Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-04-06
2ailg Tiraiaiaa.
A Glance at the Supreme Court.

gives tho subjoincd description of tho Supreme
Court Of the United States:
The stranger anxious to SEQ all the celebrities
OF Washington, will not fail to visit the Supreme
Court, il in session, and see tho place where and
the men who decide questions Of the highest in
teres. in the nation. Here ut last must come for
adjudication, all questions of constitutional right,
OF international law Of the rights Of States and
OF those arising out OF, or acquired under Terri
torial jurisdiction. Whether right or wrong. to
the decisions Of this tribunal all must bow. and
should cheerlully submit. II is tho great balance
wheel OF our government, which, once destroyed,
or even losing the respect and confidence Of the
people. liberty itself is essentially lost We ara
atlont on n wild sea of anarchy and confusion.
drilling before the storm OF popular fury. and
must soon be dashed on tho rocks of destruction.
The contrast between the plain little room
whore the torn Of Court Is held, and tho large
and gnudily furnished hnls Of Cousress il striking
and significant Yoa descend from the floor on
which they aro situated, by n dark and winding
stairway tn tho ground floor Of tho Capitol.
little door Mt tho foo presided over by n colored
keeper, admits you to the sole mn chamber. At
once you feel yourself il different atmosI there
from TINT which prevails elsewhere in the Capitol.
Here everything is plain. simple aud severe. The
rom Is small and will scarcely accommodate &c
~ persons, all told. Hero is nothing to attract
the eye no paintings no architectural embelish.
ments, no mosaic bic floors, columns of desks.
Busts of the venerable Marshall. Rutlogc, and one
or two Of the other Chief Justices, are the appro-
pirate and only indications of the presence of nrt
in tho room. The room in sem. circular, md be.
hind the plnin wooden railing ut tho base nre h.
Gated nine comfortable arm chairs, tho seats ol tie
exponents Of justice. Directly in front aro two
amall tables Tor the convenience OF counsel, and
dozen or fifteen chairs upon the floor occupied by
the bnr: and ut the and at the sides Of these
are few plain lenches for chance spectators, or
clients sometimes watching tho argument of their
causes. Here is no hustle and confusion, no angry
wrangling no tramp OF hurrying feet through tho
adjoining hall disturbs, as above. the quiet which
rcigns in thus secluded nook. You may sometimes
sit for hours listening to an argument at which
mono arc present save tho Court tho opposing
counsel, aud perchance two or three spectators.
Now and then lady, whose curiosity gets the
better oi her awe, ventures ust within the por
tails. stands II few minutes gazing rhyly like
frightened deer at the awful judges, and then 81
lenly glidcs cut evidently feeling herself out of
place in these hall- Of Justice.
The hour of eleven has arrived when the Court
is to open. The grey haired clerk in at his desk
opening his pondernus tones. The messenger
boys are at their places in the rear of the Judges
chairs. Half dozen counsel ARE Mt tho table ar
ranging their papers aud as many spectators on
the seats. As the venerable black robel Judges
enter, those present rise, until thcy are seated
Then tho cricr. in his subdued and measured
tones procaims his 80 ye! Dye! o ye" &C., and
business proceeds.
In the center stands the vacant chair of Chief
Justice Tancv, which, it is feared alns may new
more be occupied by him. The inGrmies nt-
tcndant upon four score years bear heavily upon
him, and his work is evidently well.nigh dome
First upon his right sits the venerable Mclean Of
Ohio lle too, We judge, must have counted well
nigh his three score and ten. yet his hair long
and brown, is yet unsilvered with age. and though
his voice sounds little brokcn his intellect
fresh and vigorous. In tho shape Of his head.
slopng upward from the forehead to tho crown.
reverence is largely developed. and goodness md
beneyolencc urc written his countenancc.-
These qualities not to be desrised even tie
bench, for conscentnnsness may. pcrchance, ~
often guide man true in deciding upon legal
rights, Us talents or great learning.
Next to him sits Catron Of Tennessee. head
round as pumpkin, face guiltless of whiskers,
his hair slvered with the frosts Of age. voico
somewhat broken, and step less vigorous and
cln-tie than ten years since. lie looks sxty-fye
at least, perhaps seventy, complexion forid md
evidently cnioysa good dinner lie is plain in
dress and wears no whiskers. lie was formerly
Chief Justice of Tennessee, and is an able jurist.
Next on the right sits Nelson, of New York tor
merly ono Of the Judges of the Supreme Court of
that State, and afterwards Of the U. s. District
Court for the Southern District of New York. lie
is of porty form. hair and whiskcrs gray. and
llkeh, b~ you Wouiu shy Ridss VI WIN W diIi-
ner. lie may he sixtyfvo, but his step is still
firm and elastic clear and vigorous. Long ngo
he was counted an able judge IN his native State.
with those great lights. Livingston, Kent Cowen
and Bronson, and has since lost none OF his repu-
tation, and is of the ablest at present on the
Supreme Bench. His name is even tavorably
mentioned in connection with tho Charleston
nomination.
Last on the right comes Camnbell of Alabama.
with bald head, short dark hair on the back, and
quick active glance. perhaps fifty years old. and
the ligh,est in avoirdupois weight on the bench.
Countenancc intellectual, dark eye and piercing,
with thin, compressed lips, and neat and tidy
dress he is ready, precise and correct. In legal
acumen he may be surpassed by some Of his
socates. but he is industrious, and has scarcely
vet attained his zenith and the maturity of his
powers.
First on the left of ChiefJustice Taney sits
Wayne of Georgia. His physogomy is not par
ticularly striking-short light brown hair which
will not stay combed. side whiskers, with neither
high nor broad forehead. and forid complexion.
lie takes snuff with n gusto which evinces that
he enjoys it, and apparently makes his toilet
secondary consideration. At rough guess we
should say that he was not at tho head OF the Su.
preme Bench in point OF intellect.
Next to him on the left is the chair Of Daniel.
Of Virginia, also vacant at present from illness Of
the incumbent.
Next to him sits the venerable Greer, of Penn
sylvania. His large, round and wellshaped
hend, indicates undue prominence of any one
organ over the others, and if his broad high
forehead does not give token Of legal ability, his
published opinions do. lie must have counted
near his three score years and ten, rs his hair is
growing thin and white, hs speech, If not broken.
at least slow and deliberate. He looks ''every
inch the Judge" and his native State will need
search fir and close, to find worthy successor,
when his chair shall bo vacant.
Last, on the left sits Clifford, of Maine, the
youngest, and least judicial in appearance, whom,
-, Al - - .oax, ,r tba bnpch vou ron1u bayo