Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-02-07
NO. 27.

the establishment or the judiciary b. APP
pointinga committee, of which Oliver
Ellsworth. one of the trainers OF the con-
Stitution, and afterward the chief Justice
Of the supreme court, was the chairman.
And the Judiciary act. approved by Wash
lngton, Sept. "A, 1898, substantially rs it
exists to-day, was largely the work of this
| eminent jurist
Washington promptly nominated, and
the senate rs promptly confirmed, John
Jay. of New York, to be chief justice of
the court, and rs associate justices John
ttutledge, of South Carolina: William
| Cushing, of Massachusetts,; Robert H.
Harrison, Of Maryland; James Wilson. of
Pennsylvania, and John Blair. of Vir-
ginia. Of these Jay, Cushing and Harri-
son had respectively served as chief JUS
tees in their own states; Rutledge. Wilson
and Blair had been members of the con-
vention which framed the constitution.
On the first Monday in February. 1890.
the day fixed for the opening session of
the court, quorum was not present; ON
the following day. the first Tuesday of
February-one hundred wears aSo-the
room in the Exchange, set apart for the
court, the federal hall being occupied by
congress, was, rs we are informed bv the
United States Gazette, in its issue of the
next day, uncommonly crowded.
Numerous federal. state and municipal
officers were present, and "a great number
of the members of the bar. The chief
justice and Associates Justice Cushing.
Wilson and Blair took their seats on the
bench. attended 10y the attorney general of
the United States. Edmund Randolph, of
Virginia; the letters patent commission
ing all these officers were read by John
MckeSSon, who acted as temporary clerk;
Richard Wenman WAS appointed 'cryer;'
proclamation was made, and the Supr eme
court of the United States was opened
BY these facts, marked with true repub-
hCan simplicity, the full breath of life was
breathed into the government of the
United States and it became living
organism.
In strange contrast with the proceedings
of the present time, the court, after few
formal sessions. adjourned Jan 10 for
want of business. II v us a court without
suitorS, its virgin docket msulied by any
entry of petitioners, plaintiffs in error or
appellants, and its earliest session was
unclouded by any portent of that vast
avalanche of litigation which during the
succeeding years of its first century has
overwhelmed it with a silent but irrtsist-
IDLE growth.
Congress, which in 1899 gave its best
thought and talent in aid of the establish
ment of the supreme court, has the power
today TO provide relies against the overtaX-
lngOf its powers. Is it too much to ask
that in this centennial year something of
the interest which Ellsworth and his COM
peers showed mGy now be accorded to pro-
vide the relief which the court needs,
which the American bar SOlicitS and which
the rights of suitorS demand?
After Mr.. Butler closed there W as a
musical selection, after which the follow
ing named gentlemen delivered addresses.
Henry Hitchcock. of St Louis, ON the
exercise of the powers of the court since its
organization; Hon f. J. Phelps, of Yer
mont, ON the supreme court and the
sovereignty, responded to by Justice
Field. President Harrison was down for
a speech, but the sorrow in his cabinet
kept HIM in Washington. The benedlC-
tion was pronounced by Rev. Talbot w.
Chambers of New York
A dinner in celebration of the supreme
court centennial, was held tonight at the
Lenox Lyceum. The banquet hall was
mass of flowers and vines. and presented Il
beautiful picture. A dozen large tables
were arranged in various positions about
the hall, and each were beautifully deco
rated Covers were laid sor $40 guests and
nearly every seat was occupied. The plat
form table was set for rs persons, presided
over by Pres. Carter, of the entertainment
committeer and among his guests were
Chief Justice Fuller, exPresident Ceve
land, Matthew Hale, of Albany, president
of the New York State Bar associations
Justices Bradley, Harlan, Field, Blatch-
ford, Gray, Lamar, and Brewer; Chauncey
M. Depew. Rev. VIM. H, Huntington
President Coudert. of the bar of the city
| of New York; Sen. EvartS, Chief Justice
Paxton, of Penn; Mayor Grant, and
! President Low, of Columbia college
| UIhe menu was an elaborate one. Before
| it was COZ luded the ladies began to take
| their places in the boxes and shortly after
| ten o'clock the chairman raped for order.
| In the box the third from the right of the
| stage was Mrs. Cleveland, accompanied by
| a party of ladies and gentlemen. The
| toast The President of the United
| States, was drank standing, after which
Mr.. Carter made a brief address. The
next toast was the Supreme Court and
| it was responded to by Associate
| Justice Harlan, of the supreme court.
| He began by reference to the coordinate
responsibility of lawyers and Judges,
citing that as are lawyers of given
| period so are the courts before which they
| appear. If a decision of the supreme
| court has been oEmended in any instance
| it must be remembered that their prepara-
| tion was preceded and aided by the argu-
ments at its bar, OF which may be
| said what Mr.. Justice Butter observed of
certain judgments of Lord Mansfield, that
| they were of such transcendent power that
| those who regard them were lost in ad-
miration lat the strength and stretch of
| human understanding.
Hon. VIM. NJ. Evarts next spoke. He
was of the opinion that the present cele-
| bration is the most significant Of any held
| since that of the declaration of indepen-
| dence 1t was indeed a celebration Of the
| first opening in the world of a court of the
| people. No higher conception Of govern
| ment, he said, had been reached or ever
can be reached than that reason
shall not only be the persuasive influence
| in human affairs, but paramount authori-
| ty. Senator Evarts was followed by Hon.
Edward NJ. Payson, of the supreme court
of Pennsylvania, who spoke to THE Judi
| ciary of the States
Hon Walter B. Hill, of Georgia, re-
sponded to The Common Law" Wayne
McVeagh was booked to respond
to the toast, The Bar but
was absent, aad Joseph H. Choate re
sponded instead. The extempOrare and
his remarks were received with great ap-
plause.
Seth Low next spoke, and was fol-
lowed by Chauncey NJ. Depew, who closed
Clients. He made one of his star speeches
and his wit and logic fairly convulsed the
vast assemblage.
FLEMING TAKES HIS SEAT.
rir,ia Il for