3. This court at the present time has one Chief Justice and nine Associate Justices; all appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. They are appointed for life, or during good behavior; they may, however, be impeached for bribery or other high crimes, and then removed from office. They may also resign; for there is no power which can compel any man to hold office; but if they conduct themselves properly and choose to retain their offices, there is no power by which they can be removed, except the power of death. The Constitution itself makes this povision, in order that the judges may be removed as far as possible from the influence of party politics. They have nothing to fear from the success or defeat of any political party. It is therefore expected that their decisions will not be biased by party or political considerations; and it may not be amiss to say that the provision for keeping the judges of the United States Courts in office for life, meets with almost universal approbation; and has caused many to hope that the States would alter their Constitutions and adopt the same plan; believing it to be the surest way of preserving a pure and independent Judiciary, on which depend the rights and liberties of every citizen of the commonwealth. 4. This court holds but one term in a year, which commences on the first Monday of December, and sits until it has disposed of the business before it. Its sessions are always held at Washington, the capital of the nation; there it has access to the Congressional and Law Libraries, and to all the departments and records of the government when necessary. There is a class of causes which may be commenced in this court. In these cases it has original jurisdiction. They are such as affect ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls; and those in which a State shall be a party. In other cases it has only appellate jurisdiction. The greater part of its business is to hear and determine appeals from inferior courts, mainly from the United States Circuit Courts; and in some instances from the highest State courts. 5. It has not only original, but exclusive jurisdiction in causes where a State is a party, and when proceedings or suits against ambassadors, or other public ministers or their servants, are instituted. Its power to try appeals from lower courts, called its appellate jurisdiction, gives it the position of the highest court in the nation. It has power also to restrain or to prohibit proceedings in the United States District Courts, when acting as courts of Admiralty; or in cases of maritime jurisdiction. The judges of this court hold the Circuit Courts, and allot themselves among the judicial circuits. The Chief Justice receives $6,500 per year salary, and the Associate Justices each $6,000. The practice and rules of procedure in this court are very similar to those of the Courts of Chancery and King's Bench, in England. Issues of fact are tried by jury, the same as in other courts. OFFICERS OF THE COURT. 6. The officers of this tribunal are the Judges, the Attorney General, a clerk, a crier, and a reporter. The three last named are appointed by the court. It is the duty of the Marshal of the District of Columbia to attend this court, and to serve process issuing from it. An Attorney or Counselor-at-Law, to be admitted to practice in this court, must have been a practitioner in the Supreme Court of the State where he lives. 7. The following are the names of all the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, from its establishment to the present time; with the dates of their appointments, and the States from which they were appointed: John Jay, N. Y., Sept. 26, 1789. John Rutledge, S. C., July 1, 1795. 8. The following are the names of the Associate Justices, with the dates of their appointments and the States from which they were appointed: John Rutledge, S. C., 1789. John Blair, Va., 1789. James Iredell, N. C., 1790. Thomas Johnson, Md., 1791. William Patterson, N. Y., 1793. Samuel Chase, Md., 1796. Bushrod Washington, Va., 1798. Levi Lincoln,* Mass., 1811. *Declined the appointment. CHAPTER XVI. Circuits and Circuit Courts. 1. IN the last chapter we gave an account of the United States Supreme Court. We now come to the United States Circuit Courts, the next in dignity, power, and jurisdiction. Unlike the Supreme Court, which, as stated, is always held in Washington, the Circuit Courts are held in every State, at such times and places as Congress by law directs. It would add some interest and utility to our work if they were inserted here, so as to show when and where these courts are held. But we omit this, because they are so often changed, that what is now correct might not remain so after another session of Congress. These changes are made to accommodate the people in the State, or the judges of the court. As now arranged, the whole of the States are divided into nine circuits, each circuit comprising several States; some more and some less, according to the size and population of the States comprised in a circuit. Then the court is held in each State in the circuit. This arrangement is made in order to bring these courts within convenient reach of all the people in every part of the country. 2. The Circuit Courts are held by the Judges of the Supreme Court, who allot the circuits among themselves, and then travel each through his own circuit, until he has visited and held a session in every State which lies within it. A Judge of the Supreme Court |