""ST"
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KM
perimentsl the bonfe jnoft b convinced of
the propriety of the repeal." ; . J. V-
Mr, Dayto, of New Jerfyt trnfted It
wa not the difpql)tiooot the mover tpprefi
a decilion todays He thought' U would
be improper tV potrpone the difcuflion," as
gentlemen Would, be thereby pi ectuded from
offering their opinion ort the fubjee.''' He
hoped the motion for poftponeroeBt would
be withdrawn,' that other gentlemen might
have an opportunity" to fpeak. V ' ;"
Motion withdrawn, .-- v ts? .-
" , Mr, 7oiM ifl. of ,Mairchnfetti,faid
St would be agreed to on all bands that t.h1
waa oae of the moft ' mpoTTartt qoeftions
that ever came .before a legiffauire. ';Were
be iroraf thi ow'aiW h wuuld not have
vtfco to offer hi fentiaients. ' But he felt
fo deep an intcreft ' in the queftion, k from
the tepe which he entertained for the dif
tricVof country he reprrfeoKd, he deemed
it hit duty to meet the fubjeA, and not be
fatiaBed with eriinar to it hu filent negative.
It waa well known, and he-prefumed
vrould be readily agreed to, that no people-
on carta for the Ult twenty four yean, had
been fo touch io the habit of rorming fyf
tema of government aa the people, of the' i
United Statcl. " Nor had any people been
fo fortunately fituated for Cool and correct
deliberation. " ,
la the conftitutions they had formed, it
would appear that there had been an unL
form concurrence in the eltablibncpt of
one gTeat jtrominent featttre Thai the le '
giflative, the eltecotive j and the judicial "
fhould form the three great - department! of
govexpmeQt juhcy.ihTouid badiQla bmm;
sod independent of each other.. And the
more thesproceedingi and fentimeati of the
people were, eaarotoed," the more telearly
would it appear that all Ore 'new and addi
tional checka bad been applied to adjoft the
relative wcaknefi or ftrengtb of the feveral
department of government. ' The fame
principle had been bfcrved id the old
world,' whenever an opportunity prefented
for forming a coDttitution; having for it
objtel, tha protefttott ;'oi; iadividual "rlghta.
It accorded too wih the nqiform opinions
' of the mod ' celebrated hiftonan andpoli
ticiaas both of Europe and America ; with"
the opinion and pra&icet of all our legifla-turea.-
Nor bad Mr. Mafon everheard any
one hardy enough toeny the propriety of
its obfervance. . ; '
He well a-ecollefied that among the great
5;rievaoces, which Jiad roufed u into an af..
ertionof our independence of England, it
wai declared in this inftrumerij afRrtirig"tht
independtoce, that ' (he crown .bald the ap
poiotment of the Judge dependent on it
will and favour.
: From all thefe circumSancev he conclud
d that .the people of Amerfca, when
they formed a fyflem for their federal go
vernment,- intended to ellablilh this great
principle ( and the cooclufioo .would be
confirmed by att cxaminariooof th conlli'
tutioa, which to every fcctioa recognized
aw.rcfcrfcd to' tiuirl$t: i'-Hr- fk
.The coaftitutioff ia the conftrudlionf
. the etecntive, leRiflatit, and iudiciarv de
partments," had affigncd to each a dirTcrent
teaure'The refident was coofen for four
Tear tithe Senate for is years, fubjecY to
a prefcribed rotation bienialljr ; , th H6ufe
f Reprefentatives for Jwo eri t and the
' ludictarv' durins ffood behaviour It favs
to the PreCdent, at the eipiration of every
four, years, you (hall revert to the charaaer
of privatt emzen, tiuw fpUndl Vour
talettt of tonfpicuoua yodr vbtliea.' Why t
. jDecBwc we aw Buigocu 10 jou powers
; which it t dangerous to cieixifc-rYou
hav? the power of cTeatlng offices and f-
fie'era. .You have prerogatives. The
. tempution tq an abure of your, power f
great" Such ha been the uniform ezperi
ence of arei- - The conftrtution holds the
fame labguage t the Senate and Houfe of
Hepmeatatives s x jays, n u neceuary
for the good of fociety that yon alfo Ihould
revert at (hoit periods to' the-' mats of the
people, becaufe to you are conligned the
moft important dunes of government, and
becvfe you hold the purfe firings o( the
nation..sn:0 ft y--v--'tv,. '
r To the judiciary t What is the language
applied to, the ? The judge are not ap
" ber of year j :;bot they hold - their appoint
mentstor life; iinlefstheyjnibehave them
ielven Why f vFor this reafon. iThey are-
.. Bob depoutajie otthe high preroga
tivea of rovernment. T Thev-ueiihen
" point tov office, ' or hold the purfe-ftring
of the conntrr, " or.;legiflate for- k.-
They depend entirely opoo their talent.
