![]() ![]() In truth, if George Washington founded the nation, John Marshall defined it. As a result, the implied powers of the federal government took on definition, the workings of the national government gained authority, and the economic system was made viable through a sophisticated understanding of the commerce clause. It enunciated the principle of judicial review, established itself as the arbiter of constitutional authority, and affirmed the Constitution as an instrument of the people, not of the states. Under his leadership, it learned to speak with one voice, becoming a powerful and respected third branch of government. For the next thirty-five years, Marshall was to mold the Court into a major force. When, in 1801, John Marshall became Chief Justice of the United States, the Supreme Court was little more than a clause in the Constitution and a gaggle of conflicting opinions. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |