Speech #580111692

I sumbit. than the one cited by the learned manager from an impeachment trial in Massachusetts. and that is the case of the United States v. Hill. where the doctrine of cotemporary construction was applied to a statute nothing like as ambiguous and loosely drawn and uncertain as the one now under consideration here. That case was where a clerk of the district court of the United States for the district of Massachusetts had not returned in his emoluments his fees for naturalization papers. After the elapse of twentyodd years he and his bondsman were sued on his bond for the accumulated amount of fees. It appeared from the statement on which the court below and the Supreme Court of the United States acted that it had been the practice in that court for the clerk not to return fees for naturalization papers in their emoluments for a period running over some fifty years. Not only so. but the judges passed upon the accounts of the clerk. and the auditors and Comptroller of the Treasury passed upon the accounts of the clerk. They had never been objected to.