TABLE showing the dates of the commencement and termination of each Session of Congress, held according to the Constitution and Laws, with the number of days in each Session, &c. &c. James Madison. El. Gerry. Thomas Jefferson. John Adams | George Washington, George Clinton. A. Burr. T. Jefferson. 10 2 3 12 2 John Adams. 3 2 Presidents. Congress Session. 9 89 1 March 4, 1789 Sept. 29, 1789 13 210 26 138 Speakers of the House of Fred. A. Mu lenburg. Jonathan Trumbull. Fred. A. Muhlenburg Jonathan Dayton. Jonathan Dayton. Theodore Sedgwick. Nathaniel Macon. 88 Nov. 2, 1812 March 3, 1813 37 13 May 24, 1813 Aug. 2, 1813 37 17 71 2 Dec 6, 1813 April 18, 1814 38 134 18 56 57 Henry Clay, Henry Clay. Henry Clay. Henry Clay. John W. Taylor. Andrew Stevenson. *To Jan. 13, 1814. THE JUDICIARY. The Judicial power of the United States is vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as Congress, from time to time, establish. The present Judicial establishment of the United States, consists of a Supreme Court, of thirty-one District Courts, and seven Circuit Courts, which are thus organized: the Supreme Court is composed of one Chief Justice, and six Associate Justices, who hold a Court in the City of Washington, annually; besides which, each of these Justices attends in a certain Circuit, comprising two or more Districts, appropriated to each, and together with the Judge of the District, compose a Circuit Court, which is holden in each District of the Circuit. The District Courts are held, respectively, by the District Judge alone. Appeals are allowed from the District to the Circuit Courts, and from the Circuit to the Supreme Court; and, in some cases where the inconvenience of attending a Court by a Justice, of the Supreme Court is very great the District Courts are invested with Circuit Court powers. Each State is one District, for the purpose of holding District and ircuit Courts therein with the exception of New York, Pennsylvania Virginia, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama, each of which is divided into two Districts. There are, besides, Territorial Courts, which are temporary, and lose that character whenever a Territory becomes a State. In addition to the District Court for the District of Columbia, there is a Circuit Court for that District, which exercises under the authority of Congress, similar common law and equity jurisdiction as the County Courts of Maryland and Virginia. Each Court has a Clerk. a Public Attorney or prosecutor and a Marshal; all of whom are appointed by the Executive of the United States, with the exception of the Clerks, who are appointed by the Courts. The compensation of the Judges is fixed by law; that of the Clerks, Attorneys, and Marshals, consists of fees, and in a few instances, as it re gards Attorneys and Marshals of a yearly salary of about 200 dollars. It is very difficult to ascertain the amount per annum of the fees received in each case, as the payment to them is frequently procrastinated, and in some cases they are entirely lost. The appointments are made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. By an act of Congress of the 15th of May, 1820, District Attorneys are to be appointed for four years only, removable at pleasure. Marshals have always held their offices for four years, removable at pleasure, in pursuance of the 27th section of the Art of the 24th of September, 1789; so that the Marshals who have held their places from an earlier date, have been recommissioned many times. The Judges hold their offices during good behaviour, and can only be removed on impeachment. THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. The Supreme Court of the United States has exclusive jurisdiction of all controversies of a civil nature where a State is a party, except between a State and its citizens; and except also between a State and citizens of other States, or aliens, in which latter case it has original, but not exclusive jurisdiction. And bas exclusively, all such jurisdiction of suits or proceedings against ambassadors, or other public ministers, or their domestics, or domestic servants, as a court of law can have or ex ercise consistently with the law of nations; and original, but not exclu VOL. IX. 12 The sive, jurisdiction of all suits brought by ambassadors, or other public ministers, or in which a consul, or vice consul, shall be a party: supreme court has also appellate jurisdiction from the circuit courts, and courts of the several States, in certain cases: And has power to issue writs of prohibition to the district courts, when proceeding as courts of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, and writs of mandamus, in cases warranted by the principles and usages of law, to any courts appointed, or persons holding office, under the authority of the United States. A final judgement or decree in any suit, in the highest court of law for equity of a State in which a decision in the suit could be had, where is drawn in question the validity of a treaty or statute of, or an authority exercised under the United States, and the decision is against their validity; or