New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11

| T>' French and Continental method. a.
Roman law being the basis Of ths eamioi,tra,;o.
OF Justice There, Is directly the reverse of our
Anglo Saxon way of getting st the truth in ca.s.
OF crime There tho accused party is snbiectrd
TO long and minute examination, and he n
reied upon as the principal witness against him.
seii--a custom abhonent to our notions of fair
play. and we think il doubtful whether Lcrd
Drougham can mold bis project of law 50 az b
sa"sy the long established prejudices of John
Dun. ~ Is assumed that an innocent nua-for
the change is intended to aid innocence x,tAsr
than TO discover guilt-will always be sb,e -
command himself 30 as to make bis clear,veu
manifest. And this was the theory of the 4 ".
ture-chamber, when that method of extortinv Y
truth was ia use. Whether the subjection of s>.
innocent person to the question of examiustion
and cross-examination might not be % likely -
elicit damaging admissions, even where the party
was free from the charge, is consideration ef
the grayest importance. Especially, as the TO
fusal to submit to it, though no legal admisioa
of guilt, would necessarily create q very strpsg
presumption Of it. Still, under the superintsal-
ence of an acute and humane Judge, the chances
of genuine innocence being cleared and its cosn-
terfeit detected, might be much increased.
Experience only, which has worked well on ths
Civil Side, can only decide what would be ths
effect of the change on the Crown Side. Ths
plan aud its workings will be watched with tie
greatest interest in this country as success thsss
will insure its adoption here.
The Reforms in Law in England have bem
among the most extraordinary Of the many revo-
lutions of the last thirty years. And they have
proceeded from the profession Of the law itself
The simplifcation Of process, the cheapcniDs Of
justice through the County Courts, the alters
tious in the rules Of evidence, the new facitiss
Of escape from the miseries Of cruel and adulter.
Gus marriages, the improvement in the legal
condition of women, and q multitude Of ethsF
changes beneficial to the laity though damaging
to the profession, have proceeded forth from he
experience Of old lawyers of the mischiefs and
injustces of the former state Of things. To b
sure these veterans had had the full advantage a
the good old abuses, which they did not propose 10
forming until they were safely laid up n
ordinary iu the House of Lords. But their o.
pacity to rise above the prejudices OF their pro-
fe,son, and to believe that anything could b
better than the practice they used to assist al. 10
a SIGN of the larger spirit of the times since tho
day when it was thought that the removal Of Ne
penalty of death for shop-liftng would destroy
the fabric of society, and ruin the security Of
property. These modern Barons are certainly
not like those Of the days Of John and Hesry
Ill, and cannot say with them, "noiamss ~s-
tari isges Angiia," for they have shown strange
willingness to change the laws of England. But
as, we believe, all the changes they have in
augurated have been proved to be beneficial oues
thus far, the English public seem content ts'
take the counsel of the wise man, and not ssy
that the former days were better than these.