Ben Harrison: “Whatever is done in this case will of course become in some sense a precedent in the cases yet to be dealt with.”

The law creates two new officers, whose aggregate compensation may be $12,000 per annum, without, it seems to me, a justifying necessity.

But the most serious objection to the legislation is that it creates at once upon the taking effect of the law the offices of district attorney and marshal for each of the three districts, and the effect, it seems to me, must be to abolish…

A serious question would be raised as to whether these officers were not at once legislated out of office and vacancies created.

As these vacancies could not be filled immediately, the business of the courts would seriously suffer.