The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-20


Court.
The United States Supreme court is
a ceaseless source of interest to the
stranger in Washington, Even wher
the court is not in session the chamber
in which 1t sits is viewed by constant
| steam of visitors who enter 1t with an
air almost of reverence. Ordinarily 1t
is the dullest place where men assemble
| to do business The decorum Is pain
| full but this does not deter the Ameri-
can citizen who comes to inspect the
seat of government from lingering
fondly about the place. When the
Kentucky case was argued, not only
was the court room crowded. but long
| line of people waited outside for a
chanel to slip through the door. The
manner of these pilgrims to the shrine
| of the law does not indicate any loss of
respect by the plain people for this au-
| gust body. The two places in Wash
| ington where the vandal stands In awe
| are the supreme court and the White
| House and in the latter place the rule
| has not been invariable. In all other
public places may be found the dirty
| fingerprints Of the vandal. The monu-
ment Is Clipped, statues are marred,
| fragments are cut from the furniture
| and hangings of the Senate and House
Of Representatives., ana names have
been scratched into the marble and on
the bronze doors, but something holds
the most ruthless in check when he
comes to the supreme court.
This court IL the one place where
great formality Is observed. and wit
Messing the impression it makes upon
the public one may readily understand
why the people who have recently come
to us from under the Spanish rule of
civil degradation and official splendor
should feel that there must be deficien-
cy when official functions are not con-
Quoted with pomp. 1t cannot Justly be
said that the ceremoniousness Of the
supreme court Is accompanied with
pomp and splendor, but there Is about
it a formalty, reserve and enforced de-
corum which Is intended to be impress
sive, and Is so. When the hour comes
for the court to convene barrier Of VEL
vet-covered ropes is stretched across
the corridor, so as to preserve clear
passage from the consulting room on
one side of the corridor to the court
room on the other. This blocks the
passage from the House of Representa-
lives and the rotunda to the Senate,
and for the brief space of time it takes
for the justices to pass into the court
no one may go beyond the red lines of
ropes. Senators, Representatives, the
President himself, should he happen
there, must wait The members of the
court, the chief justice at their head
with their black robes wrapped about
them march in solemn procession,
single file, from the consultation room
across the corridor, through the lobby
of the court, to their places OH the
bench.
This ceremony occurs whenever the
court passes in or out of the court
chamber, and there is invariably at the
hour of their assembling a crowd of Gu
rious strangers grouped on either side
of the barrier to view this manifesto
ton of dignity Many remove their
hats as the court files by and on every
face is an expression of respect and in
terest No expression of impotence
escapes even the belated senator who is
delayed by this procession as he hurries
to reach the senate chamber in time for
prayer.
There is no talking among the specta-
tors when the court Is in session, and
even when the bench is vacant and
strangers are viewing the deserted
chamber they usually speak in whis-
pers. An old white-bearded colored
man who sits at the door is the person.
ification of silence and dignity. and the
sight of him is enough to make those
even of frivolous mind grow grave and
walk on their tiptoes. He, silently,
with perfectly noseless motion, opens
the door to each conner and as noiseless-
ly closes 1t again, or if the chamber is
full stands with his back to the door.
and, without saying word, keeps 9TH
ers from attempting to enter Newspa-
per reporters are not expected to sit in
the supreme court room. If they enter |
they are expected to be as other visi- |
tors and not attempt to take notes of |
the proceedings A ready attendant |
will at once interfere if a notebook is |
drawn. |
When Chief Justice Fuller was in |
stalled an exception was made, after |
much influence had been brought to |
bear and after long elaboration, and a |
certain limited number of newspaper J
men were provided with seats within
the bar of the court. Probably half
dozen such We're admitted, and on the
desk provided for each was quill pen
and little square bottle of ink, which
they We're expected to use. When the
Kentucky case was being argued orders
were given not to admit newspaper