搜索
U.S.SupremeCourtMARBURYv.MADISON,5U.S.137(1803)5U.S.137(Cranch)WILLIAMMARBURYv.JAMESMADISON,SecretaryofStateoftheUnitedStates.FebruaryTerm,1803ATtheDecemberterm1801,WilliamMarbury,DennisRamsay,RobertTownsendHooe,andWilliamHarper,bytheircounsel[5U.S.137,138]severallymovedthecourtforaruletoJamesMadison,secretaryofstateoftheUnitedStates,toshowcausewhyamandamusshouldnotissuecommandinghimtocausetobedeliveredtothemrespectivelytheirseveralcommissionsasjusticesofthepeaceinthedistrictofColumbia.Thismotionwassupportedbyaffidavitsofthefollowingfacts:thatnoticeofthismotionhadbeengiventoMr.Madison;thatMr.Adams,thelatepresidentoftheUnitedStates,nominatedtheapplicantstothesenatefortheiradviceandconsenttobeappointedjusticesofthepeaceofthedistrictofColumbia;thatthesenateadvisedandconsentedtotheappointments;thatcommissionsindueformweresignedbythesaidpresidentappointingthemjustices,&c.andthatthesealoftheUnitedStateswasindueformaffixedtothesaidcommissionsbythesecretaryofstate;thattheapplicantshaverequestedMr.Madisontodeliverthemtheirsaidcommissions,whohasnotcompliedwiththatrequest;andthattheirsaidcommissionsarewithheldfromthem;thattheapplicantshavemadeapplicationtoMr.MadisonassecretaryofstateoftheUnitedStatesathisoffice,forinformationwhetherthecommissionsweresignedandsealedasaforesaid;thatexplicitandsatisfactoryinformationhasnotbeengiveninanswertothatinquiry,eitherbythesecretaryofstate,oranyofficerinthedepartmentofstate;thatapplicationhasbeenmadetothesecretaryofthesenateforacertificateofthenominationoftheapplicants,andoftheadviceandconsentofthesenate,whohasdeclinedgivingsuchacertificate;whereuponarulewasmadetoshowcauseonthefourthdayofthisterm.Thisrulehavingbeendulyserved--[5U.S.137,139]Mr.JacobWagnerandMr.DanielBrent,whohadbeensummonedtoattendthecourt,andwererequiredtogiveevidence,objectedtobesworn,allegingthattheywereclerksinthedepartmentofstate,andnotboundtodiscloseanyfactsrelatingtothebusinessortransactionsoftheoffice.Thecourtorderedthewitnessestobesworn,andtheiranswerstakeninwriting;butinformedthemthatwhenthequestionswereaskedtheymightstatetheirobjectionstoansweringeachparticularquestion,iftheyhadany.Mr.Lincoln,whohadbeentheactingsecretaryofstate,whenthecircumstancesstatedintheaffidavitsoccurred,wascalledupontogivetestimony.Heobjectedtoanswering.Thequestionswereputinwriting.Thecourtsaidtherewasnothingconfidentialrequiredtobedisclosed.Iftherehadbeen,hewasnotobligedtoanswerit,andifhethoughtanythingwascommunicatedtohimconfidentiallyhewasnotboundtodisclose,norwasheobligedtostateanythingwhichwouldcriminatehimself.Thequestionsarguedbythecounselfortherelatorswere,1.Whetherthesupremecourtcanawardthewritofmandamusinanycase.2.Whetheritwilllietoasecretaryofstate,inanycasewhatever.3.WhetherinthepresentcasethecourtmayawardamandamustoJamesMadison,secretaryofstate.[5U.S.137,153]Mr.ChiefJusticeMARSHALLdeliveredtheopinionofthecourt.Atthelastterm,ontheaffidavitsthenreadandfiledwiththeclerk,arulewasgrantedinthiscase,requiringthesecretaryofstatetoshowcausewhyamandamus[5U.S.137,154]shouldnotissue,directinghimtodelivertoWilliamMarburyhiscommissionasajusticeofthepeaceforthecountyofWashington,inthedistrictofColumbia.Nocausehasbeenshown,andthepresentmotionisforamandamus.Thepeculiardelicacyofthiscase,thenoveltyofsomeofitscircumstances,andtherealdifficultyattendingthepointswhichoccurinit,requireacompleteexpositionoftheprinciplesonwhichtheopiniontobegivenbythecourtisfounded.Theseprincipleshavebeen,onthesideoftheapplicant,veryablyarguedatthebar.Inrenderingtheopinionofthecourt,therewillbesomedepartureinform,thoughnotinsubstance,fromthepointsstatedinthatargument.Intheorderinwhichthecourthasviewedthissubject,thefollowingquestionshavebeenconsideredanddecided.1.Hastheapplicantarighttothecommissionhedemands?2.Ifhehasaright,andthatrighthasbeenviolated,dothelawsofhiscountryaffordhimaremedy?3.Iftheydoaffordhimaremedy,isitamandamusissuingfromthiscourt?Thefirstobjectofinquiryis,1.Hastheapplicantarighttothecommissionhedemands?HisrightoriginatesinanactofcongresspassedinFebruary1801,concerningthedistrictofColumbia.Afterdividingthedistrictintotwocounties,theeleventhsectionofthislawenacts,'thatthereshallbeappointedinandforeachofthesaidcounties,suchnumberofdiscreetpersonstobejusticesofthepeaceasthepresidentoftheUnitedStatesshall,fromtimetotime,thinkexpedient,tocontinueinofficeforfiveyears.[5U.S.137,155]Itappearsfromtheaffidavits,thatincompliancewiththislaw,acommissionforWilliamMarburyasajusticeofpeaceforthecountyofWashingtonwassignedbyJohnAdams,thenpresidentoftheUnitedStates;afterwhichthesealoftheUnitedStateswasaffixedtoit;butthecommissionhasneverreachedthepersonforwhomitwasmadeout.Inordertodeterminewhetherheisentitledtothiscommission,itbecomesnecessarytoinquirewhetherhehasbeenappointedtotheoffice.Forifhehasbeenappointed,thelawcontinueshiminofficeforfiveyears,andheisentitledtothepossessionofthoseevidencesofoffice,which,beingcompleted,becamehisproperty.Thesecondsectionofthesecondarticleoftheconstitutiondeclares,'thepresidentshallnominate,and,byandwiththeadviceandconsen