where is drawn in question the validity of a statute of, or an authority exercised under any State, on the ground of their being repugnant to the constitution, treaties, or laws of the United States, and the decision is in favour of such their validity; or where is drawn in question the construction of any clause of the constitution, or of a treaty or statute of, or commission held under the United States, and the decision is against the title, right, privilege, or exemption, specially set up or claimed by either party, under such clause of the constitution, treaty, statute, or commission; may be re-examined, and reversed or affirmed, in the supreme court of the United States, upon a writ of error, the citation being signed by the chief justice, or judge, or chancellor, of the court rendering or passing the judgement or decree complained of, or by a justice of the supreme court of the United States, in the same manner, and under the same regulations, and the writ has the same effect, as if the judgement or decree complained of had been rendered or passed in a circuit court and the proceeding upon the revisal is also the same, except that the supreme court,instead of remanding the cause for a final decision, may, at their discretion, if the cause shall have been once remanded before, proceed to a final decision of the same, and award execution. But no other error can be assigned or regarded as a ground of reversal in any such case, than such as appears on the face of the record, and immediately respects the beforementioned questions of validity or construction of the said constitution, treaties, statutes, commissions, or authorities, dispute. NAMES AND OFFICES. Residence. Compensation, SUPREME COURT. 5000 00 4500 00 4500 00 .... John Marshal,... ........................................ chief justice Richmond .... .... .... ....... 4500 00 4500 00 ......Clerk Washington.... Fees &c illiam T. Carroll, ..Marshal Washington ... ... .. .... .... THE DISTRICT COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES. The district courts of the United States, have, exclusively of the courts of the several States cognizance of all crimes and offences that are cognizable under the authority of the United States, committed within their respective districts, or upon the high seas, where no other punishment than whipping, not exceeding thirty stripes, a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months, is to be inflicted, and also have exclusive original cognizance of all civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, including all seizures under laws of impost, navigation, or trade, of the United States, where the seizures are made on waters which are navigable from the sea by vessels of ten or more tons burthen, within their respective districts, as well as upon the high seas, saving to suitors, in all cases, the righof a common law remedy, where the common law is competent to give it and also have exclusive original cognizance of all seizures on land or other waters than as aforesaid, made, aud of all suits for penalties and forfeitures incurred, under the laws of the United States. And they also have cognizance, concurrent with the courts of the several States, or the circuit courts, as the case may be, of all causes where an alien sues for a tort only in violation of the law of nations or a treaty of the United States. And also have cognizance, concurrent as last mentioned, of all suits at common law, where the United States sue, and the matter in dispute amounts exclusive of costs, to the sum or value of one hundred dollars. And also have jurisdiction, exclusively of the courts of the several States, of all suits against consuls or vice consuls, except for offences above the description aforesaid. The trial of issues in fact, in the district courts, in all caus es except civil causes of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction are by jury. The act of 18th December, 1812, requires the district and territorial judges of the United States to reside within the districts and territories, respectively, for which they are appointed; and makes it unlawful for Jany judge appointed under the authority of the United States, to exercise the profession or employment of counsel or attorney, or to be engaged in the practice of the law. And any person offending against the injunction or prohibition of this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. .... New York.... Samuel R. Betts......... Judge.... New York...... New Jersey. ...... ...... William Rossel .......................... Judge.. sylvania. Joseph Hopkinson.... Judge.... ...... Attorney New York Mount Holly.. Burlington.... Newark....... ............. Newark.... 1500 00 200&fs Fees &c Philadelphia................ Fees &c Philadelphia.... Philadelphia.... John Conard...... .... Marshal D. Caldwell.. Marshal.... Clerk....... ..... Delaware. Willard Hall.... George Read, jr. David C. Wilson ......... Marshal. Elias Glenn............. Maryland. Judge.. ...... Pittsburg. Belmont........ Newcastle............................. 200&fs. Wilmington Baltimore 200&fs. Fees &c 2000 00 |