The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-01-18


Or have some chartered lawyer blo,o yol
off the stool.
Sand bars, iron bars, wooden bars bar
of gold and silver and lead bars O
gin cocktails and brandy smashes; bar'
of justice and bars of colors,-as the
bars and stars of the Southern Confedera
cy,which broke from their constellation and
went under to rise no more. have moi
had the usual fee which binds man
that is lawyer, which sometimes means
the same thing-to contend against that
very justice which he assumes to be
searching after, so shall be at liberty to
speak for or against plaintiff or defendant,
witness or lawyer, as see proper. By
what I have said you may see my Lee
ture is at the bar known as the bar of
justice.
By referring to the origin Of the word,
bar, you will find it was applied to the
courts before it was applied to the bar of
bottles. AS there is usually considera-
Bile of wrangle at a country Court bar l
suppose Bachus thought it would be a
most applicable name for his headquar-
ters, and rather think he exercised wis
dom, for once, in this respect. Perhaps
also he considered the opening of has bar
as an auxiliary leading in the most direct
route to the other If he meant this l
second his judgment again, for bar-ten-
ders and saloon keepers are always well
represented at Courts, either as defend.
ents or witnesses.
[ think when Bachus made the dedi-
cation he should have put it the "6ar of
danger" so we mi ght have distiction
between it and the bar of Justice. But
l suppose he meant that his "the bar"
should have precedence over every other
bar, as it is used without prefix.
A Court of justice should be place
held not one whit less sacred than a
church, or a place of the most solemn
worship. 1t should be the aim of all to
reach a judgment which the God above
would ratify. But is this the case? Is
it not plain that witnesses too often give
in an evidence which is biased towards
one side or the other so plainly visible
that it is painful to the thinking specta-
tori Prevaricate on the witness stand !,
1t is awful Sir, in the eyes of Heaven,
you are an accomplice in the crime you
are endeavoring to screen another from
If witness tells plain matter of fact,
without trying to tell more than he knows,
he need not fear cross examination from
any lawyer. AS soon as his evidence
shows that he is trying to tell a one 81
ded story he runs into difficulty and finds
himself half way into purgatory and wish
es himself all the way in before he is per-
mitted to leave the stand. Does wit
ness think he is bound to tell favorable
story for certain party because he was
subpeuaed by that party? Poor fool,
will you criminate yourself in this man.
ner when it is your duty to God and
man to the Court and yourself to tell
the whole truth, and as plainly and frank
ly as possible? The issue may be life or
death it may be liberty and innocence
or the prison and infamy, and yet wit
ness on the stand gives in his testimony
in spirit of levity, gives indirect answer
tries to be witty; not at all considering
the solemnity of an oath or the interests
at stake This is mocking Justice and
making infamy less Infamous, whilst eve
ry word and act in the Court room shoult
tend to impress with the awfulness o
crime and its certain punishment.
The witnesses have all been heard tht
, cross-examinations- which the lawyers
seemed more anxious toforce men to per
lure themselves than to see truth prevail
are over and the counsel rise up Il
wordy personal encounter. Instead o
laying before the jury truthful and con
else synopsis of the evidence there Il
impeachment of witnesses, personnel sfurs
bsisterous harrangues, each side telling
the jury that the other has advanced nj
argument. If an attorney would conhn
himself to the points of law in question
he would find his hour quite long enougl
to tell his story, and [ think ne woul'
find that such course would be most t
his advantage before jury. Every law
yer of note follows this plan, and this
the plan that raises to an attorney OF note
, In the first law suit of which we have an,
record Satan plead his own case, am
though he lost the suit don't see bu
what it would be best and fairest for plain