The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1860-01-25

the law, Shall not presume 10 say
which side was right However, such
being the state of affairs, and there be-
ing likewise dispute as to where the
exact line of the road ran in the neigh
borhood of the crossing-though of
not CENTS Importance to the public
yet, thinking if the Surveyors of the
Highways and two Justices of the
Peace were called to survey the road,
as is provided by Statute in certain
cases of dispute, they might lug in this
question, and so get them to settle
this matter and settle the course of the
stream, or else define the bounds OF the
road and order the Overseer to take
the whole thing into his hands. The
Overseer at the suggestion OF those
favoring this view of changing the
course of the stream, called the Sur
veyors and Justices together to exam
inc into it, alleging complaint had
been made that certain persons had OBJ
structed the highway.
AS it was known that the Overseer
had engaged tho services of an attor-
Dey to help his side of the case. and had
refused to make known the names OF
the compliments, and as it was like
wise known, not only from the acts of
the Overseer, but from his opinions
publicly and privately expressed at
divers times and places, that his side
of the case was the case of the one
living on the west side of the road, and
in favor of changing the course of the
stream and as in view of these facts it
was feared by the one living on the
east side of the road that the attorney
though nominally employed for the
township and use ofthe people at large,
vet that after all he might be inclined
per adventure to favor the Overseer's
views, he, the said owner on the east,
feed an Attorney to look after his in
terests.
So much then for your correspon-
dents statements about the township
calling "two Justices, two Lawyers,
and one surveyor of the Highway"
The parties met and, after two days
labor and a careful survey of the road,
the Justices and Surveyors unanimous
ly decided they found no encroach-
ments on, or in, the road, and conse-
quently had no order to make and,
also, expressly denied that they had
any authority to interfere with the
course Of the water; the only cause
of disturbance.
At this stage of the proceedings
rendering of the decision-your cor
respondent left the Attorney of the
Overseer being at the moment laboring
on an argument, which, from its pathos
and vehemence seemed sufficient to
change the form or place of rock, to
say nothing about a small stream of
water, or a decision newly made. The
other Attorney left, | think, when |
did, or, perhaps, a moment before.
The Overseer, the Attorney, and his
party, were evidently disappointed ;
and, though the Attorney. the Over
seer, and several friends, one after an
other, and sometimes all at once, con-
tinued to speak at some length, yet,
despite all their logic and eloquence
combined, as the road had been care
fully surveyed, and the Judges, after
deliberate consideration had given their
decision, they let it stand.
When the Surveyors of the High
ways, the Justices, and the Attorney
for the township demanded their pay
of the County Collector who happened
at the time to be in the honse receiv
ing taxes, he demurred somewhat about
paying the bill; especially that of the
Attorneys, alleging it was one-sided
affair. and not at all called for by the
township. However, after being threat
ened-as it was said-with suit, he
forked over about forty dollars The
great mass of the people, so far as [
could learn, were evidently of the Col
lector's way of thinking, and | have
yet to hear of one, saving the Attor-
nev, Overseer, and few friends, who
either desired the calling of the Sur
veyors and Justices, or who did not
approve of the decision.
Such being the case one would have
the Overseer and his party
would have been satisfied but not so.
The decision did not suit. 1t must be
different. To this end the Attorney
of the Overseer was set to work again.
The same two Surveyors of the High
way, with two new Justices, and an
imported practical Surveyor, went
again to work directed by their Attor-
ney. They went over the ground
again, and, though, as was stated by
yonr correspondent in his lucid history
of the affair, "the citizens were alarm
ed by seeing men in the dead hour of
the night marching to and fro, up and
Gown the street, through church yards,
&c.. armed with axes, spades, &C."
vet little more was done than on the
former occasion, except that they dis
covered the fence of the Methodist
Church encroached few feet on the
Highway; and, ] believe-for l was
not present at this second midnight
court ordered the en-
croachment removed Gnstdnter.
And now, after all, the Highway
still survives! and that little stream,
the innocent cause of all the trouble
still flows quietly and silently on in its
accustomed channel !! And, that each
may continue so to do, is, | believe,
the wish ofthe people; if, indeed, they
ha We any wish at all on the subject,
more than, that in the future they may
not be troubled or obliged (?) to pay
for other peoples quarrcls. This is
" the head and tall" and | have done