, 1875-03-31

Contrast Of tho Power Of the Courts
and the Press,
THE STOREY LIBEL AND CONTEMPT
1IE FREss AND THE COURTS.

| CASE.
! TIE PREss AND THE COURTS.
To ne Editor af The Chicago Tribune:
| CHICAGO, March g0.--1'le great Importance Of
tho stotoy contempt case consists In the fact
that from tho position Of tho defendant and tbo
humber and Influence Of Lis friends, II In likely
to become extcnsisoly known and considered,
md 10 will lead large portion Of the comuuni-
~ to investigate and reflect upon tho rights Of
Ito courts and Of the pfenB In Cases wiletc they
inay como in conflict, Or ono sAal1 attempt to In
tertcre With the other. and 80 1t 1east we mhy
hopc that good may resnlt.
Mil YOU allow simple private citizen to eay
word OIL the subject, now willie tho poopte aro
ln tue proccss Of forming judgmsnt1 Lat ns
not forget that the judicial ia tu truth tho weak
est Of ell tbs departments Of the Government,
and, may add, Of all the institutions Of rociety,
Iho modern rrees III tho mos. powerful OF alI. Ii
nas,n s,as 10" Dccome profession enrolling 10 It's
tho inost learned. It npeaks daily 10 aImoht
every citizen In tho 1AnJ and 10 bccones llis
cnnnHelor in everyday life. Ills companion,
tho most powerful Of ali positions III t!,iA coun-
try, and but for tho nntagon,sms Of tho psesH
THIS power would become nbEoIutey dangerous,
though editors were better and pu1or thnn tho
average ii mankind.
Tho courts havo no bucl. strength. 4 large
minority of mankind mover sec or hour them, Sr
but very seldom nt tho mort. propriety forbi1s
them to 10 constantly appealing to The pubic
have la i'll the moral support OF tho public, aris.
Ing from their acta aud department, and
not from thcls words and solicitations, and from
the general appreciation Of the fact that, In q
rcnas upon tho integrity and ealcicncy Of lilo
judiciary. And this integrity must not ouy
exist in fnct, but it must DO generally believed
to exist for II loss of confdcuce III the courts is
scarcely leha disahtrous to tie public than loss
Of integrity.
Nowhere cIso cnn great talent make ittelf 40
great and powerful aH in tho newspaper, for no.
"llero else can It find 20 broad ticld It ia not
VERY long since 1t acquired practical couLrol
Of tic Executive Departments of the Govern.
,ncnt, aud many rejecting men haso anxiouBly
looked for tho time wien eerious attennt
would be made to get control Of tho Judicial DO
pattment a. well. do not believe that time
las como, for I do not believe tha. tlio many
great mon Of the rresA will ioin what now beei,s
~ 10 manitestly euc1 MI attempt ou tho ra.l Of
one. OF OF very few ut mort. Thoy know that
ttoy hayo rights 10 be protoc:cd ~ vel! as
others. anu at Inst tho courts n'ono atand
between them aud licentious violence,
which, when oncc raiguins, will ayoep
them down with all else that is good
~ society: Whatcyor oster departments may do,
Ito judiciary can submit to no control, e1cept
Iy principle and integrity. without Its practical
destruction. Let tho pEo.s control 1t lot parsy
control 1t let CLASSES, denominations OF rartic-
nlaf lhduastlea control IT, nud it Ceases to be
Judiciary. aud becomes an interest ntlI nero
instrument, and il You aud do mot happen to
DO on tho right eide, 1t is time for III to .'s,cp
down and out"
In siew OF the acknowledged power pos.esscd
pr tho press, suGgeAt whethor it doca not be-
hoove you, ono and all, to ING it With moderation
aud discretion. 1n general, 4 conxcousness Of
great power leads to moderation 10 lis exercise,
It would 10 1auentabla to see the whole presB OF
tue country ranging itself against Tho courts, for
that III now tho point to which tho whole thing Is
reduced. Are tho laws to 10 administered nc
cordng to lilo hsdding Of the press, or "a hereto
1oro according to the pronptings Of Integrity ?
Aro tho Judges to be tho cringsng slaves ct the
prcas ever wrlthtng nndor the editorial lash, or
At least listening to the crack OF the whip, or
shall they continuo to decide inparsa!1y between
tho ricl, and tho roor tho weak and tho strongly
DO tclievo that tho great body Of the editorial
talent Of this country would nee tho danger OF
such rcsult, and would soorn to occupy xuch a |
position, and will condemn the assumption by |
any one. They viii. .Btil! prefer government Of
laws, as fatlv administered as human Informs
ton sill admit. to government BY the presa in t
defiance Of law.
With your lcarc, l Mill tomorrow address |
fow words to my fellow-citizonB OH tho legal ns-
pect Of tho caRo, and tho rcaaons why Tic law |
should 10 "a boliere It il, and, wcro It o.hcr-
wise, society you'd bo failure. CITIZEN.