which uaU lhey have to recommend them.
ThCycaiindf, Ihereforebeifpofed " to
pervert their-
power to improper pnrpoie
: duties f To cXDOund and is.
What are the .
piy ipe laws.: . , o uw una wjin ooeiity ana
lkitl require a length of time? 'The reoui
fite knowledge is oof to be procure iq a
.' day. Thefe are the plain.' and (Irong rea
fon which muft flrike very mind, for the
different tenure br which the judge hold
their offices, and rhey are fucb a will eterf
" nlly endure r7hercr.r liberty xtit. Vr- -
i . On examiat!oi4t mWU
the people, in forming their
meant to make the iudtrt- av iadettondei
of theleffiflatore a of -the eaecatlveC' B-
''ftitutioa, UUf to abidby JtnWiwe
ScaUoponthem toponndf notedly. th UmAlixoiio. iwmeraniarofe trdna th ( nature of
Hut the copftitutioo 'alf"f -in which-i -Hhe1 W etuwtwaiec im: i na? eHaoummeiitt
vblwJ the pjer of cnecklng-flitlellflaturfr-paa
U oaf4k.flnittld nafa fawa jn violatkwfcof the
conftitdtloff For thjsHfeafoo itwMmore
iMnmi b: thai the iu&et. in thit eijuntrviwA to eiccute .kfiJSuch was the labour
Aould be placed Uyond" th cdntroul ot
1
where no fucll powef attache tottat!
Mr.t'Mittn chalteBfted gefYtlemen tcve
hibit aCn'Eliriftaricel beftdei' that lately
furoifhed by Matylaba;- of a leglflartvea,
repealing a law patTedtrf execution bF etti
rtitatidn,uhde which' Th? judge held their
office doriritf wtfoo behavftfri la truth,
no HicB oower-ex led. nor Wa U tne
powei ofany Wiflature,' lo'tlreimianced.fhat threat founhi.pf the time of the judge
by a fingle law .to dafh them ok of exift
ence. : -"' . - r--v-5;.... nu V..
X The'6prihb of Mr. Mafdo. therefore
was that -this legrflatota hive no right to
repeal the judtciaryuw. "ror iuch an aa
would be
4 . . .
ia direct-VioutfOtt at tne vodki-t
tation. ':
, 5t ill . , it;$ iiit fi
The conftirotion -fay .The judicial
power of the Unitdd Sfatts ihall bv veiled
in one Supreme fcourt; and in'fuch inferior
courts as the" congtcfa hiayj' front-st rne to
time, ordain' and - nabrifh. 5 i hf jtfdgeti
both of the foDremeJ arid ' ifaferlor court.
hall hold their offices dwing:goed behavioii.
