The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-12-23


j Somewhat foreign, at FIRST blus!
to our government seems suce an il
stitusion as the Supreme Court
members not liable TO removal, nt
It's decisions to reversal or even r
view by any human authority; it il
I perhaps, no wonder that Jefferson
the lifelong advocate Of republica
simplicity in government, feared tha
such an absolute power as that vest
cd by the Constitution in the Su
preme ConFt might some da,
prove the bane Of the Constitution
itself Greatly interested in a tribu
nal 50 potent and august, / spen
some hours to day listening to th,
arguments before it, and contempla
ting the surroundings and the judges
Seated in the court room, formerly
the Senate chamber, before the jus
tees entered, 1 remembered that
was in the very apartment wher,
Webster's great oration, the reply L
HayDe, was delivered; where Henry
Clay so long charmed the Senate
and where Benton for thirty consee
utive years was q solid Senator
Here also did Charles Sumner wiz
renown by bis fearful speeches ia
1859, and here were those speeche.
answered by the standsrd argument
Of the South, the bludgeou While
musing on such events as these. ]
was brought baek%o'the present by
the clerk Of the court, who, BY hi.
example, summoned aII in the room
10 rise, and then announced the
entry Of the Honorable Chief Justice
and the Associate Justices Of the Sa
preme Court Of the United States
aad then, after the nine -obed and
dignihed judges had simultaneously
seated themselve, be called Gpoa all
persons having hasiaess with the
court to draw near, and ended hi.
proclamation by saying, ~God save
the United States and this honora.
ble Court
In such a dignifed aud proper
manner is justice administered by
the Supreme Court; and as scanned
the various justices, who are with
oct exception, digni6ed and impress
i've in bearing. and recalled their ju-
dicial acts, | could not doubt that
here, at least, is found the simplicity,
strength and honesty which charac-
tcrized the administration Of the gov
ernment in the early days.
Washington correspondents ofen
ignore or dwell lightly upon the Sn-
preme Court, and perhaps, therefore,
/ may not do better than speak in
this letter somewhat in detail of it's
various members, and describe also
its method of work.
Chief Justice Waite is the youngest
man on the bench. and locks still
younger than he IS, Win solid
and erect form and bearing, square
and massive head, covered heavily
with black hair, which years are
mottling into gray; strong and ex-
pressive face, genial but decided
manner on the bench, be looks the
Chief Justice Of the present, being
clearly distinct from the ideal Judge
of the past, wnen white and scanIy
locks, bald and gllstening dome Of
thought, great age, and somewhat Of
coldness and reserve, marked the
typical jurist.
Seated on the right of the Chief
Justice are Judges Clifford, Miller,
Field, and Bradley, in their order,
and on his left Judge Swaync, Da
Wis, Strong and Hunt: the various
positions being determined by senior
ity of appointment, beginning with
Judge Clifford on the right, coInlinu-
ing with Judge Swayne on the left,
Miller on the right, Davis on the left.
and so on through the list. Among
the Associate Justices there are
three distinct types Of men. Swayne
Davis and Miller are The large and
weighty men. who impress you with
gigantic ability to digest either an
abundant dinner OF an abstruse legal
question. Clifford and Bradley,
though no pigmies 10 stature, seem
rather the sages of the bench, who.
with voices somewhat broken with
age, ply the advocate with questions
that show there is no lack of mental
yigoI. Field, Strong aud Hant, on
the ether hand, are the clear cut,
cold and college-bred men who seem
to furnish to the bench the culture
and polish Of the East, as Swayne,
Miller and Davis do the native vigor
of the West.
Before these hard working men q
docket Of more than 500 cases looms
up at the beginning Of the present
term. From l2 to 4 O'Clock each day
they listen'to arguments Of e,dase.
who, before this court, have learned
10 condense their speeches to the last
degree At the judges retire 20
their consultation room, when the
Chief Justice takes up the cases
heard during the day in their order,
aud beginning with the junior Judge
IN years of service, asks the opinion
Df each; upon which, if there appears
to be substantial uuanimity, he as
signs to one and another the duty Of
the opinion Of the court, 10
cases where written opinion is re-
1uired by the nature Of decision. These
opinions, except in cases Of unusual
are required to be sub
miIted TO the full bench on the fol-
lowing morning for approval or
II is only by such sys-
tenn and promptness in labor that
these honorable Justices are able to
Eaan of eli ahreaat of tho inoroa Il =. n,