Page:The Supreme Court in United States History vol 1.djvu/62

36 for the important station which you now fill, I not only acted in conformity to my best judgment, but I trust I did a grateful thing to the good citizens of these United States; and I have a full confidence that the love which you bear to our country, and a desire to promote the general happiness, will not suffer you to hesitate a moment to bring into action the talents, knowledge and integrity which are so necessary to be exercised at the head of that department which must be considered as the keystone of our political fabric." While Jay was only in his forty-fourth year, and while his practice as a lawyer had been of short duration and his only previous judicial service had been two years (from 1775 to 1777) as Chief Justice of New York, nevertheless, the distinction, the sagacity and the powers of leadership which had characterized his military, political and diplomatic career since 1774, marked him as preëminently qualified for the responsibilities of the high post to which he was now called.

In the selection of the remaining five Judges, Washington was confronted with an even more difficult problem, since the three States of Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Carolina presented an unusual number of