Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-05-06
knowledge i. not to be found, and that the

legal knowledge is not to be found, and that the
decisions Of our courts, are decisions, rather Of
chance than o~fjustice. That our Judges ire hon.
Durable men, endowed with strong natural re-
sources, is not to be denied; but il requires some
thing more than ~intuitive knowledge to fit a man for
| the responsible office OF Chief Justice Of the high.
est courts in the State. Under existing circum-
stances, no earthly kind of calculation can be made
by an appellant as to the result Of a trial, and if
he have q good cause, and justice and law and rea-
son are on his side, he is no more likely TO be success.
full in the combat, than he would he If his case were
bad, aud reason and justice and law, were all OPP
posed to him.
The fact is, we have no actual decisions by our
Courts-every thing is determined by the Jury,
who, BY the Statute Of the State, are judges Of the
law and evidence and were it not for the sake Of
Formally, the bench might as well be vacated as
filled. The Judges, sensible of their own inability
to give correct decisions on questions of abstruse
Law, and unwilling to expose themselves to the
displeasure Of the partie, who appear before them,
refuse to exercise the prerogatives chartered to
W u VI NHc iduu, anu dIter the uiSpu-
tants have combatted from hosr to hour and from
day today, with all the ingenuity they and their
counsel are possessed OF. the matter is given to the
Jury, with a kind of charge, not from the Bench,
but from the Bur. The jurors then retire to their
ROOM, with Q partial knowledge of the evidence,
confused and disordercd by the conflicting legal
opinions of the gentlemen Of the green bag, and not
having any light shed upon them from the bench,
make up their verdict, and do, as they have it,
"TuAT WHICH is ABOUT RIGHT
We would be the last to say one word disrespect-
fully Of Chief Justice Wilbur and his associates
we know that they are honest upright men, who,
in all their actions, sedulously strive 10 promote
the best interests Of the country; but as they are
not acquainted with the science oflaw, it certainly
does appear to US that theyare unsuitable persons
to preside over the Superior Courts Of Rhode-Is-
land.
1t has been said, and undoubtedly with much
truth, that the salary affixed to the office OF a judge,
is not sufficient Of itself to command talents and le-
gal learning on the Bench. We are ready to adj
NIT the fact; but how long in Heavens name will
Rhode-l Island pursue the miserable economy Of
purchasing cheap talents, and for the sake OF re.
tanning u few hundred dollars in the treasury,
place Il. the head of her most sacred and important
institutions, men who cannot discharge the duties
intrusted to their care? OF what value are a thou.
sand or two thousand dollars per annum, when
placed in comparison with the Importance of our
Courts of Justice' And how long should the paltry
consideration of a few dollars and cents, be brought
up to keep from the judiciary men of talents and
education, men deeply learned in the Law
We cannot but indulge a hope that the Rhode.
Island people will take into consideration the mel.
ancholy state of the Judiciary system, and throwing
aside sordid considerations Of "flthy lucre,'' intro
duce u radical reform in this department of our po-
lily, and place at the head Of our tribuna s,menthat
are capable of guiding AMI directing its relations and
ramifications.
We protest that these observations have not been
drawn forth by spleen or malice, and as far as they
relate to the gentlemen Of the " balances we avow
they mean no insult or contumely. We have eve
ry confidence in their virtue and integrity, and in
almost any other place than that which they now
occupy, we would give them our feeble support.
Mr.. EDDY being u well read Lawyer, we con-
slider him a valuable acquisition to the Bench, and
and whether the Judiciary system be altered and
amended or not, WI shall always be pleased to find
him a member of the Supreme Court of Rhode-Isl-
and.