Page:The Supreme Court in United States History vol 1.djvu/547

Rh Western newspapers which joined in support of the Court. Thus a Virginia paper said : " We have seldom, if ever, seen, amongst the number of important questions of constitutional law which have been decided by the Supreme Judicial authority of the Nation, one of equal importance, or one which has been investigated with equal talent/' A leading Georgia paper said that it was between the National and State banks would now go on until one or the other was rooted out. "In such a struggle, we should hope, as the least of two evils, that the Bank of the United States should prevail, for in banking, as in government, one tyrant may be better endured than two or three hundred.*' ^ A leading Kentucky paper termed the opinion "the ablest docu- ment we recollect to have read of a judicial nature" ; and it said that: "The mighty arm of the Judiciary has interposed its high and almost sacred functions for the purpose of giving effect to a provision of the Federal Constitution by which Congress are authorized to carry into execution expressly delegated powers — to preserve the supremacy of the Union over State en- croachments, and at the same time not to interfere, in the least possible manner, with the legitimate rights of the individual States." Another prominent Kentucky paper stated that, whatever sentiments were entertained as to the correctness of the decision, it ought to be respected and supi>orted by all good citizens, so long as it stood unreversed, and that a respect for all the constitu-
 * a very interesting adjudication", and that the contest

^ Norfolk Herald, March 19, 1819; Augusta Chronicle, and Georgia OautU, March 81, 1819; Kentucky OassetU, March 26, 1819. In iU iBsue of March 19, 1819, it had said : "This interesting decision cannot be too hi^y appreciated, and it will furnish a happy lesson to local politicians against their right to infringe upon the National Constitution or upon the laws of Congress. We hope to see no more interference by State Legislatures.*' The Richmond Enquirer, April 26, 1819, quoted the Charleston Fairioi (S. C), and the Kentucky Reporter also as indorsing Uie decision.