Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-14
A Session of the Supreme Court.

|
In the December Century, E. Smalley
writes of "The Supreme Court of the
United States" in an admirably instruc.
tive and entertaining manner, and the
portraits and character-sketches of the
court in session finely supplement the
text. The formality of opening the
court is described as follows:
When twelve o'clock comes. there are
perhaps dozen lawyers sitting at the
tables within the bar, and d score of
spectators waiting on the crimson plush
sofas for the court to open. A rustic
of silk is heard from the open door lead
ing to the retiririns-rooms. At the 9TH
er side of the chamber sits young man
at desk, who has been listening for a
few minutes for that sound. He rises,
and announces in clear voice: "The
Honorable the Chief-J ustice and Asso
ciate-J ustices of the Supreme Court of
the United States" whereupOn lawyers
and spectators all get up on their feet.
The rustling sound approaches, and
there enters procession of nine digni-
fed old men, clad in black silk gowns
that reach almost to their feet, with
wide sleeves and ample skirts. At the
head walks the Chief Justice, and the
others follow in the order of their length
of service in the court. They stand a
moment in front Of their chairs. and all
bow at once to the bar. The lawyers
return the salute; then the judges sit
down, the Associates being careful, how
evernot to occupy their chairs before the
Chief Justice is settled in his. Now the
young man, who is the crier, exclaims,
in mOnotonous fashion:
"Oyez! oyez! oyez! All persons hav-
ing business before the Honorable Su-
preme Court of the United States are
admonished to draw near and give their
attention, for the court is now sitting.
God save the United States and this
honorable courtT
Business begins promptly and is dis
patched rapidly. First, motions are
heard, then the docket is taken up The
Chief Justice calls the case IN order in
and lawyer is on the floor making an
argument, while you are still expecting
there will be some further formality at
tending the opening of so august a tri-
bunal.
The proceedings are impressive only
from their simplicity. Usually the ar
guments of council are delivered in low,
conversational tones. Often the judges
interrupt to ask questions. In patent
cases, models OF machinery are fire.
quently used to illustrate an argument,
and are handed up to the judges for ex-
animation, or blackboard is used for
diagrams. Were 1t not for the gray
hair and black gowns of the judges, you
might almost imagine at times that the
gentleman at the blackboard, with cray
on in hand, was college professor lee
turing to class. Or you may happen
in when lawyer in charge of a case is
leaning over the long desk in front of
the judges, holding conversation with
one of them on some intricate point in
mechanical device, and you would
hardly think that the court was in ses-
sion and that the conversation was the
plea in a patent case involving perhaps
a million of dollars.
The bench has long been only tradi-
tionin all our courts. Each justice of
the Supreme Court has chair to suit
his own notions of what constitutes
comfortable seat. Some of the chairs
have high backs to rest the head, some
have low backs; some have horse-hair
cushions, some velvet, some no cushions
at all. Chief Justice Waite sits in the
middle of the row.