[615] Ibid. 244-245. To these sweeping assertions of legislative supremacy Justices Story and McLean took vigorous exception. They denied the authority of Congress to deprive the courts of power and vest it in an executive official because "the right to construe the laws in all matters of controversy is of the very essence of judicial power." In their view the act as interpreted violated the principle of the separation of powers, impaired the independence of the judiciary, and merged the executive and judicial department. Dissent of Justice McLean, pp. 264 and following.
[616] 8 How. 441 (1850).
[617] Ibid. 449.
[618] Rice v. M. & N.W.R. Co., 1 Bl. 358, 374 (1862); Mayor of Nashville v. Cooper, 6 Wall. 247, 251-252 (1868); United States v. Eckford, 6 Wall. 484, 488 (1868); Ex parte Yerger, 8 Wall. 85, 104 (1868); case of the Sewing Machine Companies, 18 Wall. 553, 557-558 (1874); Morgan v. Gay, 19 Wall. 81, 83 (1874); Gaines v. Fuentes, 92 U.S. 10, 18 (1876); Jones v. United States, 137 U.S. 202, 211 (1890); Holmes v. Goldsmith, 147 U.S. 150, 158 (1893); Johnson Steel Street Rail Co. v. Wharton, 152 U.S. 252, 260 (1894); Plaquemines Tropical Fruit Co. v. Henderson, 170 U.S. 511, 513-521 (1898); Stevenson v. Fain, 195 U.S. 165, 167 (1904); Kentucky v. Powers, 201 U.S. 1, 24 (1906); Venner v. Great Northern R. Co., 209 U.S. 24, 35 (1908); Ladew v. Tennessee Copper Co., 218 U.S. 357, 358 (1910); Kline v. Burke Construction Co., 260 U.S. 226, 233, 234 (1922). See also Lauf v. E.G. Shinner & Co., 303 U.S. 323 (1938); Federal Power Commission v. Pacific Power & Light Co., 307 U.S. 156 (1939).
[619] Mayor of Nashville v. Cooper, 6 Wall. 247, 251-252 (1868). The rule of Cary v. Curtis and Sheldon v. Sill was restated with emphasis many years later in Kline v. Burke Construction Co., 260 U.S. 226, 233-234 (1922), where Justice Sutherland, speaking for the Court, proceeded to say to article III, §§ 1 and 2: "The effect of these provisions is not to vest jurisdiction in the inferior courts over the designated cases and controversies but to delimit those in respect of which Congress may confer jurisdiction upon such courts as it creates. Only the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is derived directly from the Constitution. Every other court created by the general government derives its jurisdiction wholly from the authority of Congress. That body may give, withhold or restrict such jurisdiction at its discretion, provided it be not extended beyond the boundaries fixed by the Constitution. * * * The Constitution simply gives to the inferior courts the capacity to take jurisdiction in the enumerated cases, but it requires an act of Congress to confer it. * * * And the jurisdiction having been conferred may, at the will of Congress, be taken away in whole or in part; and if withdrawn without a saving clause all pending cases though cognizable when commenced must fall."
[620] 56 Stat. 23 (1942).
[621] 319 U.S. 182 (1943).
[622] 321 U.S. 414 (1944).
[623] Ibid. 468.