anu init, ii naieo limvs.rccrivc aor tticir
fervicet, a ebritrierifatfd?f, Mhitri mall not b
tuminiinca .aunng ineir continuance ib-vi--
-a baa it fays, lhe judgea Ibm boUWmt
officer doring good behavior Ho ca6
this direction ' of the confticution be"com-
plied with,- if the1 legiflacure fliall from fef'
iion to" feffion,' repeal the law under which
the office is held tc remove the offal-! He did
nptj tooceive that any words, - which human
ingenuity could de vile could moretomplete
ly get over the. remarks that had been mad
by the eentlemart from Kentucky. - om
that gentleman lays, chat this provifioo of
the coiilirtuiion applies exelufively to rbt
preudeot. tie conhdert ft as made -to Id
pcrfedethe powers of Ahe prefident to re
move the judges. But could' this have
been the contemplation of the framers of the
conftitiltion, when even he right of the Pre
Cdent, to remove officers at pleafure, waalt
matter of great doubt, and ' tad divided m
opinion W moft enlightened citizens. Not
that be ftated this circumftaoce, becaufe Jij
had doubts. He' thought the prefident
ought to hve the right t- bot it dd not etn,'-'
afiKT from the' conuitutton t was not ti,
prefsly found n the conftitulion (but fptan
from legiflative conftruAion. . j - r . ,
Befides if congrefa hive the right to re--
pea! the whole- of. the law they mult poi
ftfi the richt to Teneal aicfiion of it.-If
lb they may repeat the law fo far as it ap
plie to a particular Jiftricl, and ihu,gct
aid of an obnoxfoiia Sudee. ; Tbet may re.
fnove hi office irom hira Would it not
be abfurd ftilt to" fayt; that the removed
judge held his office duung good behavior".
V.i The CQuftilunioa.far. ' The, V judge
(hall, at ftated times', receive for their fci
vice, a compcniaiion wr.icn inau.not oe ui . i
tninifhed during their continuance ia iffice'
vJiy t this proviBpn,;h Why'.. gba;d . againll
the power to deprive- the judge ''fit. their pay
(n, a dimiputionof jt and upt provide aanft
what was mbreTmjj'ortaqtj.brir exiueocc
Mr jWafonkncw ijtiat a IcgiCSae ! bft
was 'occaGonally uibjeci to the domioaoce
bl violent paffions be knew, that they
might paf unspaftitutional lawr ; & that the
judge, fworo to fupport the Cenllitution,
V6uld tefufc to carry them into etTel ; and.
baknew that the )egilatnre migh contend
for the execution .of tbeir ftatutes. : Hence
the tteccflity ofpladag the judges shove the
influence of theft piffibosj and for thefe
feafon the' contirtutlon bad -put them put
Of the power of thejegiflture.i
StiJT.i,f gentlemen would not agree withlim
as to the dnwnftitutionality of the meafure
ropofed, he would aft, what is txpedient ?
were there not gTeat doubtexifting through
out the United States ? Ought not each
gentleman -to Yay, though I may have no
doubts on'-hefiuncy-are not 'i largcpbr
tion of our citizeoa of opfnipn, .that it
vwould violate! ur coaftitution Mf thi fi-;
'verntt;,of fentimertt' exiits, oueht -not the
,aiua uaiwvuitiu suiu ui uitulIDk VUt
chizeas f Wa npj the jpoafUtution a facred
inftromerjt i jliaftwtntvet to4e ap-r
preached with reverence; bo Inftruaient
which ought not lightly to ' be drawn froni
it hollowed retreat, and jjvbje$ed the
flux and relua of pafllori. ' But where i
the evil complained of ? The fyftcta was e- '
(Ublilhed only laft feffionrfcarcely had it:
bicn yet organized j fcarccly had we tried
it on its Very threfhold where then the nc
ceffity of bemg fo pdiatcd, af to delroy" a
fyflem Scarcely- formed J dayssgo KDoes
not this maoifeft preclpitatioa I Will.it obt
br fbon4 that I wniieMorje ifaa gnitimityi Uprc , tttio; orro. 7eMi Uc judgt of the Stu
uil kinir nw aDeftranldallMn!FKJ.lwi OKI tuica Bua. wiajHiipvpowOTwco' ot
Ll iire reaioii uuiiuie tuiu ocpenaiog were
no parauci i arnco wu ivmc
I fecdr M. wdjflblu:n. N fet of
o thir idutie,ilhat tticy were donffiltiiie,!,
Anr lfthdr or itaotovement. fiefidesacafe '
htard of oqetrrm' by one judgenAi
Voftpdned for confjderjiou to the oexuiM
term aiiotiittr judge appeared, ndl)l.
