r its
citizens.

It will be seen that all cases at law to which a State is a party must
be tried in the courts of the United States. A direct suit can not be
brought against the United States except by authority of a special act
of Congress; nor can a suit be brought against a State by a citizen of
another State, or by one of its own citizens, except by the special
permission of its legislature.

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES.--The Supreme Court of the United
States is the highest judicial tribunal in the country. It consists of
the Chief Justice and eight associate justices, nominated by the
President and confirmed by the Senate. The country is divided into
nine circuits, each represented by a Justice of the Supreme Court. The
justices hold their offices during life, unless impeached; but they
have the privilege of retiring upon full pay, at seventy years of age,
provided they have served in the court for ten years. A quorum
consists of any six justices, and if a majority agree upon a decision
it becomes the decision of the court.

The court holds annual sessions in the Capitol building at Washington,
beginning upon the second Monday in October. The annual salary of the
Chief Justice is fifteen thousand dollars; that of the associate
justices is fourteen thousand five hundred dollars each.

The Constitution of the United States creates and names the Supreme
Court, and provides that the Judicial power shall be vested in it "and
in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain
and establish."

JURISDICTION.--The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in all cases
affecting ministers, consuls, and other agents of the United States and
foreign countries, and in cases to which a State is a party.

Most cases tried by it are brought before it upon appeals from the
inferior courts of the United States. They involve chiefly the
questions of jurisdiction of the inferior courts, the constitutionality
of laws, the validity of treaties, and the sentences in criminal and
prize causes. An appeal from a State court can be carried to the
Supreme Court only upon the ground that the decision of the State court
is in conflict with the Constitution or laws of the United States.

The peculiar province of the Supreme Court is to interpret the
Constitution, and in all conflicts between a State and the nation the
final decision rests with the Supreme Court of the United States. It
may, and does, mod