The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1910-07-06


est terms in the chief seat of this
great court, having been surpassed
by those of but two of his predeces-
sors. He has measured fully I'D to
the high standard Of his office and
his name stands high on the roll of
the nations lawgivers. He came to
the bench without previous service
as Judge, and the wisdom of the APP
pointment was assailed by some of
the leading members of the Senate.
1t has been fully justified, as have
SO many of the acts of President
Cleveland that were most bitterly
questioned by partisans or enemies.
He has added to the judicial lore of
the country many notable precepts
and given Interpretation to the laws
that will stand as precedents for gen.
Cl dllOlS Vi AHeIICdH jurisprudence.
But single member of the court
as it was constituted remains after
MIN in that distinguished body, Jus
tice Harlan alone being his senior in
point of service. Justice White is
the sole survivor holding commission
| from the same President who APP
! pointed Justice Fuller, while Judge
! Fuller was appointed in the first adj
ministration of Mr.. Cleveland. Chief
Justice Fuller has administered the
oath of office to five Presidents of the
! United States. In 1889, a year after
he had been appointed, he admins
tered the oath to the successor of the
man who had advanced him to his
high cffice, Benjamin Harrison, and
in 1898 he celebrated the return of
Mr.. Cleveland to the Presidency.
PRESIDENTS Mckinley, Roosevelt and
TAFT have all taken the oath of o.
flee at his hands.
During the eight years of CIeve
lands two administrations but three
vacancies occurred in the Supreme
Court, and in the seven wears of
PRESIDENT Roosevelt's continuous ser
vice the same number. The sixteen
months of President Taft's admins
tration have brought as many as
came in either of these two admins
trations. Justices Peckham and
Brewer and now Chief Justice Full
Ter have passed out since MIR. Taft
became President on March 4. 1909
justice Lurton, appointed ty Presi-
dent Taft to succeed Justice Peck
ham, has already taken his sea, on
the bench, and Gov. Hughes. of New
York, is preparing to put on the err
mine in October. and now the Presi-
ueht Will have to appoint a presiding
Judge of the court. 1t is the general
expectation that Justice Moody will
retire very soon, under the special
act passed for his benefit at the rec
ent session of Congress. That will
bring to President Taft the opportu
nifty and the responsibility of a
fourth appointment to the court If
one more vacancy occurs during his
term as President a majority of the'l
court will hold his commission. a
very interesting and unusual state of
things.
The place he will have to fill by
appointment at this time is one that
Mr. Taft himself has always desired
that he might reach. 1t is well known
that he did not desire to stand for
tie Presidency but cherished the hope
that ne might sit On the bench of the
S@Hreme Court. Actually he was
offered such a place by President
Roosevelt and put aside the offe,
with regret, esJeeming it to be his
Cdt% al that time TO continue his
work in the executive branch of the
government. He reached this decis-
ion after much thought. and much
against his inclination. though the
possibility of his reaching the Pres
idsncy was even then looming large
Had it been the chief justiceship-a
place rarely opeu-that had been Of
Tered him. il is not at all certain
that Mr. Taft would not have follow
ed his personal inclination and been
sitting TODAY at the head of the jud-
icial instead of the executive branch
of tie government.
That little trick Johnson ~!ayed IN