the argument er to be gone ovr anw y
OO me unie wng migru n.ppcn again u
agaSoi Was this the way to extend juftice
'to oqr citizen f Was not the delay equi
vaicni i w;d"h ui-iuict.. h w aiu
naaoeen raicen up in iravemng. -tfjx .-i
-t It may be-truevhat the-Btttuber Qf foil
in the federal const- i ItiTened and if the. 1
internal taxes atef to be fwept awav, it may
be ftll-ojort Uffened Is .far at depends upor
that ? fource:'' BH ia Ut polTthle, that was
will go oa-dimini(hing a the gehtkinap
eem to ihiuk-? Is reifoa fo preddminank i.
U the railenium fo near at hand On tte
contrary, is - not our commerce enoreafiug
with great rapidity i Is not our; wealth en
creating f And will not controverfieS tn
creafe in proportion to the gr6wth of our
number It .proptrty.vCoDinprejfieri ..which'.
iiatltl i m lvh (rAeri ,r!kun'al frna a a
rtlie judiciary, fy Hem .it
f-thc documents quoted bv the eentlcman
from Kentucky, it appears, that more bufi
nefs has bteo- lately done in the federal
courts, than in any other antecedent time,
except in -one or t wo counties in Peonfyl
vania. -- " ; ' ' :t , '
X Betides (faid Mr. Mafon) even if thtre be
not a great preffure of bufiu.efa, had we no
better pay the-'paltry fura I'of 30 or 40,000
dollars-Tor a fyftero too broad, than hve one
that is .top narrow I Is it not a melancholy
confideration, that in many of the European
Rates, the cofts aie equal to the principal
contended for i It would be honourable 10 the
United btaia to exhibit a different exam
ple. It woo W b honorable to them to holi
out arl example; even if confined to foreiVn.
ers, of prompt and efficacious juftice, though
at , tne exutence ot ioo.coo doliari. "
Such an example would be a canfc for naii
ou'al triumph, and our people would exult.
in it. -i,'.:;." ,:'.a.!;.-: ''...
, inasmuch, . therefore, as.to render the
judges refpedabU, it was necettary to make
iheir appointments permaneoii. t..tiait k.
hdrurVexperience, and long ft udy,. were ie
quired to per lad any man in a knowledge
of the laws of bis country, infomuch as it
has been .thought good poiicv that the judg
cs fhould be. well paid j and that they ihoutd
be fo placed as to be diverted, of atjfear.
and neither to. look to the right or to the
jeinafrnuchjPI they ihould te fo placed
as 10 rcnufr incm inaepeodent, or iegiUatiyc
: wcB; s jCjif ex'tcutive povreri hehpfcd
mn ibw wuum bui. pc repeaiea, , ;
'V. Thefe weie the reafons. which JMr. Ma
fob "affigDed.'as thofe whicl would influenp
ibeciriojflie. acknowlegcdV that ht
naa
I pot entered the houfe urmared to i.AfVr
bis' ferjtirne'ws j but , as.tbc qucfltion waaa-.
oour to pe pHt, lie. had thought it but to'
offe,W tbern, fuch as ''they ,were, father than
if gfa-;fiIcot votena Jubca.of fuclj
:j WJVrnbl, Maryland, laid it mii.il be
Jfeed hat this fubjccl was one of great
imporURce from its efftet uoan our reve.
aties. If the repeal of the afl of lad effion.
was conftitutional, he prefumed there could
be little, doubt of its expediency , from the.
oocumentson ourtahie. , Has the eonftitu-.
lion veiled the leetflatme with a Dower o
ver the fubjec of the ttfoJutioB i If fo, then
fhoiild a Jaw, ,hichf had been the effLof
fluji fPon' ' herepealcd hy f reflux of
reafon. He believedJt had Leeaiotroduc-ti
ed aithe period of , an expiring adminillrn -fion.
