Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-12-11

service since our difficulties commenced.
Besides bIockading our extensive coast
fquadrons larger than ever before assembled
under our flag, have been put ahoat and
4 performed deeds which have increased cur
naval renown.
would invite special attention to the
Recommendation Of the Secretary Of the
! Navy for a more perfect oganization ofthe
I NAVY, by Introducing additional grades IN
tie service. The present Organization Is
defective and unsatisfactory, and Tie sug-
gestions submitted by the Department will
I it is believed, il adopted, obYiste the diff
culties alluded to, promote harmony, and
increase the efficiency Of the Navy.
! / respectfully recommend to the consid-
Grafton Of Congress tbs present condition Of
the Statute laws, with the hope that Con-
gress will be able to fad an easy remedy
fol the many Inconvenience and evils
which constantly embarrass these engaged
in their practical administration.
Since the organization Of the govern
ment, Congress has enacted some five thou
sand acts and joint resolutions, which Till
more than two thousand closely printed
pages and are scattered through many vol
umes. Many Of these acts have been
drawn in haste, without sufficient caution,
SO that their provisions are often obscure
/ Ia themselves, or in conflict with each 9TH
or, and, at least, SO doubtful as to render il
difficult for even the best informed persons
to ascertain precisely what the statute law
really is. 1t seems TO me very important
that The statute law should be made as
plain and Ineligible as possible and be re-
diced to as small a compass as may con-
sist with the fullness and precision Of the
will Of the legislature and the perspecuity
Of its language.
/ This, we'll done, would / think greatly
facilitate the labors Of those whose duty i
is to assist IN the administration of the laws
and be lasting benefit By placing before
them i'm a more accessible aud Ineligible
| form the laws which 50 deeply concern
their best interests and their most incum-
| bent duties. / am informed by some
whose opinions respect, that all the acts
Of Congress now in force, ana Of perma-
nent and general nature, might be revised
and rewritten so as to be embraced in one
volume, or, at least two volumes Of ordin-
arY and convenient size, and | respectfully
recommend to Congress to consider the
subject, and if my suggestion be approved,
to devise such plan as to their wisdom
shall seem most proper 10. the attainment
of the end proposed.
There are three vacancies on The bench
Of the Supreme Court; two by the decease
| of Justices Mclean and Daniels, and one
/ by the resignation Of Justice Campbell.
| I have SO far forborne making these nor-
iaations for reasons which / will now state
Two of the outgoing judges resided within
the States now overthrow BY revolt, SO
that If successors were appointed in the
same localities, they could not serve upon
their circuits; and many Of the most com
petent men there, probably, would not take
the personal hazard Of accepting to serve
even here upon the Supreme Bench. |
have been unwilling 10 throw all the ap
pointnents northward, thus disabling N.Y.
Self from doing justice to the South on the
return Of peace. | may remark, that to
| transfer to the North one who has hereto
fore been in the South, would net, with
reference to the territory and popration
Be- unjust.
| During the long and brilliant judicial
career Of Judge Mclean, his circuit grew
into an empire altogether too large for any
one Judge to give the courts more than
nominal attendance, rising in population
/ from / $4,000 III 1890 to 6,15I, 4c5 In
1860. Besides this, the country has gen
orally outgrown our present judicial sys-
tenn.
If uniformity was at all intended, the sys
| tenn required that all the States shall be
accommodated with circuit courts, attend
ed by Supreme Judges; while, IN fact,
/ Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Flori
da, Texas, California and @ .on have ney-
er had any such courts. Nor can this be
| well renedied without a change Of the sys-
tenn, because adding of justices to the SUI
preme Court enough for the accommoda-
ton Of all parts Of the country with circuit
courts, would create a court altogether too
numerous for a judicial body OF any sort,
and the evil Of il be one that will increase
as new States come into the Union.
Circuit courts are useful or they are not
useful. III useful, no State should be de-
med them; II not useful, no State should
have them. Let them be provided for all,
or abolished as to all. Three notifications
occur to me here, which think would be
an i'm, royenent upon our present system;
Let The Supreme court be Of convenient
number, ii every event. Then, first, let
the whole country be divided into circuits
/ Of convenient size; the Supreme Judges e
serve according TO their own number ana
independent circuit judges be provided ter
/ for All the rest; OF, secondly the Supreme
Judges be relieved from circuit duties and
Circuit Judges provided for al the circuits
or, thirdly, disperse with circuit courts 4
ltogether leaving thejudicial function Who'll
/ II To TIE District Courts and an lndepen-
! dent Supreme Court.
One Of the unfayoFable consequences OF
tho present instruction q the entire sup
preston in mary places q all ordinary
Z aItfi NV tie