The Indianapolis journal., 1890-02-05

ton that its tribunal OF last resort may he as
useful in the future as we believe il has been In
the past. Experience has shown that In a coun-
try of great territorial extent and varied inter-
ests, peace and lasting prosperity can exist
with a civilized people only when local affairs
controlled by local authority and az the same
time when there are lodged in the general gov
ernment of the country such sovereign
powers as will enable 10 10 reg
ulate the intercourse OF its people
with foreign nations and between the seVeral
communities, protect them in all their rights IN
such intercourse, defend the country against IN
vasion and domestic violence, and maintain the
supremacy or the laws throughout IFS whole 90
main. This principle the trainers of the Constr
tuition acted upon, in establishing the govern
power of the States to control all matters of local
interest, and creating new government or SOW,
ereign powers for matters of general and natlonai
concern. They thus succeeded In reconclnng
local selfgovernment-or home rule, as ~ Is
termed-with the exercise ofnational sovereignty
for purposes. Under this dual government eaen
people and resources, though unlike that of an
other State, and yet there can be no violent con-
ficts 30 long as the central government preserves
peace among them, secures them against foreign
invasion and internal violence. and extends 10
the citizens of each State protection in the Others
The Justice then reviewed the history of
the Constitution and the Supreme Court,
and. coming down to the present needs OF
that body, said:
And now, with its history in the century past,
what Is needed that the Supreme Court of the
United States should sustain its character and
be as useful In the century 10 comet anzwer
as matter for the first consideration, that IL
should not be overborne with work. and by that
mean that IL should have some relief from the
immense burden now east upon IL This n s.fsr can
mining what measures shall be adopted
for that purpose, Congress will un-
tons from the esr a.soeiaons of the
try. The justices already do all In their power,
for each one examines every case and passes
Supreme Court is ever referred to any one jus.
tice or 10 several of the justices to decide ana
report TO the Others. Every suitor, however
humble, is entitled to, and receives, the Judg-
ment OF every Justice upon his case.
The cases which have come before this court
springing from causes which did not exist, our
ing the first quarter of the century, exceed, in
the magnitude of the property interests in
volved, and in the importance of the public qucs-
tions presented, all cases brought within the
same period before any court of christendom.
While the constitutional amendments have not
changed the structure OF our dual form OF gov
ernment, but are additions TO the previous
amendments, and are TO be considered in con-
nection with them and the original Constitution
as one instrument, they have removed from ex-
istence an institution which felt by wise
statesmen to be inconsistent with the great
declarations OF right upon which our government
Is founded and they have vastly enlarged the
subjects OF federal jurisdiction. Up TO the mid
die of the present century the calendar of the
court did not average 40 cases u term, and
never amounted at any one term to 300 eases.
In view OF the condition of the court. it's
crowded docket, the multitude of questions con.
stantly brought before it of the greatest and most
extended influence. surely it has right to call
on the country to give IL assistance and relief.
Something must be done In that direction. and
should be done speedily to prevent the delays to
suitors now existing. To delay justice Is as
perilous as to deny IL. One of the most precious
articles of Magma Charta was that in which the
King declared that he would not deny delay
10 any man Justice or right, and assuredly what
the barons of England wrung from their monarch
the people OF the United States will nor refuse to
any suit0r for justice In their tribunals.
After Mr.. Justice Fields address there
was more music and then the Rev. Talbot
w. Chambers pronounced the benediction
and ended the literary exercises.