The Washington union., 1857-09-12
THE RESIGNATION OF JUDGE CURTIS.


OF late years the New York Ever'ng Post has not
assigning motives for the acts of parties irdvid-
uals in yesterdays issue of that journal, under the
caption of % Judge driven from the bench" we find
the following characteristic articles
Judge Curtis in resigning his seat upon the bench Of
the Supreme Court at this ime has taken step which
requires further explanation The reasons, and the only
reasons which have transpred not OF controlling
character Doubtless he could make more by his pro-
fession but the salary high it in 1861,
when he left that profession. 1t is equally probable
the Worcester Palladium suggests that the political
character which the court now has, the consequence of
its decision in the Drcd Scott must render it unc
srable for Judge Curtis to continue the relation With fell
ow-ludges In whose opinions he cannot coincide, and
whose decisions he scarcely respect it, like that one,
they to be founded upon usurpaton? but that so
far from being sufficient reason for leaving the bench
ought to be conclusive one for his retaining it.
The fact that a Judge is in minority in the court
of which he forms part esteemed an excuse
for leaving it; If it were should have no courts,
since every Judge occasionally finds the majority of his
associates differing from him in opinion If his diff
ference with the court upon this particular has
brought with it special penalties if he is met with
scowls and in the consultation room, If his
suggestions in regard to the business of the court
unhecded treated With marked dscspect, as they
are reported to have been, much the impera-
tive his duty to remain and vindate the dignity and
independence of at least that Faction of the court which
he constituted.
sWe do not see how Judge Curtis could consult his
by resgning ut time when such step liable to
constructon extremely unfavoabe to the rest of the
court without apparent desertiOn of his duty The
public entitled to better than any that
have reached for his abandoning post to which, by
his act he had given unusual Importance. 1t is at
least entitled to know precisely the character and extent
of the annoyances which Judge Curtis has exchanged for
the ancient ease and cmoluments OF bis procession
The public announcement Of the resignation of
Judge Curtis was Immediately followed by an arti-
Gle in the Boston Courier in which it unequivo-
cally stated that the reasons which had induced
Judge G. to take the step which excited so much
surprise were purely of private nature. The
known friendly relations between the editor of the
Courier and Judge Curtis warranted and still war
rants, the general impression that this statement
was authorized one. In confirmation of this inn
preston, we may add that we have seen a letter
from Judge Curtis to gentleman in this city, in
which he states that he led to resign his seat
the Supreme Bench in consequence of the made
quacy Of the saary--having found from experience
that his official income was insufficient to educate
his children and to support an establishment at the
seat of government in keeping with the dignity of
his high judicial position.
The general reason assigned by the Courier was
quite sufficient, we think, to have saved Judge Curtis
from the offensive officousness of intrusive inquiries
We should not, however, be at all surprised, in
the face of our additional explanation, if the Post
were next to ask for public exhibit of the Judges
private accounts in order satisfy back-rcpubcan-
ism whether the pecuniary demands of Washington
landlords storckeepers butchers, and hucksters
inconvenienty high, or cxtravagant figures have
been assumed to conceal political prescription in the
highest judicial tribunal in the country.