"
These courts I do not wish to take away, they are in themselves proper
establishments. This court is one of the capital securities of the Act of
Navigation. The extent of its jurisdiction, indeed, has been increased, but this
is altogether as proper, and is indeed on many accounts more eligible, where new
powers were wanted, than a court absolutely new. But courts incommodiously
situated, in effect, deny justice, and a court partaking in the fruits of its
own condemnation is a robber. The Congress complain, and complain justly, of
this grievance.
These are the three consequential propositions I have thought of two or three
more, but they come rather too near detail, and to the province of executive
government, which I wish Parliament always to superintend, never to assume. If
the first six are granted, congruity will carry the latter three. If not, the
things that remain unrepealed will be, I hope, rather unseemly incumbrances on
the building, than very materially detrimental to its strength and stability.
Here, Sir, I should close, but I plainly perceive some objections remain which I
ought, if possible, to remove.
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