The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-05-06
THE SUPREME COURT.


The Supreme Court of the United
States occupies the room in which,
previous to January 4th, 1859, the
Senate met, writes G. M. Jacobs in the
Saturday Erening Post. 1t would be
difficult to imagine a quieter place
than this chamber has been since, in
December, 1870, it became the nations
great Hall of Justice. 1t is IS feet
long, As feet high, and its ceiling is
halfdome, through the windows of
which fall subdued light.
The "bench'' consists of a gallery
on the east side of the apartment. 1t
is furnished with nine large chairs,
upholstered in brown leather. Above
it is smaller gallery, the only one
preserved after the removal of the
Senate. 1t is supported by pillars of
dark, variegated Potomac marble, with
Ionic capitals. Between the pillars
are curtains of heavy crimson plush.
A large portion of the floor, in front
of tue bench, is filed with chairs and
desks reserved for members of the
legal profession, who, by an unwritten,
but firmly established, rule, must be
attired in black when they apper be-
fore the Bar of the Court.
The conventions al habit for lawyers
of the gentler sex has not yet been
prescribed, because, Of the twenty.one
women who have been admitted to
practice in the Supreme Court, not
one has ever argued a case before
it.
The court is in session annually
from the beginning of October till the
end of June. At noon, when it con-
venes, two ropes covered with crimson
velvet are stretched across the main
corridor of the Capitol, between the
consulting room and the court room.
This effectually blocks the passage
from the Senate to the House of Repre-
sentatives, and the President himself,
should he be there, would be detained
by these crimson barriers.
A rustic of silk is heard, and nine
stately men, the Chief Justice at the
head of the procession and the asso-
c:ates in the order of their appoint
ment, all clad in black gowns with
wide sleeves, march in single file across
the corridor, through the lobby to the
court room, to their places on the
bench. AS they enter the crier an
nounces:
THE Honorable the Chief Justice
and the Associate Justices of the Su-
preme Court of tie United States"
The justices stand before their chairs,
bow to the Bar, and the lawyers and
spectators, standing, return the salute.
The crier continues:
"Oyez, oyez, oyez! All persons
having business before the Honor
able the Supreme Court of the United
States are admOnished to draw near
and give their attention, for the Court
is now sitting. God save the United
States and this honorable Court"
Soon after the Supreme Court came
into being the question of judicial
garb was raied. Hamilton, Burr and
Jefferson took part in the discussion.
The English wig was rejected and the
gown adopted. That of the first
chief justice, was, in pattern, similar
to those worn today, with the excep-
tion of decorative bands, vermillion
in hue. The voluminous robes worn
~ tia, justices when on the bench are
OF black silk, reaching to their feet.
This simple attire, though unosten-
tatious, is impressive, and adds to the
naturally dignifed appearance Of the
nine men who have in their keeping
the rights and fortunes of 80,O00,OOO
people.
The justices have a life tenure of
office. They are appointed by the
joint action of the President and the
Senate. They cannot be removed ex-
cept by formal trial before the Senate.
In age they can neither be retired
nor can their salaries be reduced,
though by an existing statute, they
may retire voluntarily, with full salary
reaching the age OF
10 years. The chief justice, whose
special duty is to preside when court
is in session, and to'assign to his as
sociates the cases in which they are to
write opinions, receives $l0,500. In
accepting his present position Justice
Fuller relinquished practice worth
four times his annual salary.
The seat on the right Of the chief
justice, which, by long-established