Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-18
TO BE ReORGANlZED.
The United States Supreme Court Rust
Reverse its Decision.

The Washington correspondent
/ CXm of the Baltimore Gazette
/ writing on the 18th, says:
The recent decision of the Supreme
Court in relation to legal-tender note;
is being made the pretext here fOt
! placing that tribunal under strict SUBJ
! serYiency to Congress. Undoubtedly
/ the judgment of the Court was justified
| by precedents in analogous cases, in
/ dependently of the general principles
aVOwed in the opinion. If the C0url
erred at all, it was unquestionably IN
| recognizing the law of Congress as
/ forming part and parcel OF contracts
entered into subsequent otis passage.
/ 1t is admitted on all sides that, practi-
cally, the "decisiOn " will have little,
if any, effect. Yet, under these cir
/ cumstances, the country is gravely
and, by authority, told that the jUdg-
me,tt must be reCcrsed! And how?
1t is stated here, in a journal care
fUl of its words, on the authority OF
/ Senators, that the President has de-
clared that no man shall be put in the
vacant seats upon the bench of the
Supreme Court "3ChO is not pledged IA
Gdrdace to mite lcith the dissenting
Judges iH reUerSiHg the decision Just
rezlGcrsdg' Is it the purpose, in this
matter, of the present Executive and
the majority in Congress to test to the
utmost the fOrbearance of the people?
is il not enough that Congress threat
ems the Court, on the one hand, to de-
strOy its functions, and, on the other,
by increasing the number of judges,
to subsidize its judgments? IS the
country to be now informed that the
whole Jurisprudence Of the country,
so far as il depends upon the judicial
decisions Of the Supreme Court, is to
be submitted TO INSCRIPTIONS partisan
"recOnstTuCtiOn?n
In the vehement effort Of the
Chronicle TO get Judge Strong con-
firmed, this point is distinctly made,
and his decision or ipSe diEH while on
the Supreme bench in Pennsylvania
quoted in proof Of his willingness to
upset the decision lust made. Indeed,
il is upon authority announced that
both he and Mr.. Bradley have pledged
themselves Gin advance to Gen.
Grant, not only upon this, but other
specific points of law, long since
thought to be well settled. 1t is,
therefore, no longer a question
whether che Supreme Court is here
after to act as a conservative obstacle
to the encrOachments Of Federal au-
thority. The thing is plain that it IS
TO be used as an engine of further OPP
preston, and as means OF wholesale
pecu4atiOn! Such a revelation ought
to cOnvulse the cOuntTy-but will il?
The idea that any man ft to be a Judge
of the Supreme Court would pledge
himself, in advance. upon a particular
point, sure to come before him for adj
iudicatiOn (as the price Of his appoint
8Gnt), is sufficiently alarming. But
what is the country 10 anticipate as to |
its liberties, or the people - to their /
property or personal safety, when the I
pGFpOse to exact such pledges" is 1
ObSnly av0Wed? We all know what /
sort ola Judge Je1ries Was. But his
tory excuses King James OF deWand- !
ing a previous ''pledge" of hisJudicial !
brutality as the incentive for his en- |
DlOyment. Let the people ponder 7.
upon the following piece OF brazen |
of the Court Journal! /
Happily for the country the last
decision Is not beyond cure. There are
,aseS which must sOOn come before the
court when the two vacancies are fill
"a by the President and Senate-casas
INVOLVING the same principle, and We
are covfident of the Teversa. OF that /
most damaging decree Of the new jus
ices We selected with reference to
heir known opinions on these great
tdtutes enacted to save the Republic.
Jn this point there should be neither
mystery nor reserve. The prospect Of
/ speedy reversal of lie iSst Gecison
IF the court viii be good news to the