its obligation on the courts of the United States must be admitted. Marshall goes on to say that, ? yet where a treaty is the law of the land, and as such affects the rights of parties litigating in court, that treaty as much binds those rights and is much to be regarded by the court as an act of congress; and although restoration may be an executive, when viewed as a substantive, act independent of, and unconnected with, other circumstances, yet to condemn a vessel, the restoration of which is directed by a law of the land, would be a direct infraction of that law, and of consequence, improper.? He concludes by saying that, ?if the law intervenes after the lower court has acted, and if the law be constitutional and of that doubt in the present case has been expressed, I know of no court which can contest its obligation?. (8)John Marshall supported the constitutional ruling that a treaty is the supreme law of the land and added to it the conflict that the President is responsible for enforcing it. These three cases made for an interesting year. In the Amelia case the Court declared it right to interpret congressional intentions and in Mason v. Wilson the Court would not allow its authority to be weakened. (9) John Marshall considered retirement in 1829 but he would delay it until the next presidential election in hopes that Andrew Jackson would be defeated. He was very indecisive about retiring because of the circumstances under who would replace him. Marshall?s health was declining and rumors spread that he would retire in a year or two. John Marshall died suddenly on July 6th, 1831. (10)John Marshall made a significant impact on the United States. He helped by empowering the Supreme Court with judicial review; he helped the central authority hold powers over the states, and assured a defendant?s protections against the state. You can measure Marshall?s impact also by what great men had to say about him. James Bradley Tha...
