Itwillreadilybeunderstoodthatbyconnectingthecensorshipofthelawswiththeprivateinterestsofmembersofthecommunity，andbyintimatelyunitingtheprosecutionofthelawwiththeprosecutionofanindividual，legislationisprotectedfromwantonassailants，andfromthedailyaggressionsofpartyspirit。Theerrorsofthelegislatorareexposedwhenevertheirevilconsequencesaremostfelt，anditisalwaysapositiveandappreciablefactwhichservesasthebasisofaprosecution。
IaminclinedtobelievethispracticeoftheAmericancourtstobeatoncethemostfavorabletolibertyaswellastopublicorder。Ifthejudgecouldonlyattackthelegislatoropenlyanddirectly，hewouldsometimesbeafraidtoopposeanyresistancetohiswill;andatothermomentspartyspiritmightencouragehimtobraveitateveryturn。Thelawswouldconsequentlybeattackedwhenthepowerfromwhichtheyemanateisweak，andobeyedwhenitisstrong。Thatistosay，whenitwouldbeusefultorespectthemtheywouldbecontested，andwhenitwouldbeeasytoconvertthemintoaninstrumentofoppressiontheywouldberespected。ButtheAmericanjudgeisbroughtintothepoliticalarenaindependentlyofhisownwill。Heonlyjudgesthelawbecauseheisobligedtojudgeacase。Thepoliticalquestionwhichheiscalledupontoresolveisconnectedwiththeinterestofthesuitors，andhecannotrefusetodecideitwithoutabdicatingthedutiesofhispost。Heperformshisfunctionsasacitizenbyfulfillingtheprecisedutieswhichbelongtohisprofessionasamagistrate。Itistruethatuponthissystemthejudicialcensorshipwhichisexercisedbythecourtsofjusticeoverthelegislationcannotextendtoalllawsindiscriminately，inasmuchassomeofthemcannevergiverisetothatexactspeciesofcontestationwhichistermedalawsuit;andevenwhensuchacontestationispossible，itmayhappenthatnoonecarestobringitbeforeacourtofjustice。TheAmericanshaveoftenfeltthisdisadvantage，buttheyhavelefttheremedyincomplete，lesttheyshouldgiveitanefficacywhichmightinsomecasesprovedangerous。WithintheselimitsthepowervestedintheAmericancourtsofjusticeofpronouncingastatutetobeunconstitutionalformsoneofthemostpowerfulbarrierswhichhaseverbeendevisedagainstthetyrannyofpoliticalassemblies。
OtherPowersGrantedToAmericanJudgesTheUnitedStatesallthecitizenshavetherightofindictingpublicfunctionariesbeforetheordinarytribunals—Howtheyusethisright—Art。75oftheFrenchConstitutionoftheAnVIII—
TheAmericansandtheEnglishcannotunderstandthepurportofthisclause。
ItisperfectlynaturalthatinafreecountrylikeAmericaallthecitizensshouldhavetherightofindictingpublicfunctionariesbeforetheordinarytribunals，andthatallthejudgesshouldhavethepowerofpunishingpublicoffences。Therightgrantedtothecourtsofjusticeofjudgingtheagentsoftheexecutivegovernment，whentheyhaveviolatedthelaws，issonaturalaonethatitcannotbelookeduponasanextraordinaryprivilege。NordothespringsofgovernmentappeartometobeweakenedintheUnitedStatesbythecustomwhichrendersallpublicofficersresponsibletothejudgesoftheland。TheAmericansseem，onthecontrary，tohaveincreasedbythismeansthatrespectwhichisduetotheauthorities，andatthesametimetohaverenderedthosewhoareinpowermorescrupulousofoffendingpublicopinion。IwasstruckbythesmallnumberofpoliticaltrialswhichoccurintheUnitedStates，butIhadnodifficultyinaccountingforthiscircumstance。Alawsuit，ofwhatevernatureitmaybe，isalwaysadifficultandexpensiveundertaking。Itiseasytoattackapublicmaninajournal，butthemotiveswhichcanwarrantanactionatlawmustbeserious。