“Courts are the mere instruments of the law, and can will nothing. When they are said to exercise a discretion, it is a mere legal discretion, a discretion to be exercised in discerning the course prescribed by law; and, when that is discerned, it is the duty of the Court to follow it. Judicial power is never exericised for the purpose of giving effect to the will of the Judge; always for the purpose of giving effect to the will of the Legislature; or, in other words, to the will of the law.” GivingSaidLawPurposeCoursesEffectsJudgingDutyExerciseInstrumentsCourtMereLegislatureDiscretionJudicialDiscerningJudicial Power Author:John Marshall
“The constitution is either a superior paramount law, unchangeable by ordinary means, or it is on a level with ordinary legislative acts, alterable when the legislature shall please to alter it. It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is. This is the very essence of judicial duty.” MeanLawLevelsDutyPleaseOrdinaryEssenceConstitutionSuperiorsDepartmentLegislatureProvincesJudicialParamountUnchangeable Author:John Marshall
“The Executive is charged officially in the Departments under it with the disbursement of the public money, and is responsible for the faithful application of it to the purposes for which it is raised. The Legislature is the watchful guardian over the public purse. It is its duty to see that the disbursement has been honestly made.” Has BeensMadePurposeDutyResponsibleRaisedHonestlyFaithfulDepartmentExecutivesApplicationGuardianPursesLegislaturePublic Money Book:James Monroe, 1758-1831: chronology, documents, bibliographical aids Source: James Monroe, 1758-1831: chronology, documents, bibliographical aids