MELVILLE WESTON FULLER WALCOTT. 119 



mitted to the bar in Maine, desiring a wider field, in 1856 he went to 

 Chicago, where, with gratifying success, he practiced his profession, 

 attaining a high rank, until his appointment as Chief Justice of the 

 Supreme Court of the United States, April 30, 1888. His practice 

 was general, varied, and extensive, involving much importanl litiga- 

 tion. With great abilities, a ripe classical scholar, learned and pro- 

 found in the law, diligent, industrious, conscientious, courageous, 

 and patriotic, of the highest personal character, he brought to the 

 discharge of the duties of the great office the abilities, qualities, and 

 characteristics that enabled him to achieve his signal success. The 

 dignity, urbanity, kindness, consideration, and gentle courtesy with 

 which he presided over the deliberations of the Supreme Court of the 

 United States endeared him not only to his associates on the bench 

 but won for him the love and respect of a great profession. Of him 

 it could be truthfully said, 'And they shall judge the people with 

 just judgment. * * * ' " 



Mr. George E. Price said : 



* * * "No other court in the world is intrusted with such 

 powers as this court. It deals not only with great questions of 

 controversy arising between individual citizens of different States 

 and between citizens of foreign countries and our own people, but 

 to it is intrusted the ultimate interpretation of the laws and Consti- 

 tution of the United States, with power to declare null and void not 

 only acts of the legislatures of the different States, so far as they 

 come in conflict with the Federal Constitution, but also the acts of 

 Congress, the highest lawmaking power of the Federal Government. 

 In addition to these great powers 3 this court is also given jurisdiction 

 to settle controversies between the sovereign States of this Union, 

 and in the past it has been called upon to settle controversies which 

 involved the very autonomy of the States concerned, the integrity of 

 their territory and their governmental jurisdiction and power. It 

 is the first great instance of what is in effect modern international 

 arbitration. In the settlement of these controversies between the 

 States this court has no statute law to govern it and seldom any 

 provision of any written constitution, but it is obliged to invoke and 

 apply the eternal principles of an elevated and perfect justice, un- 

 fettered by technical subtleties and petty forms, the same funda- 

 mental doctrines of international law, which by the common consent 

 of mankind are the basis of the intercourse of the civilized world. 

 To its great credit it can be said that in these controversies between 

 the States its judgments have always been acquiesced in and respected 

 and carried out without question. 



" Such are the powers of this great court over which the late 

 Chief Justice presided for nearly a quarter of a century. To-day we, 



