New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-01
a PRETTY QUARREL.

Nlhs q great IRE very little ula'ti VIII "i'ou
kiude The assets-HeaveD hep toe mark !-ot
the defunct Ohio Life and Trust Company (sith
whi:h Company commenced the terrible tumble
down Of last year) had very nearly brought the
sovereign State Of Ohio and the Usited States toto
collision, and driven another, perhaps final, nail
ito the C, fin of the Union. Tnoueh nothing re-
MAIN. we believe, of the dead carcass OF that
late fouIi,hipg and uniyersaly-,rusted 'mpany,
exc, Ut little dust and asbes an d few dry bones,
tie Supreme Court Of Ohio, and the Circuit Court
of the United States for the District vi Ohio, con-
tend. d as fecely for the exclusive privilege and
beh satisfaction of distributing this Gust aud ashes
and these dry bones among the suffering creoitolsas
if tbey had actually been bones to pick, bones with
some remnant Of meat on them. Tue two Courts
stood in desperately hostile attitude, at swords
point eloweriug at each other, each claiming the
division as IFS OVID, each scouting the oiher as an
intruder, ind each on the poiLt OF committing, If
not the other, at least the others officers, for
contempt Of Court
The col flct Of laws has long formed vonmi-
Ious Ind intricate legal title. We here in Amer
les, among our DsDy other not always very
successful Efforts TO simplify and facilitate the
administration Of justice have added to the cootil,t
Of laws, another and still more intricate and
desperate cotflct Of jurisdictions. Our New York
City Courts have contributed largely to this inter-
e.tpg branch of legal learning, about half their
time being taken up in sna'ching the bone from
each others mouths, in settling, or rather IN
disputpg, their own and each others jurisdiction.
We are happy to say, however, that the threatened
collision at Cincinnati has been indefinitely post
pOped. Rather than see the two venerable Courts
epaspe in rough and-tumble contest, at the
INK not only of throwing each other, but of dis
solving the Union, the suitOrs have interposed,
have taken the matter out of the haads Of the
Courts, and have concluded to settle it by an
smic able arrangement an OF themselves. Whether
they were prompted mainly by motives of patriot
ism or mainly by notifies OF prudence does not
distinctly sppear. Perhaps equally by both. Little
us there might be to be got out of the assets the
distribution Of which the matter in controversy,
ard small interest in that point Of view as the
parties eht have, at least there would be bill of
costs to psy. That is an unfalliDg attendant upon
all lawsuits. Those who dance nus, make up
heir minds TO pay the PIPER; but both parties TO
the suit might naturally think it little hard that,
in addition 10 the costa of their own particular
quarrel, they should be called upon, as they seemed
threatened 10 be, 70 pay the costs OF dissolu
{ on Of tie Union. Therefore, with q wisdom
which We highly applaud, they have concluded
10 dispense with tie further services Of
the Courts and to arrange the distribution Of the
L., NJ h,nE &.
an example that mi ht be wisely initiated IN large
number Of other cases. The fact is our Courts,
Federal, State and City, so busy in taking care
of themselves and each oiber-in extending their
jurisdiction like good judses-aLd, to that end, ia
curtsilDg the jurisdiction, upset!iDg tee judge.
mt nts and nuL ing the decisions Of each Other that
they have only boE and then moment TO spare
for the settlement If the private controversies re-
ferred to them for decision. Whether or not this
or that particular piece Of property belongs to or
to T. interesting as that question may be to them,
is mos. uncomfortable question-a. least in the
eyes Of the Courti-compared with the point
whether this Court or that Court, or neither tue
ole nor the other, or both together, shall have the
settlement of the controversy. We should, there
fore, advise oil private parties, to whom the decis
len of their rights is an object, q. once to remove
the matter from the Courts, and to undertake it's
decision among themselves. There is no fear that
the Courts viii not have ample opportunity left
for earning their salaries snd for The exhibition Of
their judicial acuteness in tripping each other up
There is large number Of suitors who lie nothing
better than TO have the Courts overlook their
raicalities, and devote their whole energies TO
fghiipg each other, instead Of making q decision
from which they, e., these rascsy suisors could
expect NO benefit
!