, 1865-10-13
At the October term Of the District Court,

held in Walla Walla, 1858, His Honor, Judge
Wyche, in his charge to the Grand Jury, closed
said charge in the following words;
"Courts are established TO administer law, as
upon the whole It us considered in that manner
justice may be the more effectually attained
But if from ineiiGency, corruption the
part of those charged with the administration of
law the people fail to receive protection in their
rights, person and lives, they have very gene
rally and very properly taken their protection
into their own hands,
Courts are, says Wyche, very properly too
established to administer law" and from this
it follows that where no Courts are held, no law
can be administered. His Honor has failed to
hold his Court in this District this Fall as the
law requires, consequently the law, which can
not be administered without the attendance of
His Honor at the Court, remains Ia allegiance
in a state of mastery inactivity" we suppose.
The Judges closing paragraph given above,
is probably the most remarkable specimen in
the way of judicial charge to grand jury that
has ever been placed upon record, anywhere
He takes the ground that if the administrators of
the laws, from inefficiency corruption, fail to
discharge their duties, then the people should
take the law-'their protection into their
own hands 7! Here is Judge, sworn to sup
port the Constitution, cOunseling the people to
institute mob violence, where the Judges and
administrators of law are inefficient or corrupt
Such doctrine might be overlooked if it emana-
ted from an irresponsible source; but coming
from Judge, supposed to be learned in the
law and Jealous of its strict maintenance, there
can be found unreasonable excuse for it, and
especially it cannot be overlooked when it is
considered that Judge Wyche, at subsequent
term of the District Court held here, persisted
substantially in proclaiming the same doctrine,
by expressing, as we are reliably informed that
the vigilance committee, (then in existence) i'm
dicated a healthy tone of public sentiment.'-
That is as much as to say, that the subversion
law and the reign of mob violence instead is
very desirable state of things. We question
whether single member of that vigilance conf
mittee would have endorsed such sentiment.
No doubt the members of that organization
thought they were acting for the BEST and that
they were, by their unlawful proceedings, pro-
tecting and rendering more secure their lives
and property; but they certainly could not have
had the remotest conception that society, in
such tumultuous and disorganized state was
in very healthy condition. It may be that
some of them thought so; and why not, for
Judge Wyche had been teaching that doctrine?
The common mode of proceeding, and in fact
the only legitimate mode, where the administra-
tors of law become corrupt, violate their official
oaths, or commit crimes and misdemeanors, is
to remove such characters from office. Con-
gressmen may be removed from office, and so
on down the list to a District Judge. The Pres
ident, even, the chief executive of the nation,
may be deprived of his office if he becomes cor
rupt or fails to have the laws properly adj
ministered.
But who, besides the profound Judge Wyche,
would contend in case the President of the
United States failed through corruption to dis
charge the duties of his Office, that therefore
the ''people" should begin to administer the
laws to suit themselves Every school boy in
the country, knows that in such an exigency,
itwould be the duty of the u s. Senate to re-
move the President from Office and yet, accord
ing to Wyche's doctrine the people at large
would be competent to usurp the prosttuted Of
fee, and administer the executive affairs of the
government
Further, according to the doctrine laid down
in the paragraph above quoted, the people of
this Judicial District would now be justified in
convening Court and proceeding in all matters
pertaining to its functions, to suit themselves
for Judge Wyche has abdicated or vacated his
place and the people are thereby being deprived
oftheir rights. Several persons charged with
having committed crimes are lying in Jail await
ing trial, and they are guaranteed by the Con-
sttution speedy and impartial jury trial. In
nocent or guilty they have right to a speedy
trial Ifinnocent they are getting justice ad-
mihstered TO them with vengeance by the alb
sence and negligence of the District Judge
Persons who have suits for adjudication are be-
ing put to needless expense for the same reason;
and the County of Walla Walla which Wyche
on various occasions deplored being so deeply
in debt, is by his own tardiness still more heav-
lily burthened with debt. Thus the County and
large number of persons in this judicial dis
trict being deprived of their just rights by
the ''ineficiency," not to say corruption of
Judge Wyche; and to apply his own doctrine to
his case of malfeasance in Office, the people of
the district should "take the protection of their
lives and property into their own hands," and
proceed to run the Court themselves. But the
people are not anxious to drift into a state of
anarchy and lawlessness as to carry out His
Honor's judicial precepts. They would much
rather adhere to common sense and the law, and
in case their grievances are more than they can
quietly submit to, it would be very proper and
very natural for them to set forth the Judges
shortcomings, etc. in petition drawn up with
a closing prayer to the President that he remove
this particular Judge from Office.
The President is sworn to see that the laws
are faithfully executed, and he would not dsre-
gard petition having for its object, such as
the one in contemplation would have, the just
enforcement Of the laws
SCARCE AND HIGH.-Hog's lard is now retail
ing in Walla Walla at forty cents per pound,