Jt bad -been refilled : byjthjj rcpubli "y
can fide of the Senate l and, he truftedthaf
now on the ct'urn; of reaforTk wpuiy be te-V
i. An aHurionf.had been made,tp the ftate
of Marylau.wluchtd repealed a law jrtf-. .
peeling jtfie judiciarj, , MrvW. : terse quo f
led the.conllitution of that rate, vwhofe.
proviCoasi he obferved, fo far a rcfpcAed
the tenure of the office of a judge, correr .
ponded vwrth .tbofe of the cmrtitotl6r-f
the United StatesATheh kgiflatiife 'of
that Rate had been of opinion,' and corieft
fcfodV'tbat;
repealing a law formed by their predecef
for. And the legiflaturef the United
State poffeffed the f" fame f poer2 4This
thsW had aliaailv Artrrmlnek K ka
ha of the lad feffionVwhich,w.;ie it created
number of new judges- aboliiA.-d the of-
CC of feveral diftri judges.
U wat clear that the conllilutidn meant
to guard thc7officeF, and -notfhe office.'
Will it be laid that what the leeiflature
kc to-4jr they cahnpt annihilate o
- !.. .". ' . ' " '
' - :i
above
if cdnijrtft hVspower
tdi
dii b urn 10 fMh fiiyettoi1.' hive''
lb th''am"eMowehirrt i;ed.dW V;.,.
kev - nab i
ambr ot tne iwmrimdwr,t -ae we to.
been
the ci
cn be ma
? If ib eaft W'thofc oTe?eebteJ
thofe officer? b nBueifaatJrjit
sriay it n,ot .btfefcii tiia?ifty4Bhewinre6oJ "
ftituton;laWjhe httilkhi'tfy
(ices were to be hrld, Io our regard for In- -
dividual inieWlU iwgli"Maf Idfactffice "
the great IriteMr-af twuntfy-y'andwts
it not demoryftrfbW t'llratv cM--IvWfntf 4on- v-1
judge tweVV'fnfficjeat.flwben 1 Soafuif ex"
iftt4,f tey. werHtiibt'irfoarw -
?;Th ggtkrin. frooC MaffaVhufcttr w' -wrong.!
fitinZ iWMartl.rid'wai the'brt-"'
)y ;(f JVirirMall4iiw cteJalnVld
diciyi offices. if Virginia, if he waa not;"
misi8tfjma,' iiacr;aoaan thwTaWHhfng
Bu t' we Wanted nfltlthfcfaM'aeAil '
own 'archjefcr. fsjitWvAfthbehrnt ''
precedeot' Wo bid rBccditlarjudget 6f
uHwtiu va . iv iib Tciy getmerT
meiij oppdfecl'no' toj '4he rfpe Ai-ofi hii h WJ
rii1 Jitni ad tvai lhala Ka.r.uaaTPlZL fT T ' . .
ve r jftno
Ki -tVnall honnd bv the folii'i - of a law.
. - ' , "T . , - -- "
which; ought noQiiWfcd ?
f Wlfy tbe.aprtffi?n" tn-the conaitnt'towT"1
The- iudicjal. , rowrr! mm WrerTed'n
tin, 4 -mmmim WMtixftm4.
peared,?lWnlrttirgh-heB4he f I
ed the meafure i,.nrprohib'rf edit 'Siw
i - V . a . as.-, ' . . aV
' relieving inejuaicisiy iaw)6l hi lad'lel- -fion
had'afittb irooi difpdfitfoot(6 pSovide '
1 or aoc.warpn Ultiwv w rpjciaii Bomr-v -nTftrationt
beUeirtgshat;great:nicfnveiii..
