The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-04-17

treasure and blood from the first landing at jamestown
or Plymouth, to give nothing else but the Su-
preme Court of the United stateshs reyered tribunal
Tor the settlement OF International disputes or such II
be called should say the sacrifice well made.
have trodden with emotion the threshold of Westmn-
ster Hall and the Palace of Justice in Fnccl thought
with respect Of long line of illustrous chanoeors and
judges surrounded with all the insignia of Office, clothed
in scarlet and ermne who within these splendid halls
have, without fear favor, administered justice between
powerful litigants But 1t is with deeper emotions OF
reycrence-it is with something like awe-that have
entered the Supreme Court at Washington. 1t is not
that have there heard strains of forensic eoquence
rarely equalled never surpassed from the Wirs, the
Pnkneys, and the Websers il is because have seen
there specimen of the perfection of the moral sublime
in human affairs have witnessed, when from the low,
dark bench destitute of the insignia of power from the
lips OF grave and venerable magistrate, To whom
years and gray hairs could add no titles to respect,
Il need write under that portrait, the voice of
justice and equity has gone forth to the most powerful
States OF the Union administering the law between ct
of independent States settling dangerous controver
sizes, adjusting disputed boundaries annullng unconst
tuonal laws, reversing decisions, and, with
few mild words of judicial wisdom dsposng of questions
hundredold more important than those which, within
the past year. from the plains of Holsein have shaken
the pillars of continental Europe, and all but brought
million of men into deadly conflict with each other
But sir when the Union is broken, when the States
separated, what to become of your Supreme Court
How then you to settle great and difficult questions
And plenty OF them, believe me, you Will have Think
of these mighty rivers running up and down. and across
the country in every direction, and the controversies
about their navigation there to be any way of settling
them Again. hostiletaritfs, designed to undermine the
revenue and commerce of neighborng States, will infa
bly, spring up. And this very question which now agi
tates the Union What in the of Heaven you
do with all these controversies, when you have lost
this great and august tribunal Gentlemen, when this
time comes If Pennsylvania, for instance should look
round her and find that Virginia has pushed up
strip forming couple of counties, behind her western
boundary to keep her entirely aoof from the left bank
the Ohio and if she shall take it into her head to
dress this reguarity she would be apt to think it,
what will be the result? DO you think, Chancellor, lad
dressing Chancellor Walworth) the remembrance of the
case Of Omstead will induce her to remain quiet
laughter, in which Chancellor Walworth joined If
New York should take it into her head to revive her
claim to a monopoly of the steam navigation of her
ter and give effect to her grant to the representatives of
Fulton who presented to New York and the world the
great mechanical miracle OF modern times would the
of Gibbons and Ogden prevent her from executing
this purpose [Iaughter No. When we come to
that the day of chanceors and judges is passed We
shall shut up the volumes of Peters and Wheaton, and
Dallas and Cranch shall repudate the authority of
the Kents and the Storys, the Waworhs and the Mar
shalls shall to the asenas of the old despotisms
for their accursed logic the ultima ratio re7uaand settle
all disputes at the point of the pike and the mouth Of the
cannon