The Judges Of All The National Tribunals, Of Whatever Grade Or Rank,
Hold Their Offices For Life, And Are Removable
Only on impeachment.
They are not even removable on an address of Congress; thus holding
on a firmer tenure even
Than our own judges, who may, I believe, be
moved on an address by Parliament. The judges in America are not
entitled to any pension or retiring allowances; and as there is not,
as regards the judges of the national courts, any proviso that they
shall cease to sit after a certain age, they are in fact immovable
whatever may be their infirmities. Their position in this respect
is not good, seeing that their salaries will hardly admit of their
making adequate provision for the evening of life. The salary of
the Chief Justice of the United States is only 1300l. per annum.
All judges of the national courts, of whatever rank, are appointed
by the President, but their appointments must be confirmed by the
Senate. This proviso, however, gives to the Senate practically but
little power, and is rarely used in opposition to the will of the
President. If the President name one candidate, who on political
grounds is distasteful to a majority of the Senate, it is not
probable that a second nomination made by him will be more
satisfactory. This seems now to be understood, and the nomination
of the cabinet ministers and of the judges, as made by the
President, are seldom set aside or interfered with by the Senate,
unless on grounds of purely personal objection.
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