The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-08-26


they were elected 10 perform. To be sure in a
. body oflegislators, composed oil men of all ages,
classes professions. and political creeds nclud pg
judges, lawyers, post-masters, philosophers, far
mers, tnkers, and taors, we cannot expect regu-
lary or quickness in despatching the business be-
fore them, or among so Heterogeneous a mass.
there must be incongruty of ideas on every sub
Ject, that will preclude the possibility OF harmony
on any, until all are examined and debated upon,
and the grain sited from the chaff But even
with this charitable allowance in favor of the
members OF this convention, we are of opinion
that there might be greater despatch than there
has been.
There are unfortunately too many politicians in
this body-men who will talk to Buncombe, one,
two and three hours at time, on propositions of
reform, which they know can never be incorpo-
rated in our organic laws, so long as society is
constituted as it is-and who introduce measures
of this kind with the sole aim of making political
capital rom them-and eventually OF riding into
office the cry of protecting the interests OF the
poor, or some similar hackneyed hobby. In this
way the time of the convention is occupied, from
day to day, in critically examining propositions of
reform, that emanate from designing persons,
which they themselves convinced are not
only impracticable at the time they introduced
them, but which, on the contrary, would revolu-
tionize the formation of society, and throw us in
to anarchy and confusion.
There is another class composed Of fanatics
and enthusiasts, whose hearts set on ac-
comprising some radical changes, entirely
at variance with the experience of his
tory and the genius of our institutions These
are sincere and honest in their convictions, and
introduce their plans Of reform under the impress
sion that if they were carried out and acted upon,
they would conduce to the welfare of the State,
and act panacea for all the ills that affect the
body polite. The Convention owe it to them.
selves and the people, from whom these PROPOSE
tons emanatc, to hear them propounded, to refer
them to appropriate committees, and if necessa-
ny, suffer them to die from suffocation but this
must of necessity take a great deal of time, which
might be probably employed in a manner moro
beneficial to the people.
This class is, however, comparatively small in
the Convention, but there is still another class who
are pledged to carry out reform in our Judiciary
to modify and simplify our legal proceedings by
cutting off the excresences that have grown up
like parasitica plants around the noble science of
law, concealng the fair proportions of the noble
structure-the accumulated wisdom of centuries
and exhibiting their own unsghtly and ungainly
determines, instead of the chaste columns and
classic architecture of the science ITSELF This
class of Legislators and reformers, arrived at the
capitol armed cap a pie, like the knights of old,
and commenced onslaught not only upon
the multiplied defects that have crept into our
judiciary, but have attacked the system itself
and in lieu of those principles which have stood
the test of time, and which with few modifica-
tons, that the circumstances Of the time require,
would Still answer the purposes for which they
were framed; they have proposed innumerable
new sy.tems, the creation of their own brains
Men who prove themselves ignorant Of the first
principles oflaw, take upon themselves to throw
down the landmarks Of centuries, and create in
day what it has taken a thousand years to perfect.
There has never been complaints made about the
scie, ce Of the law by persons conversant with the
subject. The complaint has been against the
practice of our courts in adapting the aw-the cir
cumocutory process that must be submitted to be.
fore the law is brought to bear on those who seek
its protection in vindica'ing right and Furnishing
wrong; and the delay and expense there exists in
obtaining justice. AS might be expected, this
class of relormers have been mystfed and be-
nighted They have been lost in the mists and
clouds which they themselves have produced
and the probability is, that when the convention
adjourns, the judiciary system will be untouched,
or at least that the excrescences which deform it
will be still found attached to IT,
When the returns Of the election for delegates
came to hand, we expressed our opinions that
there would be too many lawyers in the convention
whose interest it was to continue the present
course OF practice, and that they would do their
utmost to perpetuate it. With the exception OF
some men ofthat profession, whose souls are above
any consideration ola private nature, we still be-
lieve it would be much better if the number of
gentlemen OF that cloth was smaller. We think
that they have promoted this spirit of wholesale
reform which would be more disastrous in its con.
sequences, than are the evils we at present
suffer under, and by pointing out the results OF
the measures proposed, the majority would pre-
fer to put up with the present system than fly to
worse one. We may be disappointed, but we do
not expect that our judiciary system will be at all
improved by the State Convention.
MURDERS AND ASSAULTS IN FLoR1pA.-Bv the
politeness of a friend we have been favored with
the perusal of two letters from Quincy, Florida,
showing rather sad state of things to exist there.
A driver, named Fish, aslately shot from off his
seat on the stage. Three men, one negro, and
the others named Caruthers and Sam. Holloman,
were arrested on suspicion of being the murder
ers, and are now in jail The community were
going to administer Lynch law, but the court
being so near at hand, restrained them. Another
notorious rogue, called Old Butte, was also arrest
ed; he had broken Jail twice previously. Two
other convicts, named Clifton and Young, are
being hunted with dogs Attacks on the lives of
the citizens are of every day occurrence. Ten
prisoners are in jail, ironed hand and foot, with
guard over them 10y day, and a patrol of twenty
or thirty volunteers at night. An extra term of
the COURTS to be held on the 9th of September.
STEAMSHIP SoUrHERNER-rhis beautiful sea
steamer, built under the superintendent of Capt.
Berry, her commander, by Mr. W. II. Brown,
the famous steamhoat builder Ia now unon fha