20 of dissolution of our federal government’. He called the court ‘irresponsible... advancing its noise-less step like a thief over the field of jurisdiction, until all such be usurped from the states’ after the judgment Hammond, in Marbury. August 18, (Thomas Jefferson 1821, to Kaminski, Charles Quotable Jefferson, 260-261). Thus, America’s Second President Jefferson questioned the finality of the court’s decision. When Marshall returned to Washington, eleven of the Judges ousted by the Judiciary Act, 1802 asked congress salaries. violated for reinstatement Their their and dismissals, constitutional payment they of claimed, rights as past had Federal Judges to ‘hold their offices during good behaviour and ... direction receive...compensation.’ the Republican At majority Jefferson’s in congress rejected the demand, declaring congress, not courts, sole Judge of what was and was not constitutional. ‘Let them do. If the Supreme Court shall arrogate this power (claim of the Judges) to themselves and declare our law to be unconstitutional, it will then