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The Supreme Court of Illinois.

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addition to the one existing, and a sixth at Vandalia and theretofore at Kaskaskia. judicial circuit established. At the writing of this article a bill is pending No change was made in the Supreme in the Legislature which provides for holding Court until in 1841, when an act was passed all the sessions of the court at Springfield. repealing all laws authorizing circuit courts The first term of this court under the Con and judges thereof, and providing for elec stitution of 18 18 was held in December, tion by the General Assembly of five addi 1 8 19, at Kaskaskia. It is said that up to the tional judges of the Supreme Court, who close of 183 1 the court had not access to should with those already in office constitute " even an ordinary Law Library."

the Supreme Court, The first judges and who should hold were Joseph Philips, all circuit courts. Chief- Just ice, and By the Constitution Thomas C. Browne, of 1848, the Supreme John Reynolds, and William P. Foster, Court consisted of only three judges. Associate Justices. The State was di Foster is undoubt vided into three grand edly the most anoma divisions in each of lous judge in the his which one judge was tory of the court. He to be elected by the was from Virginia, and had been in the State people for nine years. only a few weeks be Vacancies if the un expired term did not fore his appointment. exceed one year He drew one year's might be filled by salary and resigned. Thereafter, it is said, appointment of the Governor. Since the he became a roaming swindler. Constitution of 1848, the judges of this Joseph Philips was court have not been born in Tennessee and required to hold cir received a classical cuit court. education. He was a JOHN DEAN CATON captain in the War of Under the Constitu tion of 1870, the court 1 81 2, and Secretary consists of seven judges, one of whom is of Illinois Territory. He resigned from the chosen annually by the court as Chief-Jus Supreme Bench July 4, 1822, and in the fall tice. For the election of judges the State is following he was the pro-slavery candidate divided into seven districts, in each of which for governor of Illinois against Edward one judge is elected by the people for nine Coles. After an exciting campaign he was years. The State is divided into the Southern, defeated by Coles, who had a plurality of Central, and Northern Divisions, in each of only fifty votes. Philips, after his defeat, re which, at Mt. Vernon, Springfield, and Ot turned to Tennessee. He was a man of tawa respectively, the sessions of the court talent, education, and honor. The reported have been held since 1848. Prior thereto decisions of the court to the time of his res and since the July Term, 1838, the court sat ignation fill only nineteen pages, and it does at Springfield. Theretofore and since the not appear from them which of the judges December term, 1820, the sessions were held wrote the opinions.