The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1842-05-14
From the po,les,own Democrat.


From the DoyleHtown Democrat
aThroueh tattered clothes small vices do appear
Robes and furled grown hides all. Plate sin with
gold
And the strong larces Of justice hur,less breaks;
Arm it in rag pgmy's straw doth pierce it,"
So said sage some three hundred year.
nvo, and events now passing before our
ewes seem to prove it's truth. At no time,
perpaps, have poor wrelches been more
certainly punished for their small crimes
by the Judiciary of Philadelphia. The
world, we apprehend, has never exhibited
a. one view such a number Of powerful
men charged with crimes which have beg
gard thousands Of their fellow citizens,
robbed the widow and orphan of the means
of living, and thrown the whole community
into distress. Yet what do we sect The
ordinary officers ofjus,ice have done their
duly--ihe men charged with these high
crimes have by theproper officers been re-
gularly and legally called upoL to answer
20 the law; but the strong lance of justice
hurlless breaks'-it cannot pierce through
the plate of god'--it flies at once
through the taitered rags of the poor wretch
who, perhaps, has stolen wherewihal to
feed or clo,he his hungry children; but the
robes of the great bankers and fnanciers at
Ieas, blunt the lance. and falls harmless at
their feet;
Is not this all true, and If true, does it
not evince terrible state Of public affairs!
II is not only true, but every man believes
it TO be true, and nothing is calculated more
ceriainy,o destroy our republican institutions
than general belief that they de not oper-
ate equally, and we do say tha, there is
jus, ground TO fear that the power Of money
in Philadelphia is greater than the power
of the law. We have said that the ordin.
sry officers of the law have done their duty.
The accused have been arresied-bound
ever--in some eases the grand jury have
found bills-ye, the 'plats Of gold is op-
posed. The Judges of the Courts inter.
pose extraordinary powers, and by their
decisions and want of decision, have led
the public mind to the terrible conclusion
that the cause of justice is hurlless against
great offenders. When grand Jury has
found bill 10 al ordinary eases, we all
know man must be put upon his trial and
have his guilt or innocence determined by
another jury But in the case of the Phil
adelphia fnanciers we find that this plain
law is not for them;;, the Judges Of the
Coart issue their habeas corpus, and the
men are discharged. In other cases. the
Recorder Of the city hears the charge binds
over the accused for trial, the Judges in
terpose, and SET them free from all charge.
The effect on the public mind is to cont
slider the whole proceeding agans. the de-
linquenis as farce, intended not to punish
bu. 10 screen .'s'n from punishment. This
opinion is niue. much s'reAg gsAsasa by Ihe pro
gsrS6s 10 our republic than any other, viz;
conspiracy to bribe the Governor and re.
presen,asives of the people. Here. con-.
fessedly, the officers Of the United States
Bank furnished funds TO Daniel Broadhead
for the purpose of bribery. to the amour,
OF $l2o, 000,and yet the bail asked for
Broadhead is $4,000. Truly, all this looks
like s farce. II seems to the people. ,ha,
from some cause; the Judges in Philadel,
phla are incompetent ,obringsuch offenders
TO justice; and this being the case, the peo.
pie OF the State should call imperatigely
upon the legislature TO Use the power given
them by the Constitution, and remove. bv
an address of two.thirds. all the Judges
who have shown incapacity for vigorous
action on these great questions; LIE. the
people OF the counties instruct their present
representative so 10 vote, and if thew do moi
comply with such instructions, nut men
INTO The next legislature that will.