Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1848-01-07
SPEECH Or HON. G. ". LAKIN.

the consideration Of every rational mind
in the language of the hon. member from
Fond du Lac, expressed by him upon the
res 'Iution heretofore introduced upon
tnis subject, and who is generally right
upon most subjects. I'll is the beginning
and the end OF judicial reform"
This has been regarded as an age tf re-
form, and properly so. Bat while the
mercy aud ingenuity of man has sough,
out and applied the proper correctlves to
almost every other evil (which flesh is
heir to- the one which is proposed to be
corrected by this amendment, has been
passed by with but httle notice.
The reasons why such has been the
case are obvious. We have worshipped
with too blind a devotion at the altar of
the mother country. We were once a
colony, subject to her rule, and bound by
| her DEGREES. The seeds of her legal lore
were sown broadcast over the country,
and took deep root in our SOIL Her forms.
her practices, her dictations, her tvrannies
sprang up, like magic before us, until they
became foes Of a most formidable charac-
ter. In the rupture that took place at an
early period, the colonists leyelled their
artillery at those acts of oppression, for
which the ministry were directly respon-
sIblc. Those minor matters which stole
upon them almost imperceptibly, could
hardly receive passing notice.
There arc other reasons why this I'M
Portant principle has been neglected. The
mass Of mankind have ever had other
things to occupy their attention. They
have never been prepared to pry into and
ana!!z1 the practices, the decisions and
dieM of the bench. They have looked
upon such things as possessing a gravity
which precludes all inquiry or investiga.
ton. They have regarded the bench as
the S2actun sanciorunl Of the universe.
upon which was enthroned the prince of
gods and men, against whose omnipotence
they have not dared to raise Il voice.
they have unwarily concluded that what
ever was blind, obscure and incompre-
hensIblc, must necessarily be wise, pro-
found, God-liiSe.
1t Is true they have known when thcv
were wronged = they have known when
their rights were infringed they have
known when their property has been
wrested from them when their liberty
has been invaded - when their lives have
been endangered. They have felt the
sting of the serpent and the poison OF his
iangs; but before they have looked a.
round, they have been hidden within the
Jaws of the reptile.
| assume that here and the world over,
there Is demand for judicial reform, and
i Will demonstrate the truth of the p-opo-
slilon, as nearly as matt rs of this kind
are capable of demonstration. 1t cannot
be denied that our Republic in its judicial
department has followed with headlono
preciPltancy in the footsteps Of its illustri
Gus predecessor. We have had the Eng
isl system, with but little modification.
Read t-s History of the bench across the
Atlantic. Examine trials. civil and crimi- /
ual-their convictions for hbels upon the /
government = il . charges ofjudges upon |
such occasions, and ihsir evident predi- /
lections in favor of crows, princes, po- |
tentates and dynasticS, and ,aa'k tho in
powcrless, zero axe position
which jur.es have occupied in these enor- /
mites. When we follow that pattern
without variation, We follow = M2dusa,
whose look VIII transform Us into stone.
Mankind are ialIi5e, subject 10 passions
capr:ees, delusions. Men are
ambitious and contested, and in proper
,lon as they are 50, are unwilling to &C
knowledge themselves IN fault or error.
Proma;e n raise him little above
the common level, and he faneies that he
has ci1rErtcr and dizri 2 TO sustain him.
ma that any thing else Is better than to
faul; while be denies the
error. the majority will believe the denial.
and ho viii be enrolled among the pro
ouad, the in5a.Ha.c. Caa We deuv tlat
h-Se aro Tho .oG'sj-,7t, effects or a false
'-lto Ct o7.nio7, and an -vcgwecaig- an ].