The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-04-08

Superior Court.
The first term of the Superior Court for Cum
be,land County began Tuesday morning at ten
o'clock, Judge Goddard presiding.
The opening exercises were very appropriate
and interesting. After the reading OF the Act
which establishes this new Tribunal and an el-
oquent prayer by Rev. Mr.. Bailey of the First
Parish Church. Mr. Symonds, in behalf of the
Bar, made an elegant address, which we ap-
pend, and also the reply of Judge Goddard.
REMARKS OF Mr. sYMoNDs. at
May at please Your Honor IL think it would
be against the wishes Of the members of the
Bar who are present this morning. and at the
ZANE time departure IRON what Is due to the
occasion, if we were to allow this first term of
the Superior Court to open without word Of
congratulation upon the favoring auspices
which attend it.
We stand to-day, may it please the Court, at
point where consummation long and de-
vouily wished has been attained. It is now
several years since the Docket of the Supreme
Court here became so large as 10 prevent the
early trial of causes, and IN many instances 10
render the delays OF justice SO. great as to be
almost equivalent TO its deIeat. 10 devise The
best method OF remedying the evil, has for h
tDHS lliue dttIdClGu lIlG dllGutlOu vi the OAR,
till at last The movement in that direction as
,umed torn in the Effort to establish Superior
Court for Cumberland County. That effort
from the outset has been a success.
1t was fortunate in the inception of the
movement that the labor of preparing the bill
was referred TO Committee representing the
best learning and ability of the Bar ana that that
Committee succeeded so well in adapting the
provisions of the bill to the purposes tor which
1t was designed and to the varied and conflict
ing interests affected by it. ls
1t was fortunate too that the bill became
law without material alteration, without any
alteration ofimportance except in regard to
its criminal jurisdiction, and Tor this as is well
known, we ale largely indebted to the ability
and good judgment of our Representatives at
Augusta, who had the bill more particularly
IN charge. s3@ 5rs
And, if the Court please, / cannot refrain
from continuing my statement of the uni
form success which has attended the Court
thus far, by adding, that, fortunately for the
Court and for the Bar, His Excellency. the
Governor. soon after the passage of the bill,
ISSUED to Your Honor commission to sit as
first justice OF the new Court.
In behalf of members of the Bar who are
present beg to congratulate Your Honor up
on the favorable omens which attend the OPEN
ulS Vi the SOurl ana the accession OF your
Honor to The Bench, and to express their entire
confidence in the success of the Court, during
the period in which Your Honor shall continue
to preside.
congratulate the Bar and their clients as
well that we now have a Court, with broad
jurisdiction, sitting during very large por-
lion of the year and affording every facility for
the immediate despatch of business.
|, May the Court fulfil the high expectations
hich are entertained concerning it, rendering
ne administration of the law in this County
Aore prompt and effective, in its civil jurisdc-
Won holding the scale of justice with even
poise, moved only by the weight of evidence
and of authority. enlightened by reason, and
sensitive always to those, and in lis jurisdiction
of crimes tempering justice with mercy, but SO
enforcing the laws to make good IN new
application the truth OF the old lines,