The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-16
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY il. 1850

After the reading Of the journal.
Mr. PECK moved reconsideration OF the vote taken
yesterday the passage of the resolution autnor
zng the u iges OF the Supreme Court employ ad
diona clerk He hal voted for the esolu ion, doubling
at the time the policy and expediency OF he but
regarding the members OF that high tribunal the best
Judges Of its necessity and propriey, he had yielded the
resolution reluctant support Since the adjournment of
the House last evening he hal been informed upon what
he believed to be gool authority, that the judges
not unanimously in favor OF the project that they were
divaed in opinion its expedency-a majority, how
eV eIa desiring o ~, s 2. ane pe
the judges themselves agreed the necessity
OF the he thought the House ought TO favor
project OF novel character He trusted the House
would reconsider the vote and reject the resolution
Mr.. STANLY trusted that the resolution would be
considered and laid the table He could not consent
to give this court another permanent Officer. Though
willing to vote appropriation for any temporary clerk
they might require. under apressure OF business He
however, inclined 10 believe ha', for the purpose de-
handed, this clerkshp should not be allowed, Il being
very evident that the gentleman from Ohio the day
BEFORE hal remarked his functions TO be duties APP
pfopratey belonging 10 The ud!es themselves, of which
they could not be thus dIvesed without deraeing
ro1sly from The respect in which the court held in
all sections Of the Union.
Mr. STRONG said: am persuaded that tho passage Of
this resolution was ladvsed. aud tim the House
trey Inexperienced its character II received but little
discussion, and no satisfactory reasons were submitted
for its adoption. voted against il yesterday shall
vote for the motion OF the gentleman from Vermont TO re-
consider to-day am utterly unable to perceive any
cessy for the appointment oil an auetgdfinP clerk for
the Supreme Court, and such is the officer for whose APP
pontment this resolution provides Sir, the records OF
that for many years back will show that the judges
decide an banc' only from forty to sixty cases in
the year Therear nine judges, number unusually large
in courts OF Oh in making the necessary
investigations, not more than from i've TO six would
be assigned to single Judge True, all consult and all
decide but IN every court Of last resort there Is dis
button OF the labor of making the needfu researches
Can il be pretended that the Investigation Of five six
cases in year Is too onerous Compare this court with
others In the State which have the honor In part TO
fha linda of he Supr in
ber hear and decide than five hundred every
year. Their argument-lis always exceeds six hundred.
They have, they need clerk 10 assist them in their
researches. To each Judge not less than hundred
cases assigned for examination. Ii clerk TO aid
them in these researches is not necessary how e II that
demanded for the Judges Of the Supreme Court oil
the United Siatesi have had experience in courts
oil error, aud know OF in which such oifcer
exists asked to create Il has been argued
by the honorable gentleman from Connecticut Mr.
CLEvELSpl that this clerk necessary 10 consequence
OF the adoption Of the two-hour rule SIR. every lawyer
knows that two hour rule affords abundant time 10 eu
for adjudication. In the State Of Pennsylvania the one
hour rule is enforced and yet no such necessity exists
there.
itself that this resolution should be defeated admit the
usefulness OF that courts but its usefulness
will continue only while il retains the confidence OF The
people. Now what think you, would more directly AMI
cogenily tend TO impair that confidence which II has en-
Joy ed and-whch essential 10 lis continued usefulness,
than resou ion declaring that its members need an
sustain itself under such load and call npon those
who would preserve the beneficial operation OF this court
to arrest now the passage OF this resolution. .ss
have another objection TO IL. to which invite the at.
enton Of the House II IL that the proposed additional
clerk would inevitably give character TO the opinions
emansiing from the court Judges are but men, With
an officer under their control whose duty would be to
investigate the questions referred to him, too much TO
hope that they would roll of upon him the labor
from which all naturally shrink HIS researches would
give tone TO the opinions, and doubess in many cases.
would control the Judgments OF the court His peculiar
opinions would tnge all the opinions OF the court H's
mind, bis hand would be visible in them all am un-
willing, for one, to transfer the important duties OF the
court 10 clerk and trust, therefore, that the vote by
which the resolution was passed will be reconsdered
Mr.. SACKE TT sad Mr.. Speaker, am opposed to the
passage OF this resolution, and in favor Of M reconsde
ration am opposed TO it for two rst because
do not know or believe il necessary, and next be-
cause object 10 the manner Of Ne passage Sir, Il ~as
forced through without consideration without examIna
ton Il is a resolution asking Tor the expenditure OF
public money. and the Appointment OF public oihceT
without any evidence Whatever That either s Necessary
This ID MI entering wedge for the expenditure OF moi
less Than twenty i've thousand dollars ,esr It's such
a. this that cos tins government hot iess
than half million annually sprung upon the
House. and passed without reference 10 committee
We have various circuit courts Of the Unsd States
equally entitled 70 sxua clerk 90 the court IN banc