecuniary 9argesses; it can
Increase the number Of lis supporters by
no distribution of money IT has nothing
to do with the public revenues. Ii can
sustain itself aud enforce its DEGREES by
10 physical force ; for 10 the army it is a
stranger, and over the militia it has no
control. We have sometimes heard, III
deed, about ''he sword of justice" But
here, where the Judicial. constitutes no
part of the Erecutire power, the express
sion can only be applied in the boldness
of metaphor; for the Judiciary yields no
public sword. Nor can that Judicial
ry smooth lis onward march by any of
The allurements of Office, by any of the
seducements of patronage. i. 5estows
no Office and Of patronage, it has none.
And yet that, IS the department through
which your laws are sought to be enfor-
ced which carries down equity and JUS
tice to The collage as well as to the pal
ace; which furnishes to the weak, its onIy
barrier against oppression and to which
all of us must look, for protection in the
great rights of personal security, person.
al liberty, and of private property. The
only guaranty OF its usefulness, of its con-
tinued existence even, is to be found alone
in the esteem and respect in which it NAV
be held by free and generous people
"a people which, hitherto, has most
highly appreciated Its value. And when
] consider how powerful that influence
is, which this body, unconsciously per.
haps, exeris upon public opinion in all
matters with fearlessness at any action of
yours, that might, in any wise, weaken
the hold which the Judiciary may have
upon the public confidence, which nigh,
seem even to bring its high standing into
doubt, or which, by any ambiguity, could
be tortured into an imputaiion Of wrong.
But the bill for which voted, after The
notifications il had received in the Sem
ale, no longer casts reproach upon the
distinguished jurist whose decision has
been so much canvassed and, if it left in
conjecture the NOTICE ofpassing it at all,
it at least did moi purport 10 cast shade |
OF disgrace upon the memory Of him who
has long since passed to the grave. Pri-
ma facie, that bill in no wise purported
to reriew Judicially the decision of
court, nor TO reverse on error its sentence.
It appeared, at least was DESTROYS so to
consider it, to be mere matter OF dollars
and cents-an appropriation pro tanto of
The public money. 1t was an aPproPrai-
lion called for by great numbers of that
public whose money it was. Individuals
to you their wishes in this re-
gard, and public bodies. The constitu- ;
ed authorities of the State from which {
come, and many other Legislative bodies
also, on this matter expressed their wish {
rs. And it is because of this fact, because :
fthe form in which those wishes are ex-