The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-04-02
ONLY SEVEN CHIEF JUSTICES.
One Hight Office in the United States
Which Few Men Have Held.

Tho office OF Oh of Justice OF the
Supreme Court OF the United States
was established by The constitution
concurrently with tho Office OF Pre-.
sident; but while the Presidency has
been open to all native-born citizens
above the age of 35, the Office OF
Chief Justice OF the Supreme Court,
bestwed usually upon men Of mature,
il not advanced years, has been neld
in fact by seven persons only since
the foundation Of the Government.
There have been more than three
times as many Presidents
John Jay of New York was the
first Chief Justice OF the Supreme
Court. He was appointed by Wash
ington in 1889 Judge Jay was at
that time only Al years Of age. When
he attained the aga of 80 he resigned
and retired to private life. He died
thirty-iour years later-in 1929. The
second OF the Supreme Court Chief
Justices was John Ellsworth OF Con
necticut. He was 81 years OF age
when appointed, and served until
1903, when he resigned, designations
from public Office being somewhat
more frequent at that time than now.
His successor was John Marshall OF
Virginia, who was as years OF age
when he assumed this post by APP
pointment OF President John Adms:
he held it uninterruptedly for thirty
four years, until his death in 1886.
Andrew jackson appointed his sue
cessor, r oyer b. fancy OF Maryland
who held the Office until his death
in 1864, Judge fancy was SO years
Of age when appointed aud 81 at the
time OF his death.
No Chief Justice Of the Supreme
Court, perhaps, had more intricate
questions to determine or to vote
upon in that tribunal than did Judge
fancy, and his tenure and that OF
Chiei Justice Marshall stretch over
nearly one-half Of the history Of the
United States as a nation. Chief
Justice Taney's successor was Sal
mon p. Chase of Ohio, who had pre-
viously been Secretary OF the Trea-
sury, and was So years Of age when
appointed. He served for nine years,
dying in 1873. Mr.. Chase was ap-
pointed by Abraham Lincoln, and
it is a part OF the political history Of
their day that Mr. Chase was him
self an candidate for the Presidency,
and had hoped to defeat Mr.. Lincoln
for denomination and to succeed
him; and later, in 1868, it is know
that Mr., Chase was candidate for
the Democratic nomination for the
Presidency, though he had been one
OF the founders OF the Republican
party. Chief Justice Chase was sue.
ceeded in 1873 by President Grants
appointment of another Ohio man,
Morrison r White, who was 81 years
OF age when appointed, and served
until 1888, when be was succeeded
by the present Chief Justice, Mel
vile w. Fuller, appointed by Presi-
dent Cleveland. Mr.. Fuller is a
native of Maine. He was, when ap-
pointed, 55 years Of age, and will be
GA on February II next. He is the
seventh of the Chief Justices of the
Supreme Court, and has served, thus
far, briefer time than any of his
predecessors since Chief Justice
Ellsworth.
In addition to the Chief Justice
who have served, several men have
been nominate for the Office, but re-
jected by the Senate, which has con-
6rmatory power, The Office OF Chief
Justice is by many citizens more
nightly coveted than that OF the
Presidency. The labor is less, the
responsibility much smaller, the
tenure longer and the honor an
exalted ones Il Bulletin