The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-17
ANNIVERSARY or a GREAT event.



Centennial 81 First Meeting Of su-
premc Court to He Celebrated.
ut was a favorable omen that on the
day Of the FIRST meeting OF the supreme
court OF the United States at the city OF
washington as the seat Of the national
sovernment--lth day OF February. 1901
John Marshall sat ~ chief justice for tho
first time. He had been summoned to the
lofty duty Of presiding over the deltbera-
lions OF the American Comita Centurtafa.
and. proceeding to the hottest OF temples.
had been proclaimed magistrate SAWS
auspiciis creatus.
.'The appearance OF Marshall upon the
bench was an epoch In the history Of the
constitution. The hours OF provinciatisn
were numbered. The glory and strength
of the nation were TO come, and the dects-
ions Of the great chief Justice, IN which ne
explained, defended and enforced the con-
stitution, were to shed upon the ascending
pathway of the republic the combined lus-
ter Of learning, intelligence and integrity.
The providence Of God.' said Mr.. Bin
ney, IS shown most benefcently TO the
world, In raising UP. from time to time.
and In browning with length OF days men
of pre-em.nent goodness and wisdom 1t
was Marshalls happy lot to close the ser
vices Of an active and distinguished life
with the longest. most honorable and sue
cessfui judicial career In the history OF the
most exalted Of tribunals. Fortunate in his
opportunities. great In his achievements,
he employed his faculties IN the creation
Of a system OF Jurisprudence which ranks
among the admired intellectual productions
Of the world q,
The centennial anniversary of the event
referred to in the above extract from Car
sons "History Of the SitpFefne Court" Is
to be the occasion for a national holiday
and great celebration throughout the
United States. Definite arrangements have
already been made for the principal cele-
bration at the city of Chicago, under the
auspices OF Inc American Bar Association,
the State Bar Association OF Illinois, ana
the Chicago City Bar Association. Pursu-
ant to a resolution adopted by the Ameri-
can Bar Association at Its last annual
meeting held at Buffalo. an executive COM
mittee was appointed to take charge OF
the celebration, composed of one member
from each state In the union and each Of
the territories, and the District of Column
ba with Judge william Writ Howe. OF
New Orleans, as chairman, and already
steps have been taken to secure action by
congress and the president setting apart
February 4, 1901. as a national holiday, TO
be observed In an appropriate manner in
all parts of the country, and with cere-
monies suitable to the occasion at the
national capital. The committee of the
American Bar Association will cooperate
with the Illinois and Chicago bar associ-
atoms In arranging for a general national
demonstration of respect to the memory Of
the great chief Justice, at the city of CHI
cago, and from the interest already mani
tested It Is not too much to expect that
there will be at that time and place the
greatest convention of lawyers and judges
ever assembled upon this earth.
There are people to be found in this
country who have no reverence for Alex
ander Hamilton and the few wise men who
aided him In weaving into our national
constitution those provisions which ce-
mented together and unified the states into
one nation. and gave 1t vitality to live and
defend itself and vigor to progress and
expand until it shall fulfill it's high des-
tiny to be the greatest of the powers Of
the earth: nor for John Marshall. the
greatest expounder of the constitution;
who, during his long career as chief JUS
tice of the supreme court, took care that
the VIII Of the people In ordaining the
constitution for the purpose of forming n
more perfect union of the states, and es-
tablishing a national government upon an
enduring foundation. should not be de-
feated by any misconstruction Of its pro-
visions. nor by denial of the necessary
powers which that instrument confers
upon each of the coordinate branches OF
the government, but, happily, their num-
bers do not appear to be increasing. The
has gained recognition in foreign coun-
tres, as well as from our own people, and
that while 1t Is great 1t Is not oppressive,
but stands to-day as the living embodi-
ment OF the principles of the greatest in
div.dual liberty consistent with patriot-
ism and loyalty. demonstrates the incom-
parable superiority OF the government
which the founders of the republic ac-
tually did construct, over the theories of
state sovereignty. notification and seces-
sion advocated by Thomas Jefferson, John
c. Calhoun and Jefferson Davis. Our
rountry Is now the home of great people,
justly proud of the strength and grandeur
of their national government. as well as
It's justice, and the liberty which they en-
joy under Its protection. 1t could not
have become so II the constitution had
been misconstrued according to the false
notions Of Jefferson and Madison set forth
in the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions
of 1898. That John Marshall was given TO
us, that he was chosen to fill the exalted
station of chief justice at a time when
wisdom and firmness far In excess of the
abilities Of ordinary men was required to
preserve the constitution as well as to ex-
pound Its principles, and that his DAYS
were heightened so that ne was permitted.
in the full possession of his great INTEL
lectual and physical powers, to preside
in the supreme court and give force to It's
judgments for a period longer than the
lifetime of an ordinary man, should be re-
garded as prov.dences for which the
American people should be sincerely CRATE
full. It is well that the movement has been
for great celebration which
cannot fail to have beneficial effect in
educating the people in the principles Of
uav nd 81: IIoft v,or -,