Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-27
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Judicial Reform in the District of Colum.
bia.-The clause in the bill that contained a
provision giving to the United States the right
to sue out writs of error in criminal cases, to
which We referred on Friday last, we find was
stricken out ere it passed the House. Thus,
what struck US as the main reasonable objec-
ton to ii, was obviated. The editors of the
Intsltigeneer, in their article of Saturday
upon it, seem to complain not that the bill
goes too far, but that it does not 60 far enough
They also state that the vote taken in 1850
was not calculated to elicit full and intslE.
gent expression of the views of the citizens of
this District on this question. To this We re-
ply, that there is no reason for supposing that
if the expression of opinion had been more
full, the result would have been different. The
presumption Is, that if tho Investigation had
been carried further, the proportion would
have been the same. At least it devolves upon
those who maintain tho contrary to produce
some proofs to sustain their position.
But their other, and obviously their only
substantial objection to the specific measure
now proposed, goes to its supposed inadequacy
to remedy the most fragrant defect in our
whole judiciary system; namely its ezpensive-
ness. They say:
CAS- far as 100 are Informed II leaves I'M
touched great evil Of the system, and that is
the enormous tax imposed on the community
in the shape of judicial expenses
I" II it were so, it were grevous fault"
But, as we remarked on Friday last, it is evil
dent that the editors of the Intelligeucer had
not read the bill. Any one, on looking in,o
the provisions of the bill, will find that so far
as suitors are concerned (although very little
Is said about dollars and cents) it introduces
Improvements into the system of procedure
which will not only do away with the uncer-
tainty and delay which belong to the existing
system, but will also result in vast saving of
expense. Moreover, there are some provisions
of this nature which will come more properly
in the Code which the bill proposes. But be.
sides all this, the bill itself contains specific
and very valuable Improvements in this par
ticular for instance, the clause which fixes
| one dollar as the cost of certified copy of the
7 record in all cases Of writ of error from the
or four hundred dollars which an appellant is
now often obliged to pay, although the amount
involved may be barely sufficient to give a
right Of appeal.
So much as to the expense incurred by liti-
giants in our courts. So far as concerns the
government, large proportion of the speech
of the honorable member who reported the
bill, the most cogent part Of his argument is
devoted to an exposition of the enormous
drain made upon the national treasury by the
existing judicial institutions of this District;
mass of facts and figures being adduced, which
/ are absolutely overwhelming. In another
place he says: "There are too many courts
There are too many judges. TIE whols ,ys-
tenn is too eSpensirs." And all who know
aught of the judicial history of the District,
will agree with him fully in his commentary
upon the section which establishes criminal
court, wherein he says
eve believe that if this plan is adopted
great expense IN this court auiU be saved to
the G 'rsrnment, and that twenty cases will
be disposed of whore one is now; and it will
mitigate that evil practice which now so often
prepails, by which innocent and friendless per-
sons arc too often prosecuted purely through
malice, and being thrown into prison, are kept
there for suffering season awaiting trial"
Again, the eighteenth section of the bill
Isection seventeen II nnsht to boil provides:
"That it shall be the duty of the said judges,
az soon as may be convenient after their ap.
pointment to Office, to meet together to revise
and improve the rules of practice and proceed
lngs In all OF said courts, and to establish such
new rules as may be necessary, and also to
reuse and reduce the tariff of fees and costs
Of litigation, and other fees, costs and
charges IN tie offices of the clerks of said
courts, as noW allowed and ezisting, and to
establish q aea0 tariff thereof for the clerks,
marshal, and eoronsTs of said District, and
when 30 established, to make publication there
of, and to cause printed copy CT such rules
and tariff to be always kept and exhibited in
some conspicuous place in each of the Offices
of the clerks of said courts and of said mar
shall"
Upon this section, We would only remark
that there Is not word Of it which does not
reform some crying evil, or correct some enor-
nous abuse.
From Madrid. --Advices received at this point
by the last steamer lead statesmen to believe
that Madoz and Oleazo, the persons named by
Espartero to head the new Spanish Government,
have by this time been called on by the Queen
to form new Cabinet Madoz, who is, per.
haps, tho leading man of the Cortez, is the
advocate for sweeping Qiberalizing) changes
in the government of Cuba, and is accused by
more or less of his bitterest enemies with
being friend to the policy of selling the
island to the United States
BY the by, it seems to be understood here
that Mr.. soule's reception on his return to
Madrid was as pleasant and cordial as he could
have wished, though We apprehend that up to
this moment our Government has received