fence had fca ur5,
pence to. be' -opp'reflive arid.bfcli-viiigthat'
if onflegiiSature hadatightf(aYsit,vaBo- :
ther kgiPature had' tjKe ihme-right repeal '
jt ;' be'ti'uftcd that, howeveV-n-preceding
legiflatnre might have been governed by
pafiion, the prefent. lefVilature-Would by
repeahng- it, Ihew that thry'ere''dvetjfed
bjr v ; &-L-
Mr., Menu, of NeWvYorki-nJPsei;
fident, 1 am fo very "unfortunate, that the -7
aigumeot s in favour of the motion haVe c6n
fiiraed my opinion,: that tjie law. to which"'
it relers, ought not to be . tepeakd' The
honourable mover ha tfld hi propofition
on two giovb;ds. . J i
' iV.:hax; theJailkavy:;Wi:,:
"feffion.U unneceflary and.?,',; ' - j.
ra ;; Thaf we have a right to repeal it and -ouoht
to exercife that nght.fr -v,-';- ' ' M '
The' numerical mode of rgiiment,f'niad,;
uf of.tq prove this, is pereftly : novel, and
Commands my tribute of admirat ion. - Thi
Ls the &t& time I ever 'hetrd tb btility of '
Ml arlW dmiMiUtiitt4 that
a cctcbratvd- monarch) of En'glrfd,- the ;
Great AlfVfcd, had enaflifd fdcIaellib
limed ruerj trib'nnal?.' anii'e Juch .
fyttem oj pojice. that lapprfeof goldjnrght
be Uung up m -the, highways vkhotrt any'
dnmr:f'pntf:;.nkedHaHiW
thofe days, Je would perhapaJMre attempt
ed to convince old Alfred, that what he con!
fidered agtthe ghwy nTf-trgn, was its
greateft evil. Fox by takinge unfrequen
cy of enures, as a .prthat. trbunalawcte
suii fleV,r thua Jildlj iuoAwutiag
.-,cTern(Oaufe.a-'the nlfnatiBbt de -monftrate.the
inutihty f any iQjtution by ;
'aifyftcaa of reafoning tniojlalJacioMvr
. i But, fir witb ibat, yvmcajrme of a- .
'hility -wlwch it ha 'plcy Gotta igiveme,
I match on that ,groujndJthjch.l Jbave-beeu .
fcUP?4 itfoecnl. lolidVI 'fij-Nld fay,
l hat to to Jar a the .error . jadicial.in- . ..
flimtions brevented the
"i"???-!1,1 Jro df g'V are thofe tofti. ;
iutionsnfeful.--T.his would be my mode of.
lemoning,, but for the, wonderful difcovery
maSeJiy the honourable mover of the rcfo..'
Jlfah? be.enold.of, )he gTet expence .
f ,l & i ud iciat y--tha c it. arnouuted to one ,
huo4d a,nd thirty feven (boufand dollars
iAnd tbus auributing( tbe whpje,,expcnce of
She cftabliftieno hi9ancular. law, it
l,,ei;'F4m. n;ajrgripient that to repeal
lh W w.?ldt- he -jo ;Jj . 1. 7,000 dollar .
If the othtr 'aritrimetical arguments of the
gemn we$ equally incorreft, his infer.
tncea wllrbeentitjed t,but little attention, i
':: yof thi fuoir it appear from a report of
hg Secretary pi lherTreafHryithat 45,000
dollar af for i the contingent expence of
jurie, witneffer kc, which ferve in fome
meafure to fhew that it it cipeded much bu.
finefa will be actually done. .
Th expeuc? arifmg under this law, that
it is propofed to repeal, ' amounts to thirty
Ihouland dollars,, exclufive of fifteen thou
fand dollars eflimated for contingent expenc ;
es, puking together forty gve thoufand dol
;larsJ'But "let", us not,; Bint the allowance 1
throw, id a few thoulandi more, and let the
whoe.beftateiil at 5 (ooo apportion this ,.,
j May i.
"2
1
'1
7T
Mi
rt
ill