Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-01-08
The Sharp Blade of Revolution
The Advocate of a JeIfreys Ju-
dietary. .t'.
from the National Intelligenccr.l


In Mondays Chronicle there is an attempt
to disprove the fitness of courts for the
purposes of Justice. The decision of the
Miligan case is denounced with violent
objurgation, for having been made accord
ing to law, and the line of argument fitting
ly turns on reform with the sharp blade
of revolution" -.G. .....-EJl. ... i
Among the charges upon which hangs
such monstrous threats of treason, is that
participants in the rebellion 20 unhung.
The writer knows that juries find guilty >.
under the Constitution of the Republic, and
that Judges and prosecuting council donot.
Surely, since he knows the judges and
lawyers are not to blame, we cannot mis-
take the aim of one who thus dares to ad-
vocate the overthrow of trial by jury
with the sharp blade of revolution"
He quotes Lord Brougham upon law re-
form but the greatest glory of the COM
mon law is its reforming itself through
Lord BrOugham and other lawyers and
Judges. Such advocate reform of the
law according to the law. Would he have
dared, had he been SO wicked or so ignor-
ant to have stood in the British Parlia-
ment or on the bench and advocated a re-
form of the technicalities of practice (tor
that was all, by the sharp blade of revolu-
tion?" How soon that law he was for
reforming" would have brought him to
its bar unreformedl 1t was he that quoted,
in that very House of Parliament, the lofty
eulogium of Hooker on the law:
Her seat is the bosom of God, and her
voice the harmony of the world. All things
in heaven and earth do her homage; the
very least as feeling her care and the great
est as not exempted from her power.
Thus the witness introduced by the work.
ers of this mischief borrows, to confound
them, the most exalted and enthusiastic
Characterization that has ever beenuttered,
| in which to pronounce his own reverence
| for that which, true to its own genius he
was seeking to perfect. Such is the senti-
ment of q law reformer-not as exhibited
| BY the Chronicle, ina quotation from joker
| and wit, but as proclaimed by himself on
ali august OCCASION. But here this science,
'swhose seat is the bosom of God," must be
stricken to the dust by the ''sharp blade of
revolution !" And instead thereof, we are
to desire the high commission, with its
| Jeffreys, its summary proceedings" its
dark and CORY anguish. The following from
1 Macaulay's History of9iEngland, vol. 2,
| page 20, contrasted with the practice of the
| Supreme Court of the United States, feebly
shows to what we are invited:
GAS soon as the commission had been
| opened the Bishop of London was cited be-
4 fore the new tribunal. demand
1 of YOU, said Jeffreys, direct and positive
answer-why did you not suspend DR..
| Sharp?5Hd tA JiFHH u Hf, fr'
.The Bishop requested copy of the
commission in order that he might know
by what authority he was thus interrogat-
| ed. If you mean, said dJeffreys, to dispute
/ our authority, shall take another course
with you. AS to the commission, do not
4 doubt that you have seen 1t. Atall events,
! YOU may see 1t in any coffee-house for a
! penny. He then returned to the
point This, he said, is not court In
which written charges are exhibited. Our
| proceedings are summary and by word OF
mouth. The question is a plain one. Why
j did YOU not obey the King?
] o9sWhetl the case had been heard 1t was
evident to all men that the Bishop had
1 done only what he was bound to do y"
i Compton (the Bishop was suspended from
all spiritual functions, and the charge OF his
great diocese was committed to his judges,
Sprat and Crewe." ,U'h,
For this, we are to believe the great
\ sword of the Union was 1eshed in the boz
4 SONS of our kindred. For this quarter OF
4 q million of our youth, our strength, and
our manhood perished in the pride of aland
4 of law and liberty. For this the survivor
7 yet llmpSv IOr InlS Ine TeDelS poWeu evWn
\ for this the world stands in aver In q
I, word, for a judicature which does not show
I its commissioners upon a plea to ju-
I risdiction, takes "another course with the
party-which deals not. in written docu-
Inents, but where all proceedings are ''sum.
mary aud by word of mouth, IA tribunal
oyerwhich none but detectives or theirmas.
ters could endure to preside; for such We
are to draw the "sharp blade ofrevOlution,
and stab to, death the Supreme Court Of tbs
United States! '-A eF" HA