New-York tribune., 1869-02-27
fair chance of their being adopted As the Commit
tee will probably report in few days will not in
al

fair chance of their being adopted. AS the Commit
tee will probably report in few days, will not IN
dulge in prOphesy.
The bill to increase the salaries of the Judges OF
the Supreme Court by adding $1,000 20 each making
the salary of the Chief $780, and of the Associates
$1,000 failed in the House. by 5S to 196. An attempt
will be made to give them 81 600 apiece per annum,
In the shape of an allowance for travelling expenses
and bench and bar are so clamorous that tins may
succeed The Judiciary Committee deserve credlt
for introducing bill enarging the opportunities lor
Jurors and Judges to inform themselves as 70 tno
facts of the they called on to try Ihefe s
no more melancholy spectacle than that OF 1uuso
of Court ruling, one OF dozen times q u"''
and day after day, that man or woman VINO 10,
sires to give him or the Jury information shan
not be allowed to do 80. The bill reler
to provides that parties in all civil actions including
probate and insolvency proceedings, and equty anu
divorce SUITS shall be competent witnesses for tnem
selves OF any other party, and IN any sucn case III
which husband or wife is party they may TESTIFY
for or against each other except as private
sation with each other; and in criminal cases. tho
husband or wife of the accused person SNAIL at tno
request of the defendant but not otherwise Dc COM
petent witness, except as TO private conversations
with each other-the neglect or refusal to make hus
AGAINST the defendant Attesting Witnesses TO o VIII
not 70 be ipcuded in the principle of the first section
The first intimaton of opposition to this bill
came from the New Bedford people, who SAID
II was designed to meet Hetty Robinsons
case. Hetty Robinson, now Mrs. Green has law
suit involving two or three million dollars, more or
less which, it Is supposed will go against her De-
cause she is not allowed to testify and hence IL Is
surmised there is anxiety the part OF somebody 10
pass an act to meet her case. The Judiciary Com-
mittee being ignorant of any such plot, readily as
sented to an amendment, providing that no cases
now pending should be affected by the act; but no
this would not do because Mrs. Green's present suit
might be dropped and new one brought. Nobody
gave any reason why Mrs. Green should not be al
lowed to testify; but she is unpopular in New
Bedford and everywhere else, and an outery Oh TINS
II Judge Clifford, or Judge Lowell, OF the full
bench at Washington, feel themselves unable 10
weigh and sift Hetty Robinsons testimony, IL is
perhaps well that their inexperience should De
shielded by an absurd rule of law; but otherwlse
do not see why this testimony should not be received
The next argument adduced by old togyism was that
living people ought not to be allowed to TESTIFY
against dead ones. This solictude for the rights OF
dead men, especially when live ones so much need 10
have their rights fortified. strikes me very qneeriy.
And pray let mo ask why live men should notbe
entitled TO testify against dead men as weL as
dead men against live ones. Our Supreme Court
frequently decides cases by citing what soIheDody
said or did O thousand years ago-somebody the
parties to the cases heard of beore and If the
objection made is good one, it is good against all
attempts to contest wills or TO settle dead mems
estates Finally, and rs last resort some OF the
lawyers told with dse energy and emphasis of sey-
eral cases which had happened, or might possibly
happen in which the new law might, could, wonld,
OF should work badly. And it was in vain to show
that the law of exclusion works wrong and always;
as every stupid and false theory OF action must and
the bill was rejected. OF course 1T viii pass before
long.