The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-12-05
cENrRAL1z1Ne THE SUPREME COURT.


stand the matter, this is the revival OF pre-
.Iiect of few Chicago lawyers, Introduced Int
Tho legislature last winter to be pushe
through without consulting the people c
their own section
The movement seems to be more Cnicag
affair than in the Springfield interest; as al
events, Is mainly intended to help few
Chicago lawyers.
There are several features about the prop
ositien 70 which We feel like Directing, Us a
present advised In the first place, we objec
to the Capitalization in all Its forms. We be
lieve in government " of the people for tn
people" The Judiciary Department OF GU
government ought not TO be made an excep
ton, and an anomoly in our system, Inc
courts ought not to be removed SO far irom' OF
elevated SO high above, the common peopie
as to render them less accessible TO the hum
blest and poorest, than 10 the Wealthie'
classes.
Any change in our judiciary which 'enas
to increase the necessary expenses OF ilt!ga
ton goes Just so far toward closing the doors
of the courts against the poorer classes, IN
Guiding business men, operatives, miners ahu
all common laborcrs. \ proposition TO eH
clude all these classes from the privileges o.
the courts by direct legislation would be an
outrage upon every sentiment OF right and
iustice that would excite an instant popular
protest An act which would have the same
effect indirectly would be no less wrong for
which the perpetrators ought TO be held to
account. Whatever else may be done to at.
feet our judicial system, this one point must
be guarded. The courts must be open at all
times and made accessible TO every citizen
within their several jurisdictions. In no
other manner can popular rights be secured,
This end can neither be secured nor promoted
by Capitalization. On the contrary, central
izaton would have the opposite effect To
the Supreme Court 10 a quarter dis
tant from the people would inevitably in
crease the expense Of appeals, and only cases
OF certain magnitude or importance, IN a
point OF view, could be taken up
Such is not the true intent of our constitution,
or the true aim OF Il correct and liberal sys
TEN OF Jurisprudence.
Most happily for the state OF Illinois, her
government was not organized at the first on
the plan Of centralizlng public interests or
The wisdom Of the policy which
determined the distribution of our state nsti-
tutons cannot be questioned. All of them are
better and more economically managed than
they would be under the plan Of centraiza-
ton, and IN all points Of view are more salts
factory to the people. So Of the Supreme
Court. At the time Of the division of the
state into three grand divisions il was deemed
A wise movement, and one in exact con
iormity to the theory of our state government.
4 change of the court in this respect would
be the first steps backward, and would com
NIT the legislature to a policy when is
equally applicable to all other state institu-
tons, and would open up subjects Of legisla-
ton winch could not fail TO cost the state
hundreds Of thousands, if not millions Of
dollars.
The Court of the Northern Grand Division
must be regarded in some sense local inter
est, and it may well be considered doubtful
whether the people Of this section will sur
render il without "A struggle, if they come to
see the matter in its true light We append
an eycelen. article on this subject which we
find in Saturdays Joliet Rep"J}icaa:
The SUPREME COuRT.-The question o!
the three grand divisions Of the
Supreme Court of this state at Springfield,
is being agita,ed again by some OF the mem.
bcrs OF the bar of Chicago. The Bar AssOCi-
alton of that city have adopted a set of rcsolu-
tons iavoring the scheme, and ii is hiNted
that they expect the country members" to
help them in the matter.
We confess our inability TO perceive any
advantage TO accrue TO the country members
of the bar of Illinois from the adoption of
this measure. To consider, il looks very
much as il consolidation might mean monop-
oily. One Of the natural results OF uniting the
three Grand Divisions, at any one place,
would he inevitably, 10 build up few Su-
preme Court Lawyers in that place.
Such would certainly be the effect in case
OF removal TO Springfield, for the reason that
the larger par, OF the business would then bc
taken to point too remote for the conven.
fence of local attorneys. The expense of
transacting business of the Northern Grand
Division would be very greatly increased,
and the usual delay arising from the aggre.
CATION of a large amount OF business at a
single point would occur, to the grea; and
lasting inconvenience of our people
This subject is one which ought to be well
considered before anything is done. As Il
local interest OF this part OF the state, itwould
seem that the people would not give il up,
unless they are Obliged to- Our members of
the legislature ought to oppose the project
from the start-joIiet RtpHjiir7~
SHERIDAN MANUFACTURERS CO.