The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-30


great ambition of his life was real
lied when William Howard Taft
was made chief justice of the su-
preme court of the United States
| The former president, according to
his close friends, is more pleased
with the new post of great dignity
which he now occupies than he was
when the greatest Office in the gift
of the American people-the presi-
dency-was his.
Mr.. Taft is the 10th chief justice
of the highest tribunal in the land,
Since the court was created in
i17S9 the successive presiding heads
have been John Jay of New York /;
John Rutledge of South Carolina;
Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut;
John Marshall of Virginia; Roger
P. fancy of Maryland: Salmon P.
Chase of Ohio; Morrison r. Waite
of Ohio; Melville w. Fuller of Hi
nois; and Edward Douglas White
of Louisiana, who died recently.
1t is a curious fact that the man
who was called the father of the
supreme court later became chief
justice-Senator Ellsworth. He was
chairman of the committee of the
senate which drafted the measure
creating the court and the entire jul
dietary system for the United States.
The bill was approved by George
Washington, then president, almost
as soon as it was presented to
him, and he sent to the senate the
a Hrcf oh
were confirmed without opposition
The first court consisted of Chief
Justice John Jay and Associate
Justices John Rutledge of South
Carolina; James Wilson Pennsyl-
vania; William Cushing of\Massa-
chusetts: Robert H. Harrison of
Maryland; and John Blair of Vir-
ginia. Bushrod Washington, a
nephew of President Washington,
earnestly besought a place ON the
bench of the supreme court, but
George steadfastly refused him be-
cause of their relationship and to
guard himself from the charge of
Partially to relatives which would
certainly have been made had he
made the appointment.
The first three chief justices were
prominent in the colonies and the
new nation as statesmen and revo-
lutionary leaders. Jay had been
one of the trainers of the constitu-
ton, had been minister to Spain,
president of the congress and chief
justice for the state of New York.
and had negotiated the peace treaty
pointed the first three chief JUS
tees, gave Jay his choice of posts
under the federal government, and
the supreme court was the choice. |
His official life in that post was
brief, as was that of the two sue
ceeding justices.
After negotiating the peace treaty |
with England and upon his return !
here, Jay, having resigned as chief !
Justice, was elected governor of
New York. Jay despite his &C
and education, was !;
l religious bigot, and sought to ex- /
can citizenship, but failed.
A Six Months Tenure.
John RutIedge, the next chief JUS
ice, was appointed in 1895. when /
lay resigned, but held Office only !
six months, the senate having re-
ected the nomination because of |
lis opposition to the Jay treaty, and |
because of alleged mental infirmities
'eSulting from exposure in the |
wamps of South Carolina during
he Revolution. He was a delegate |
o the first congress, held in New
FORK, and in 1874 was sent to the
ontinental congress. He was the
.rst governor of South Car olina.
Ellsworth was appointed in 1896.
lie was prominent as a statesman
uring the latter part of the Revo-
war, and credit is given
i'm for standing out against the
ominance of the larger states and
occurring equal representation in
be senate for all of the states He 1
ED out strongly and successfully Il
Or maintaining the sovereignty of
ne state governments. AS a youth
e started to study theology, but
hanged to the law and soon at
aimed success.
John Marshall, the next chief JUS {
ce, was appointed by John Adams
month before the Inauguration Of !
homas Jefferson and served from !
SOL until 1885. Marshall was A I