IntheinterpretationoftheConstitution,theauthorfoundshimself,wheneverhecan,upontheauthorityoftheSupremeCourt.Thiswastobeexpected;for,insodoing,hehas,inmostcases,onlyreiteratedhisownjudicialdecisions.Wecouldnotsupposethatone,whoseopinionsarenotlightlyadopted,wouldadvance,asacommentator,aprinciplewhichherejectedasajudge.Inmostcases,too,nohigherauthorityintheinterpretationoftheConstitutionisknowninoursystems,andnonebettercouldbedesired.Itisonlyinquestionsofpoliticalpower,involvingtherightsoftheStatesinreferencetotheFederalGovernment;thatanyclassofpoliticiansaredisposedtodenytheauthorityofthejudgmentsoftheSupremeCourt.15Weshallhaveoccasiontoexaminethissubjectmoreatlarge,inasubsequentpartofthisreview.
IndiscussingthevariousclausesoftheConstitution,JudgeStorydisplaysgreatresearch,andathoroughacquaintancewiththehistoryofthatinstrument.
Itisnotperceived,however,thathehaspresentedanynewviewsofit,orofferedanynewargumentsinsupportoftheconstructionswhichithasheretoforereceived.Asacompendiumofwhatothershavesaidanddoneuponthesubject,hisworkisveryvaluable.Itfacilitatesinvestigation,whilst,atthesametime,itissofullofmatter,astorenderlittlefartherinvestigationnecessary.Eveninthisviewofthesubject,however,itwouldhavebeenmuchmorevaluableifithadcontainedreferencestotheauthoritiesonwhichitsvariouspositionsarefounded,insteadofmerelyextractingtheirsubstance.Thereaderwho,withhisbookashisguide,undertakestoacquainthimselfwiththeConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,musttaketheauthorityoftheauthorasconclusive,inmostcases;
orelsehewilloftenfindhimselfperplexedtodiscoverthesourcesfromwhichhederiveshisinformation.Thisisagreatdefectinaworkofthissort,andisthelessexcusable,becauseitmighthavebeeneasilyavoided.
Awriterwhoundertakestofurnishatreatiseuponaframeofgovernment,inrelationtowhichgreatandcontestedpoliticalquestionshavearisen,owesitaliketohisreaderandtohimself,tonamethesourceswhencehedrawswhateverinformationheventurestoimpart,andtheauthoritiesuponwhichhefoundswhateveropinionsheventurestoinculcate.Thereaderrequiresthisforthesatisfactionofhisownjudgement;andthewriteroughttodesireitasaffordingthebestevidenceofhisowntruthandcandor.