Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-06-23

~arrsrrr rFfff 1870 2
nal Nam sases mnii % heetiaiily
tasssi over Who's iltft Afo only ihfte
Judges arising forhaps fnn ihs iaei lhai
one " Ne judges hns been Interested lh 'hs
case, aud anoihor one slth OF absent
quorum may DO broken by lhe sickness OF
Two of ilw julges, which would not Vs ike
~ 10 be Tie case when lie humber Is ~
oroastd from three 70 i've.
We are incllned 10 believe that lhe es-
penses Incident 10 the Courts under the
new Consultation, will nof DO rs large as
Anticipated, aud that iley may be but liiilee
N any greater, than under the old u viii
be noticed that The amended Constitution
proyides, nthAl II shall DO the duty OF me
Legislature, at is FIRST session, and from
lime 10 time thereafter, 10 divide the state
into convenient Judicial Districts, 80 as 20
assign 10 each Judge, as near as praolicab|e,
tLirty.two weeks Of judicial labor per an
nun; and upon such division and assign
ment of labor, the District Judges and DIS
triet Attorneys Of these Districts which
NAV DO divided or parcelled out to olhes
Districts, shall theneeforlh cease to hold
their Offices II Is believed by those who
are conyersant with the subject that the
districts will be enlarged 10 such an extent,
that not moro than half the number OF DIS
triet Judges and District Atiornies VIII be
required that are atpresont employed. Our
talented contemporary of the Rnsk Observer,
takes the united salaries OF the officers un.
der the old and the new Constitution, ana
places them in tabular form, and shows
That the increase In amount is very little.
The conveniences and benefits Of thenew
system no one will deny, One thing Will
bs gained by the change in. the judiciary,
which has long been required. We reier
10 specdy public trials. There is nothing
that conduces 80 much TO the good morals
or credit Of community, as The SPEEDY ad-
ministration of Justice. The District Court
relieved Of over half tho business on the
civil and criminal dockets, will be able TO
transact the entire, business in half the
time hitherto employed, and without I'M
necessary haste, and to the great RELIEF oil
tho planters of the country, who have been
compelled to stay for weeks IN town at
heavy expense, at the most important sea-
sons of tho year. . ,--... 30 l.,,.,
The hest feature connected with the in
creased iurisdic tion Of the County Court
is, the facility given for the trial Of petty
larcenies and misdemeanors. This wiii be
of advantage. to all the coonties, but par
ticularly to those having a large negro
population. Many of them are likely to
become impoverished If the present state
Of things is long continued. This county,
for instance, has had. for the last eight
months from twenty to twenty-five negroes
in mil charged with petty crimes, who
have to be furnished ut the public expense,
with food, raiment, and medical attendance.
Many OF, them, where the amount stolen
was not over twenty dollars have cost the
in all probability, from one TO two
hundred dollars. 1t behooyes us 10 rid our
selves of this evil as soon as possible. The |
Legislature will no doubt provide for the
immediate trial of al snch cases. ,....
Thus it viii be seen that most, If not all
the complaints that are made against the |
new Constitution, have been greatly exag- !
gcrated, or have nojust foundation; that,
at all events, the uew Constitution posses
SEES several important features that renders |
it superior to the old. Under the circnm-
stances, it is at least worthy of trial. 1t
is. as we conceive better TO take it with its
defects, such as experience may prove them
to be, than to run the, hazard of calling an
other Convention, that would perhaps not
do so we'll, and might incorporate other
provisions that would be much more OBJ
l-.5a ,i.ff..fsis,, f..f =
. 1t may be justly remarked that it would
be impossible for any body Of men, howev-
err enlightcnedi to frame Constitution,
which would be generally approved. In
illustration of this fact, it will be remem-
bered that the first Constitution of Virgin
ia was framed by such men as, Randolph,
Madison, Monroe and jefferson. The Con-
vention was in session for months, and the
united wisdom of these great men was en-
ployed to frame an instrument in all its
parts. And yet such was the popular clam
or against it, that it came very near being
defeated. The reader of political history
is aware of the strenuous objections urged
against the Federal Constitutions; that it
was the subject Of much debate in all the
States of reluctant acquiescence by many
Of them, and thattwo of tho States refused,
for several years to enter the Union under
It. These facts should teach modcration.-
Errors in government are discovered by its
Experience is the great touch
stone; not the experience Of one man., or
number of men, but of n whole people
Defects must be taken singly, and discussed,
md the united wisdom of all, should pass
deliberate verdict as to radical changes
Where different course isadopted, and an
attempt is made to correct at once all tho
defects that may exist, many, imaginary
evils are brought forward, : aHd, supposed
benefits introduced, that prove toi be great
or evils than those sought to be remedied.
If We have shown then, that the new
is superior TO the old, and hat
we avoid, by its adoption, the hazard of the
of the existing military au-
thority over the people, and that we will
be aiding the President in his great work
Of restoring the State to its position in the
Union, as we think we have done conclu-
sively, the people would act very nnwisely;
in our judgment, to reject the work of the
Conventions. The radicals, in the State and
out of it, desire the people to vote down the
now Constitution, and that fact alone, will
entitle what we have said to respectful con-
bHaw3a aldil-g5ri iHmie