Page:The Supreme Court in United States History vol 1.djvu/14

vi chapters of my book covering the period described by Beveridge were completed before the publication of his work ; they are written, however, from an entirely different standpoint, and without any attempt to rival his dramatic depiction of personalities.)

While the Court's history might be set forth more logically by tracing continuously the development of the doctrines established by the decided cases, I have purposely described it. Term by Term, in order that its decisions might be the better correlated, in the reader's mind, with the political events in the Nation's history. I have laid particular stress upon the views taken of the Court and of its important cases by con- temporary writers and statesmen ; for the impression made upon the public by the Court's decisions has often had as great an effect upon history as have the decisions themselves. At the same time, I have pointed out that contemporary appraisal of men and events is frequently mistaken, and that (as has been well said) destiny may laugh it to scorn. I have em- phasized the important part which the attacks upon the Court have played; for such attacks have often affected or modified the status of the Court and of its decisions. In carrying out this plan of preserving, as far as possible, the atmosphere of the times, I have quoted with considerable fullness from articles and letters appearing in newspapers, magazines, and else- where.^ While such a method of writing history tends to discursiveness and may offend some historical tech- nicians, I have deliberately decided to run that risk.

^ In estimating the effect of newspapers upon public (pinion, the reader must bear in mind that in the eighteenth century and for the first half of the nineteenth century* the editorials and articles of the Washington papers and the editorials and Washington ccMrespondence of the leading New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Richmond pi^iers, dealing with the Court and its important cases, were widely copied and rei^oduced in newspapers throughout the country.