What Is It That Makes

Courts Are The Mere Instruments Of The Law, And Can Will Nothing. When They Are Said To Exercise A Discretion, It Is A Mere Legal Discretion, A Discretion To Be Exercised In Discerning The Course Prescribed By Law; And, When That Is Discerned, It Is The Duty Of The Court To Follow It. Judicial Power Is Never Exericised For The Purpose Of Giving Effect To The Will Of The Judge; Always For The Purpose Of Giving Effect To The Will Of The Legislature; Or, In Other Words, To The Will Of The Law.

In A Free Government Almost All Other Rights Would Become Worthless If The Government Possessed Power Over The Private Fortune Of Every Citizen.

The Federal Government Is Acknowledged By All To Be One Of Enumerated Powers. The Principle, That It Can Exercise Only The Powers Granted To It . . . Is Now Universally Admitted.

The Institution Of Masonry Ought To Be Abandoned As One Capable Of Much Evil, And Incapable Of Producing Any Good Which Might Not Be Affected By Safe And Open Means.

Whether A Law Be Void For Its Repugnancy To The Constitution, Is, At All Times, A Question Of Much Delicacy, Which Out Seldom, If Ever, To Be Decided In The Affirmative, In Doubtful Case. ... But It Is Not On Slight Implication And Vague Conjecture That The Legislature Is To Be Pronounced To Have Transcended Its Powers, And Its Acts To Be Considered As Void. The Opposition Between The Constitution And The Law Should Be Such That The Judge Feels A Clear And Strong Conviction Of Their Incompatibility With Each Other.