Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-02-08
OHIO CoNsTIT CONVENTION

est on its bonds. Negley, of Pennsylvania
has the honor Of having presented il.
OHIO CONsTITUTIONALC CONVENTION.
Mn. Editor.-Bs!t very short tsps now inter
vencs before the people will assemble TO elect
id,legatcs to Constitutional Convention, pro-
| yilcd for by the Legislature ofour State. The
delegates TO that Convention will assemble,
representing the expi cssed wishes Of the peo.
| pie, for changes or amendments 10, the Consti-
Tuition. What arc these changes or amend
ments TO be- ....
/ Although the Subtect Of o. Constitutional
Convention has been frequently spoken of dur
ing the past two years. / do MOI remember
noticing any discussion in our public journals
as to what particular amendments aHe propos
ed or desired.
Having lived ip be State Of Ohio over forty
years, and always having given what attention
| could to the workings of our Constitutions,
beth old and new, i think lhave noticed some
defects which require amendment In conse
qnenee of the greatly changed condition of the
population aud business OF our State. In the
few short articles l propose TO write, If nay
health will permit, and you will furnish me n
little space in your paper. will not claim any
superior knowledge above my neighbors !;
neither shall attempt any elaborate style OF
writing but simply indite my thoughts in the
PLAIN, blunt language of an old farmer, only
hoping that some ADLER pen will take up the
subject and treat y IN u npnner lis importance
deserves. a...
1t viii be evident that L cannot GO ial0, ex,
tended argument 10 establish beyond doubt,
any proposition may offer. l shall content
myself mainly, With a few suggestions, and
leave IL to others to find the reasons, pro and
con, as their judgpssnt may dictate.
l. And flrst Rpropose TO- speak Of our
JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
Any one who has lrequeally attended the
sitlings of our Courts of Common Pleas could
not fail To- notice the vexMion, delay. uad in.
creased costs to litigants In consequence Of the
uncertainty as to when a particular case will
be reached. Parties frequently have TO stay
many days. with host Of Witnesses, afraid 10
leave lest their case lose It's place onihe Calen.
dRr. But beyond the vexaton and delay and
the extended Bill of Costs on the Docket, the
great loss of time, wasted in hanging for days
|
the moral aspect of the question: Is II still
h stronger reason for some change that will rem.
edy this dsiect ~ our Courts, us now organ.
izrd
, Ordinarily, there oughb TO be no reason why
an unfortunate liligant In our Courts of Com
mon Pleas, might not go TO Court with. the
, same cerlainy Of reaching his case on the day
assigned for It's trial, rs he Is In Court before
Justice OF the Peace
THE. REMEDY
First, I would strike out that provision In
the Constitution which divides the State into
Judicial Districts and give the Legislature full
| power TO organize the bwer Courts, but pro-
yiding that there shall be one Common Pleas
Judge elected in each county,
This would do awny with The great gather
ings attending Court terms !" fpr the Judge
should be- required to hold Court whenever a
. case was ready for trial, and he could clear his
Docket, and could forever prevent any accu
mutation to Gauss delay and have half his time
to spare.
Next, l. would abolish the Office Of Probate
Judge, (saydng, perhaps, few counties having
large ciles,) and return the business TO the
A Common Pleas Court. where 1t was originally
: transacted. The Common Pleas Judge, hav'
Ing only the law business OF one county
!, would have ample time 10 attend to the Pro
!. bate business also. Here would he asaving o
!, expense In the salaries OF the Probate Ihdges
n and the building of offices, more than sutii
: Client to.coyer the increased expense In the sal
: aries OF tue additional Common Pleas Judges
/ do not go Into. detail to provide for Clrcui
Courts, the seleoiiDn,of Jurors, SC. ! think |
will DO conceded that the Common Plea
u Judges would have as.much time as now /,
a attend Circuit Courts, and counsel could strlk
!" aud select Juricswilh the same facility an
" satisfaction, as isnow prnGilcsd before Justice
Of the Peace
=, There Is an evil attending ournresent Jhr
- system, which has long been noticed by man,
~ A pannel jsscleclec fora term Of Court FIR
" quen,ly FOL several days they are compelled
= bitapd listen 10 the progress Of q oase, al
le then perhaps spend sleepiess night in. I
ay honest endeayor 10 agree upon verdict
ed Il Coming ipto Court with their verdict, at
III, layery brief. respite, apd.sometimesnope at a
Of they are returned 10 the Jury box, there 70, !
Ar- peat what they have jpst passed through, Al
fe- TO continue this process for three or 70
Il weeks IL II any wonder that jury III
Ia harIasssd, worried, and exhausted, should
M come 0apelsss aud. Indifferent, Of the matt
Ter passing beioSs themt Give US, II desitedi
fresh Jury In every important case. What