^^STORY GF VERMONT. 34t 



tUat the practke complninccl of, was right, be- 

 cause it had been adopted ; or that the opinions 

 of the judges in a matter involving their own 

 emojument, violently contested, and brought 

 upon trial before the assembly, vvas a sufficient 

 ground, standard, or proof of the rectitude of 

 the measure. Instead of operating to remove, 

 this contest served rather to secure the places 

 of the judges ; in two days they were all re- 

 elected to office, and the fees so much com- 

 plained of, have been constantly taken ever since 

 without any further opposition. 



PRoroGALS for altering the federal constitu-. 

 tion had now become so customary and fre- 

 quent, tiiat it was expected that every time the 

 state legislature met, some proposed amendment 

 would come before them. The governor had 

 two of the kind, to lay before the assembly ; 

 one from North Carolina, and the other from 

 Kentucky. That from North Carolina had for 

 its object to empower the Congress of the Uni- 

 ted States to pass a law, whenever they should 

 deem it expedient, to prevent any further im- 

 portation of slaves. Massachusetts had acceed- 

 ed to this proposal ; and it was very readily a- 

 doptcd ])y the assembly of Vermont, without 

 debate or opposition.* The amendment pro- 

 posed by the state of Kentucky was of a differ- 

 ent nature, and meant to diminish the judiciary, 

 power of the federal courts ; to " confine the 

 ' judiciary power of the courts of the United 



* States, to cases in law and equity arising un- 

 ' der the constitution and laws of the United 



* States, and treaties made or which shall be 



* Page 54. 



