Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-11
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

We were wrong on Saturday in osnsurinR tn,
Clerk Of the Court for failing to send out tn,
copies of the opinion delivered by Mr. Justic.
Dunlop In thi, Case, In which his colleague
Mr.. Justice Morsell, conceded, generally, q,
announced by him from the bench, after ,ay
Ing that the lists having passed from the
nands OF the register of the Corporation, ths
Court had no power to grant the writ of man
dsmua prayed. An opinion of the judges beins
extra judicial, cannot be certified with the seal
OF the Court as distinct paper So the CLERK
vas right In leaving it to find It's way to the
commissioners Ofthe election without his Sc al
We therefore mike the amende honor able TO
him, for attributing to his Know Nothing sen.
timents his action in the premises. Those who
were struggling to prevent tho commissioner
from being formally ruled to carry out the
Courts opinion Of the law, refused to agree
that the question As to the rights of the r.
jected voters should be formally raised, by
consent; 30 a. to prevent an order for the re.
ception Of the votes above referred to from
being served on the commissioners. II was
evidently thus intended to enable the commits.
sioncrs to aIlege the excuse of ignorance of the
views Of the Court upon the law, in palliaion
of their act in refusing votes which the Circuit
Court held to DO legal.
These views were as follows:
81. That foreigner naturalizsd since the
3lst December last who possesses the other
qualifications required by the charter, is en-
titled to vote at the present election
~. That an alien who was a resident of
the city Of Washington previous to the 3lst of
december, 1894, soas entitled to be enrolled
on the school tar list
% That tho tax lists having passed out of
the hands of tho register, he has no duty in
regard to them to perform; that the ia lists are
now in the hands of the commissioners Of
election, whose right and duty it is TO receive
the vo.es of persons within the foregoing d.
scription, and having the other qualifications
required by the charter
" The mandsmus is refused"
The instant this opinion was given BIZ the
Courtits substance went Ike wild FIRE over the
city, and Was known in an hour to eyery nerson
around tho polls in the least interests in il
Thsidea that the Know Nothing commission
ers, alone of all the thousands SO deeply inter
ested in It as settling the most important cues
ton in issue in their action were ignorant of it,
Is simply prepos,erous, and proves the truth
Of the adage that none are so deaf as those
who will not hear. The three anti Know No.
hing commissioners, in the Fifth, Sixth and
seventh Wards, having no behests Of an oath.
bound, secret. proscriptive, political society to
larry out, were not of the deaf class; aud accor-
iingly they heard Of this opinion of tho Cir.
'uit Court very shortly after it was delivered
They knew that the Court wore final arbiters
# the law here, and that in pursuance Of their
'a:hs as Commissioners of the Election, their
luty was to accord to all who offered votes
heir legal rights; end that our highest court
7ss the tribunal whose views Of thoss rights
hould rightfully be carried out by all Who
lad accepted their positions for tho honest
I'D faithful protsction and accordance Of the
lights OF all citizens Of Washington rather,
han as instruments to accomplish the scheme
an osth-bound, secret, political society to
eprive legal voters Of their legal rights, BE-.
ause they would not vote as the said society
'ished. No nsn worthy to be trusted with
ven the temporary adjudication Of his neig
or's rights would all.ge prs,encs Of jus
ihoation for setting at nsught tho opinion Of
ne highest law court, on the ground that a
awyer or lawyers, members OF an oath bound.
ecret, proscriptive, political society had given
N opinion of the law at variance with that
f the court
The setting up of any such pretsnss in itself
embraces proof that he who alleges it, 40.
eptcd the sacred trust Of . commissioner
t the election only for The Predetermined
u pose Of defrauding a. many as possible
{ his fellow citizens who differed from him.
f their rights, in fragrant disregard of the
of b. oath to decide the CUES.
ions coming before him without fear or
avor, according to law. This whole case
involves many grave features. and proves
hat under the discipline of this oath bound.
serst, political society in our midst, mon who
AVE heretofore held up their heads among us
IS persons entitled to the respect aud conf
enee Of their fellow citizens, pay not tho
lightest regard to their oaths when that
curse may be necessary to enable them to de.
rive their citizens of their rights I'M.
sr the law, in obedience to the behest Of tho
: ciety Of which tho never-to.be forgotten
lowell witness was a member. These are
rave matters indeed, for the reflection of
hose citizens Of Washington who hold that
ur law Court is the Judge of tho law, whose
pinions should be respected by those called
q temporarily to adjudicate the rights of this
and who have mind, character
Ipsrisncs and patriotism sufficient to compre.
end the vital importance of having our affairs
administered according to law, rather than
ccordiDg to tho diotation of bigots, fanatics,
ynorsnt mon, and rowdies, who assume the
ight to conspire in secret against their neigh. |
ors.
The new President. So the Know Nothing
Iational Council on the sixth ballot for a
resident Of "the order" for the ensuing year.