Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. This bill proposes to make the number of the judges of the supreme Court the same as it was prior to the passage of the act of March 3, 1863. At that time the States of California and Oregon me morialized Congress to establish a circuit court of the U.S. for those 2 States. It was found upon an examination of the question that those States were so distant from the other States of the Union that it was impossible to associate them with any of the States on the Atlantic side and at the same time secure to them the benefit of a court presided over by a judge of the SCOTUS, that so much time would be occupied by the judge in traveling to and from the different portions of his circuit that it would practically result in leaving those States just where they were, without a circuit court. In order to ob viate that difficulty, an additional judge was placed upon the supreme bench of the U.S., constituting the court of ten judges. It was urged at the time that the increase in the number of judges would be rather detrimental to the business of that court than otherwise, and I know that some of the members of that court are confirmed in that opinion that the court is too large. We have now an opportunity to reduce it to the old number of nine, and I am satisfied that the business of the court and of the country will be promoted and benefited by a still further reduction. There is now a vacancy on the supreme bench. The purpose of this bill is to avail ourselves of that event so as to reduce the number of judges and a ain constitute the court of an odd number, an parcel the vacant circuit out among the remaining circuits. That is the sole object of this bill. I should he in favor myself, from information I have from some of the members of the court, of still further reducing the number if another vacancy now existed; and I think that in the judiciary amendment act it might be well to provide for a further reduction if vacancies should occur. I have stated the object and scope of the bill, and unless some gentleman desires some further exlanation I will ask the previous question.