The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-01-25
Law Reform.
We are entering ON new social Al

y knowledge of laws and legal INSTITUTIONS
gGwgere more needed than at the present
time. 1t is of vital Importance that
the law and the administration OF the
law should be conformed to the new ele
ments of progress which the conflicts o.
passions, interests and opinions or prip-
ciples, as they are called, have brought
II TO light, and which have been the con-
l flict of this age. From the confusion
n around us the elements of a future har-
- mony and progress should be evolved
The political majority require this LOT
z their OWE future security, for any tyran'
y nv which brushes or Expresses the minor
ity to-day, is the same tyranny which VIII
crush the whole in the operations OF gov
eminent in the next and all future gen.
erstions. The majority of to-day is'the
same mass of human beings who are TO
be governed tomorrow, and next year.
and throughout all coming time, in their
posterity. The children of the next gen
+ Grafton will be the descendants OF those
who are in mutual conflict now they will
inherit the same laws and institutions IN
common the legislators, the judges, wit
nesses, Jurors, lawyers, preachers, artl-
zaps, laborers will be the common
descendants of one and the same people
Temporary passions, local and personal
differences of opinion on the subjects OF
temporary and deeting present should not
prevail to the injury and prejudice OF the
qreatinterests of the future or tho vel
fare Of the whole, and that whole COM
posed of the common descendants, who
ia tho next and IN all succeeding genera
lions shall be of one blood and
one kin, enjoying the same laws
and free institutions or subjected
TO the Same despotism and tyranny As
now lnembe of the same household are
in temporary aHtagOnisrn, yet the next
generation, as We arc now, viii be ore
neople governed b. the same laws, con
forming to the same institutions, and
SINKING or swimming in the same tot
tom so If peace ana harmony are ever
desirable the Laws ana institutions
should be equal and alike Ifthere hare
been causes of controversy heretofore,
these cannot be perpetUated, and il they
could they should not be 1t is neither
the part ola christian or statesman
TO perpetuate them Ton and | differ IN |
politics, in religion, in social interests, II
you please, but your child and mine 1riH
intermarry, and i'll legsalng IN an eA |
elusive form yon prepare chains and bit
terness for your child and your descend |
ents We cannot keep apart FIVE would.
and we should not if we could Nature
abhOrs it, and Almighty God has so IN |
terwoven our destinies that that which |
one set does today for the injury of any |
portion Of the people will involve to-mor- |
row his own dearest affections and most |
permanent interests, and those interests
deyolye on the coming future of his race.
Bad and nwise men fol temporary pnr-
poses may seek to perpetnate the quar-
rels of the Montagues, and the Capnlets;
What talk of peace l hate the word
AS hate hell, all Montague, and thee
They may succeed; but from this spirit |
comes brawls, discord and the confusions |
of States, until all honest men shall say
Eye on both your houses Let all
good men therefore mite SO that ont of
our present confusions We may construct
a more wholesome system Of laws, a
more free and simple form of procedure
in the administration. and institutions,
which, by engaging the affections and
interest of all, shall secure their perma
nence We speak now, rather of legal
reform than of political legislation yet
these are so united and inter mixed at
every step that they must be harmonized
and coincident If q difference of races |
aud political organizations founded
thereon has produced. in the lapse of
time, such dire and bitter results, results
more dire aud bitter and confusions
more COMPOUNDED will flow from the per
D6ludblOll VI uOStliillGS beiN tGll Hlcu |
and women of the same race. Let us
provide for that future in which ali shall
have common patrmouy of good laws,
wise institutions and the utmost free,
dom of action consistent with the wis
dom, Intelligence, virtue ana manifold
welfare of all
We brought with us the Common
Law of England aud its special forms
and amusing technicnlities. They were
of such character as, perhaps wisely, to
answer their purpose in their day. But
their day is passed and the progress of
jurisprudence in every State in the
Union and in the courts of the United
States hes cast off many of the forms of
pleading, many Of the legal principles,
especially of evidence>and the whole ju-
risprUdence of the country has been rem
ovating itself by more comprehensive
doctrines, simpler forms of procedure
and wiser methods of admin istration; ,
lint Ivbot- 10 remarE oi,ta VIRGINIA opJ | .