, 1860-04-26
39re&& & Triht1&te.


Ese1ly Courth'~Nos -
[Contspon1e2ce Of th= 11c1tfeEdse tEcE3 Ckrosiec.
CHICAGO. Are. ], 1ssa.
Since nv adventure ! have, as I intimated
I should, deycted some little lime 10 the inves-
tiection OF this institution of Justices. / shall
gre ron the result Of my inquiries, which xou
must take with limitation, that tho miserable
state Of things which might exist undcr the or
gnn1xntion Of petty courts ls much Torsc 1lan
The present actusl reality. There erc some few
spectacle mea, though bcheye none Of them
are considered very gccd lawyers. THIS is
owing to tic reform in municipal pclltlcs that
has followed the tricmph Of q new political
party, The Republican, over the old Democratic
party, Which until a'ew ycars since, nlonopoliz'
That party having become rulnerous aud co19a
rupt through long possession Of power.
suffered :tle most abandoned wretches 10 fill
the Offices Of Justice Of the Peace and protected
10000 inhabitants. There are elected by
the people tTenty justices Of The
Term ef Eous years. There ia scarcely siug1c
ot1i:e in this whole State, Of auy Importance,
which is not elective, and the result il that
every Office holder is a politician. This direct
arpeef 10 the masses makes it necessary for
every candidate 10 put himself il direct coin-
that almost all the smai1er Offices, aud many Of
the larger, are filled by pure dcnIagogucs, who
have tlsc arr, and are not ashamed of the at-
tenlpt to lietter and cajolo she voters. The
Office. CT justice OF tile pence, thougll not
QUO Of great emeinmcnt, is, nevertheless;
very lnuca sought after and. with occasional
exceptions, is filled by some low and corrupt
politician who il sort Of leader in his ward, aad
a manager Of ell the dirty work Of the purity.
Tic Office gives linn some power, but the mode
BIZ whicL lo obtains it, and By which aiocc he
eau expect to &C: it again, prtcuIdes oil idea Of
1,-r - E.-A AN1c T.
particular friends 10 1nvor, nsl IN the second
place, he must, BY his decisions court the poFu-
lace whoss votes elect him, a1d disregard the
rights of tic better c!2sscst wlose influence il
Of little value. The rich, therefore, ure most
generally worsted in lelr encounters in these
petty courts. It is very uncertain whether
merchant OF standing. unless he has some Pc
cali:4r inilccnce to be.r, can obtain decision in
his favor cren on the cfearsst evidence. The
instances vi this gross corruption ere yery nu-
mcrons, and nre in fact just whit one might ex
pect. 1t is proyerbial that q man Of re=pec:a-
bi'itY is about as likely to recover Judgment
against poor man, be hs plaintiff or defendant,
as he is 10 be struck by Lightning.
Justices and Constabics arctbc sEalt leaders
Of their political parties. They arc the Cap-
! talns Of hundreds, so to speak. These officers
arc just the things for those low Eo:sv politicians
wlo are go useful in the organization Of party,
and for this reason doubt whether they viii
Eftl UG 11oASuEu. ANA i|AIat hON!A AIfE Lie
courage. to say nothing OF tic virtue, to pro-
pose such measure. If the issue could be
made nll over tbcState, it would, without doubt,
be decided in faror Of the existing order OF
things. The chance for reform in this way is
as lltle Us it would be under the slrictcst dcs~
| hc for tle benefit Of society to abolish these
officer but those, whose interest it is to retain
+; ttem, would always control Tic decision Ct the
| question. Entess some power resides in the
Legislature for making the change, it will nerer
b. 1nnde though the e5il is gross, and, Us shall
| show; Affects both rich ard poor.
i Justices and Constables arc alike ignorant of
| law and of good manners. Probably there is
| scarcely orc oftscm that ersr enjoyed the least
approach to good legal education. They
kneH absolutely nothing about the commonest
| aud most necessity PRINCIPLES Of law, and con-
scqucntIy are liebIe to commit fragrant outrages,
even when they may be disposed to decide cor
| rectly. Their whole object seems to be to get
| their fees-if they can-twice over. Theiz suits
| are conducted without plealngs, and Strange
| as it seemed to me, was Obliged to aclnoT-
ledge that 20 practical Inconvenience aud 10 ill.,
justice arose trcm this, but raiher the contrary.
ltis quite wonderful to see what hare always
supposed to he the absurdity and nselessncss
! Of our English prnctiec more than demonstrated
in the wi1ds Of America. Simple common seusc
and necessity have completely supplied the
place Of tilat system Of pleading, whicl, centu-
ries Of labor and refinement hare yased in Eng
Lane, by taking it entirely AWAY.
The proceedings in jusrlces courts are not
marked by any dignity or decerum. Tie court
rooms arc generally some small filthy olcc, fur
n:shed with q table end some c}lairs. The
court, The lawyers, tue witnesses aud the by
ISLANDERS tully aad GzosS. beat each other, as It
they wcre in = lar-rocm, uad sometimes even
como to blows. The trial cf suit frequently
! resembles III angry atercation in town acet-
f11Nr1 A1
can conclude this letter better thaa by transcrib.
Ing fer yen the diGert:ona w:;1h humorous
acquaintance ] have made here gives for lie.
pertinent il d justi:c's court.
"On eutcring 4 J ustice's Office, always wca.
"a dash:n=. vulgar a:r. Address him with
"don't mind taking it, shake hands With him
lie is III susceptible to llat<ery, well ad,niuis
: "tercd, rs anybody; but don't try the dc!ereu
a. tinl; }:c wouldn't Laow what you meant, as
"reveTcnce Isl. sentiment be never heard Of
or ary Of its Kin. Keep your hut on at al
"n,an ct consequence. Chcs7 tobacco, a:s1 e,
"pectora!e psoiasefy- Have on l.and, ii prac
"tcablc, the detaiis Of the last street tight o
"auy celebrated s:reet-walker, and garnis'
"your spcec!, plcntifully with oatl.s."
q Alrars reco1ect that Justices are Law Tin
"to sslych-fhat they ure something lik
"Abolrtion;sts, superior crea to Constitutions
"The rules Of lar, Us usually understood, ar
"Eot recognized in Justices Courts, Their COD
ais peculiar, tic first hY secondly. thirdly, an
"1o conclude, being how to secure cur costs
"This is t1le handspring, the lever. that. Ill:
"public opinion, moves the Justice world, Thci
Second object is generally how to yet IL
!, "costs twice over, and their third object how
"gct them third time. These three thing
"conprisc their icgrl code, aud that beif
"rightly understood, ,practieei ir Justiees' Cour
"is ycr: sMEle thing.
=. Yours truly, STANLEY.