The ultimate measure of any Chief Justice's service is fidelity to the Constitution. By that standard, Rehnquist has earned very high marks. During his tenure as chief, Rehnquist has led the Supreme Court toward restoring the Founders' vision. The Constitution protects society from excessive political power emanating from the Capitol, but for the previous 60 years, the court had often ignored this blueprint, promoting centralization of power at the expense of a decentralized civic order emanating from the states. Rehnquist reversed that trend.
His court also helped revive civil society by permitting religious values to compete equally with secular ones. The...