The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-06-08

PORTLAND, THURSDAY, JUNE Q. 1890

government, to give them the earliest information
Of the proceedings Of the Legislature we shall
therefore issue our paper twice week during its
present session. The journal Of both Houses
will be found eDtre-They contain nothing par
ticulary worthy Of notice the committees on the
mos. important subjects are preparing business,
but none of them have yet reported.
The petitions on the subject Of the Circuit
Court Of Common Pleas have been committed 10
a large comm ittee, chosen by the House except
two, who were nominated by the Speaker. Up
on this committee, where legal information would
seem to be required, there is not single lawyer.
We hope the anti law folks will be amply graft
fed by this successful commencement Of their
proceedings. We sincerely believe however that
the committee and the Legislature are anxious
10 adopt the best course on this important and
interesting subject. -
A Good Beginning. The first acts which the
House Representatives Of Maine have passed,
have been to aid the cause Of humanity and lit
erators rsse fss gas for the relief Of revolu-
tionary soldiers, and the second to incorporate
the Augusta Union Society, An Atheneum and
Reading Room establishment.
There seems fo-be a spirit Of pro-
sscription going through our State against
professional men, and particularly law
yers it ever extends to our system of
jurisprudence, which is hallowed by an
tiquity and sanctioned by the prosperity
and repose our citizens have ever enjoy
ed under it. A similar disposition was
manifested in Massachusetts in the early
history of her present government. In
January 100, Mr. GARDINER, a member
of the Legislature from Pownalborough,
in this State, was very active against the
"law and its practitioners" as they then
existed. He was opposed in his innova-
tons by Judge Parsons, who was also a
member of the General Court, and by
the best statesmen and first law charac-
! tiers of the State. Mr.. Parsons was then
called by Mr.. Cardinal in one of his
speeches, infinitely superior to Mr.. GRID
LEY, one of the best lawyers of Massa-
chusetts before the revolution, and I" a
giant in learning and abilities" The fol-
lowing is an extract of letter on the
subject, dated w-York, February I'd,
1890. "The clustering of the big, bonn
bastick word munster, from Pownalbo-
rough, against the Professors of the law,
is here considered as an attack against
the federal government, over the backs
of Lawyers-and is reprobated accor-
dinghy. hope the Legislature will treat
his innovations as they deserve, and re-
lease your rulers from the imputation
they lie under, Of listening to the rhap-
sodies of this monsrrous dealer in repe-
| tition, nonsense and utoplanism.''
The propositions of Mr.. GARDIsER,
were rejected by large majority, and
both the law and its professors have
been gradually improving since, The
desire Of reducing every system, which
! we cannot understand, TO level with our
own comprehension, is principle too
prevalent in human nature. The SINH
lar spirit which prevails here, will, we
trust, evaporate in the same manner: un-
less it does, and if those should prove
successful, who are anxious to bring the
professors Of law into disrcpute, we fore
bode i'll TO the responsibility and honour
of our political Institutions, and to the
safety and rights of our citizens. Expe-
rience does not speak in whisper on
this subject: look Al those States in our
confederacy, where the Judicial estab-
lishments arc filled by popular election,
OF in those where much innovation has
been made, upon the ancient and well
tried systems, handed down to us from
our ancestors, common sense and sound
judgment will revolt at the idea of at
attempting much Improvement, and least