Edward Douglass White

“ From the view we take of the case it is unnecessary to consider the constitutional questions which are raised by the opposing parties. We say this because, if the result of an analysis of the legislation of Congress be to establish that the salary by law payable to Justice James at the time of his resignation was $5,000 per annum, it will be superfluous, on that branch of the case, to intimate any opinion as to whether the supreme court of the District of Columbia is a court of the United States within the meaning of § 1 of article 3 of the Constitution. ”

“ The words of the statute, 'when any judge of any court of the United States resigns his office,' are broad enough to embrace all courts created by the United States, without taking into view the particular constitutional authority which was exercised in such creation. It is true that the statute excludes the conception that it was intended to apply to judges of courts created by Congress when the term of office was of a limited duration. ”