The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-01

The late Forrest trial in New York appears to
have excited unusual public interest 1t Is the
longest trial OF this kind which probably ever took
place, having occupied something more than
month. 1t was spun out to tedious and needless
length by the admission of all sorts Of bling and
irrelevant testimony, ana by the insufsraby long
yarns which the lawyers, according to custom, saw
lit 10 inlet upon the jury They could have aid
much better in 4 couple o. hours what eaeh Of them
took couple Of days to say, burying up tn, whole
sense and plth OF the matter under mountain of
diluted and wishy washy verbiage. The clear
headed judge, with more discretion managed to do
full justice TO all the material facts OF 10Th sides Of
the case IN speech of about an hour in length.
The case had very much the same result with most
angry htigations At law-that of snug'y lining the
pockets OF the counsel, ef leaving the parties
exactly where they stood before with the exception
Of ridiculous ana perfectly gratuitous exposure
Tor tn. diversion oft public OF THAR mu.uafau!ts
and vices.
The verdict Of the jury was in favor OF the lady;
but, from the evidence offered, We should say it
exactly drawn or-tec hnica!ly ana legally speak
ing-a "pot and kettle game played Out in court
for the benefit OF the bar and the amusement OF the
Judge and the spectators MIR Eorres. has not been
proved 10 be at all worse than actors in general or
his wife any worse or any better than tho wives Of
most actors Without any distinct act or approach
to an act OF adultery proved gainst srreSt, the
jury came 10 the sapient conclusion that h3 hal
com mitted adultery because he had been occasion.
ally seen to visit house OF equiyooal reputation.
but the same jury, with the keeuest penetration
between tReedledum and twseiledes, came with
equal Dogbcrrian promptituGe TO the conclusion tina.
Tomnn who frequently drank punch auu brandy,
smoked segars ate twelve o'clock lobster s,ppevs
treasured up filthy love letters and sat up all nigh,
caTousing with half dozen of the most noted echers
and like crimes in this countrywas NOT an adultress.
With them, sauce for the goose was not also sau,s
for the pauder They aid not assent 60 the law as
laid down by that great iurist Of human nature
ChaIcer. with regard 10 that which II his opinion
is always the insepa rabls Accompaniment of .
liquioTish tongue" But the lsdy's looks pleaded
hn- al tI-t hn, IgNr tntoft Il
argues of counsel They weat directly to the
hearts OF the Jury ana sostened not little even the
hard hoad of the Judge who Is we'll kaown 10 be
one Of those tough. case hardened old salts o.
the bench, upon whose feelings the palave- Of Ia y
yers plays as mpassively aa mooashine upon polar
iceberg. lie evidently re:hea the judicial drama
which Forrest had got D for his diversion Ii was
rich rorsel to him le prolonged and spun ii
out to q needless and nprecedepted leag,h like
man who deliberately prolonga the enjoy nent OF a
good thing, and hates II make an emu .. it In the
courts OF ancient Greece. the counsel used to lay
bare tie Dosoms Of their clients for the sake Of the
supposed effect upon the judges; in modern times
only the face is exposed to play upon the court
But the verdict in this case. however i, may be
an outrage Upon strict literal truth may not ia the
spirit OF mercy, humanity ami substantial Justice
&c very wide of the marx Custom and law in
these matrimonial cispotes are much the hardest
upon the SITTER sax-f1r no battar reason that wa
know Of tEan that men make the laws and women
obey then Loose habits are tolerated and con
sidered ven;al in men, while the slightest indul-
gence Of the same character is held unoardonable
in woman This social doctrine il d gross ou.-
rage upon common sense ana natural Justice which
nenifestly reauire thar the same moral yardstick
should be applied to bsth sexes. |; was doubtless
some intutiye though dim sense Of this truth which
guided the uy to their verd at in the Forrest a 90
They were perSe,tIy aware that 70 hold apy Gator
up "a man of other than risd Cha stitv was ealcn
lated as the world goes to DAMAGE him very little:
while @ similar inlrutation fastened uron n woman
by jury would be to her an irreparabls and fatal
calamity Besides. if both parties had BEEN pro.
p0uuced guilty Of irregular indulgence there could