Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-10-02

conscience to err. and single mill L
be tyranical. Despotisri is e,il be
cause it is liable to abuse. As nation.
learned the Importance of the legisla
tive, judicial and executive functions
they found that it was necessary sha
they should be separated.
The history Of Legislation is a rec.
ord Of human error and presumption
From time to time codes have been en-
acted and passed away the very ma.
tions that founded them have disap,
peared, Infdelity to divine law is
their infrmity. There has been in al
countries judicial blindness to the law
Of God. There has been ignorance
and presumption in laws. Man has
never wholly risen from his brute ma.
trre. Wealth. has oppressed poverty
the strong and selfish the weak, and
all the infirmities of humanity have
helped to distort the law In letters
of blood have man s follies bee1 written.
Man is incompetent and fckle, and
there turks in all legislation know1-
edge Of his failirgs. He neglects
morality for expedioncy. He has to
confront error His laws have been
experiments. The wisdom of ages should
outweigh personal dogmas
Personal rights the order and well
fare of society, rest in the common
law. lthas guided the country through
many perils and a'4ed civilization, and
we owe much Of what we now have to
common law. 1t needs amendment,
but this and its twin sister, the civil
law, have been the noblest aids to civil
ization. Pert and fippant innovation
should not be allowed to lay hands up
on it. This state suffers from this in
novation to-day. Pleadings which
rested on She common law were logical.
There were defects that should have
been weeded cut but the system should
not have been swept away. 1t has
been abolished and code and mischief
vous theory has been introduced which
has increased litigation and impeded
justice. Its yaunted simplicity is a
cheat, it is a wilderness Of errcr and a
fraud
The incompleteness of law implies
its mutability. Rarely is law as COM
prehensive as the needs of society.
This is Judging municipal law by the
standard OF perfection. When We
compare the present with the past, we
see the great progress man has made
When we look to the future we see
what work there is to do.
With all its shortcomings, law is
our only security. Society scolds, but
relies on it. Mans love of change
grows with cililization. In the most
civilized nation the law is the most alb
struse and complicated. Law is seal
ed book to most, Upon thorough
knowledge Of law depends the safety
of society. Many think society could
dispense with its machinery. But the
number Of criminals captured is not
the test of it's efficacy The number
of the enemy that the sentinel shoots
does not Indicate the Importance of his
services or the forces of the foe
In free countries the administration
of the law Is the law. Independent Of
this, the judicial is useless and The ex-
ecutive despottc. Society has set apart
a body Of wise men to interpret the law
They stand charged with the hcly offic
of administering Gods justice among
men. This was the duty to which the
young men OF the law class were as
signed. The address was in vain if he
had not made manifest the high nature
Of the duties they had to perform.
They were charged with the peaceful
protection of right, with maintaining
the good order of society. All liberty
and right gave way before brute force.
He had the honor Of saying in the
court during the war, and he now sai9,
that no country was free where the bar
was not stronger than the army. One
the brutal, the other the
licCllCSbudl. w T. SHOulu liloiHh Nou iOl
the return Of peace.
Law is not trade, but a science.
1t is not road TO wealth. 1t is IA jeai-
Gus mistress. Great lawyers most al
ways die poor. Whac we call the
learned professions are not always the
roads to wealth. A good lawyers life
is usually spent in refined poverty. 1t
was his duty to obey God in the service
of society; to minister to His justice
to serve man by dilligent study; to
protect society. and defend the rights
of man. A lawyer should have high
Of character and Inherent in
tegrity to justice and right, a generous
sympathy with man and reliance in
God Character without high intellect
was a greater power for good than high
without character. Truth and
can do more good than trick
cry. The general law is duty--not sue
cess
The problems of justice can hardly
be decided in solitary study. Forensic
debate is essential. The bench symbo-
Lies divine justice on earth. When he
was younger he conld declaim against
judicial corruption but could not now
1t is too sad. The judge who is cor