Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-02-01
THE SUPREME COURT.
The Ceremony Observed at The Opening OF the
Highest Judicial Body Of the Nation.

----
When twelve o'clock comes, there are
prehaps n dozen lawyers sitting at the
tables within the bar, and n score of
spectators waiting on the crimson
plush sofas for the court to open. A
rustic of silk is heard from the open
door leading to the retiring-rooms. At
the other side of the chamber sits a
young man at a desk. who has been
listeningfor few minutes for that sound.
He rises, and announces in a clear
voice; ''Ihe Honorable the Chief-Jus-
tice and Observation-Disclosures of the SUI
preme Court of the United States.
whereupon lawyers and spectators all
get up on their feet. The rustling
sound approaches, and there enters a
procession of nine digniiied old men,
clad in black silk gowns that reaches
almost to their feet, with wide sleeves
and ample skirt. 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 il
fornt 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. however, not
to occupy their chairs before the Chief
Justice is settled in his. Now the young
man, who is the crier, exclaims, in a
monotonous fashion:
"Oyez! oyez! oyez! All persons hav-
ing business before the Honorable SUI
rene Court of the United States are
admonished to draw near and give
their attention, for the court is now sit
ting, God save the United States and
this honorable courti'
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 a quiet tone, and a lawyer is on the
floor making an argument, while you
are still expecting that there will be
some further formality attending the OPP
ening of so august a tribunal.
The proceedings are impressive only
from their simplicity. Usually the argu-
mcnts of counsel are delivered in low,
conversational tones. Often the judges
interrupt to ask questions. In patent
eases, models of machinery are fire.
quently used to Illustrate an argument
and are handed up to the judges for
examination, or a blackboard is used
for diagrams. Were it not for the gray
hairs and black gowns of the judges,
you might almost imagine at times
that the gentlemen at the blackboard,
with crayon in hand, was a college
professor lecturing to a class. Or you
may happen in when a lawyerin charge
of a ease is leaning over the long desk
in front of the judges, holding a con-
versation with one of them on some in
tricate point in q mechanical device,
and you would hardly think that the
court was in session and that tie con
versation was the plea in q patent
case involving %prehaps q million Of
dollars.
The bench has long been only n tradi-
ton in all courts. Each justice of
the Supreme Court has a chair to suit
his own notions of what constitutes a
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 cush-
at all. Chief-Justice Waite sits
in the middle of the row. Century
Magazine.