, 1856-11-28
United States Courts.

remembered, law passed at the late ses
sion of congress, which materially modife
the judiciary system of the territories ii
general. For the purpose of making ar
rangements whereby the provisions Of thi
law might be conformed with hereafter, {
special term of the supreme court was helt
at this place, week before ast,-presen
chief justice LANDER and judge CnENowErI
at which the following times and place
of holding the several U, S. district court
were agreed upon :
For the lst judicial district, at Yancou
yer, on the 2nd Monday in April, and Is
Monday in October.
For the 2nd district, at Olympia, on th
2nd Monday in March, and 2nd Monda.
in September.
For the 3rd district, at PENIS Cove, OIL
the 2nd Monday in February, and lst Mon
day in August.
Judge CHENowETH informs us that IL wal
also determined upon, that no session o
the district courts should exceed three
weeks in duration-that length of time be
ing deemed ample for the transaction of oil
business which might be brought before tn
courts Of the three districts, respectively.
The law appears to have been cnactet
for the purpose Of curtailing the expense
incurred by the U. S. authorities, conse
quent upon holding term Of the court a
the, county seat Of each county and i
further appears that the strongest argu
meHt made use Of by the members who ad
vocated the passage Of the oct, was th'
abuses alledged as having been practiceC
in The territory of Utah, under the then cx
isting laws governing the judiciary. i
waslrepresented to members Of congress
andlthe departments at Washington, tha
the marshal of Utah was in the practict
Of attending the several courts with pos
sec, equivalent to a small army, and Of 9th
erwise incnrring large unnecessary cx
pense, which, altogether, in the eyes Of th'
vigilant and faithful secretary of the treas
ury, seemed TO be too enormous longer t
be tolerated. We are not aware that any
complaint has ever existed as 10 the ex
pense consequent npon holding the court
in this or Oregon, or in fact in ony Of tht
territories except Utah ; and to reach ant
remedy the abuses there existing, the law
to which we have referred was made appli
cable to all the territories, and the peopl'
subjected to oil the onerous provisions con
tanned in the law.
1t is very doubtful matter whether thu
operations Of this law, In this territory, will
have the effect materially to abridge tht
expense to the United States, in the hold
ing of courts, as contemplated. Certain
it is, that many Of our citizens will be com
PEELED 10 suffer no inconsiderable amount o
inconvenience and expense in consequence
With many such, however, it may act as I
salvO in suppressing trivial and unnecessary
litigation whilst, on the other hand, il
districts of country remote from the place
of holding the courts, it gives to the strong
o favorable opportunity Of expressing the
weak. With all the Objectionable features
in the law, there are some good ones. Un
der its operations, jurors, hereafter, will b.
selected indiseriminately from the severa
counties comprising the districts, thus thu
better securing the exercise Of impartialill
in matters litigant. In sparsely settled
and weak counties, the expense to then
connected with the holding Of courts will b
obviated.