The Old Gray(ing) Lady

I finally found a New York Times editorial that makes sense:


"The Supreme Court, by its very nature, must be a conservative body; it is the conservator of our institutions, it protects the people against the errors of their legislative servants, it is the defender of the Constitution itself. To place upon the Supreme Bench judges who hold a different view of the function of the court, to supplant conservatism by radicalism, would be to undo the work of John Marshall and strip the Constitution of its defenses. It would introduce endless confusion where order has resigned [sic], it would tend to give force and effect to any whim or passion of the hour, to crown with success any transitory agitation engaged in by a part of the people, overriding the matured judgment of all the people as expressed in their fundamental law."


Of course, this was written and published in 1916, but never let it be said that the Times has never gotten anything right.

Hat Tip: Seth Lipsky in the New York Sun via James Taranto.