The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-19

property unlawfully taken from public lands
and subject to confiscation. Seizures have
been made Of said logs and O large and expen-
sive force of United States officials has taken
possession of said property and now holds the
same, thereby depriving several hundred Ia
borers of the means Of subsistence from the
proceeds of the same. The claimants of these
logs deny the sworn allegation of the govern
ment official that they were cut from public
land.
| In this state of the controversy both par
ties could obtain relief by bonding of the
property, the United States being saved the
heavy costs Of holding and guarding the
same, and the claimants, restored to the pos
session of the property, would no longer
be deprived Of their only means of live
lihood. The delay in obtaining the release on
bond which can only be granted by the Judge,
| creates the difficulty which has operated SO
| uniustly and harshly upon large class of
meritorious people. We're either of the
| United States judges here present, the matter
| could be arranged. But with both Judges
more than thousand miles away. it cannot
be done.
Similar difficulties have arisen in connection
with the seizure of q ship laden with cotton
which caught fire on its way down the river
and is claimed by the salyors, who have
seized the same. The proprietors Of the ship
and cotton desire to obtain possession of their
property and have applied to bond the same.
so that their trade and business may not be
interrupted and the rights of all parties
be properly secured. They, too, are com
PEELED to go to the extreme North to OBJ
fpin hoe fI,pis,
easy to estimate the large damage which may
result to all parties from the delay and OBJ
stacles in the way of obtaining this relief.
Again, in the case of Mrs. Gaines the de-
PENDANTS against whom judgments have
been rendered for their whole property have
applied to the Judge for appeals, and asked
that he determine the conditions of their
bonds as to amount OF the same. The Judge
has required such application to be made
within sixty days after the adjournment of
the court. Otherwise the judgments are to
become final and edgible. It is difficult to
perceive how the jud ge can satisfactorily hear
and determine their applications, without
being present to examine the reports of the
Master in Chancery and investigate the
validity and solvency Of the bondsmen
These Incidents ought to demonstrate the
great need there Is of some amendment of
our judicial system which will secure the
presence of some representative of the United
States judicial authority here to grant inter
vening and relief orders in chambers during
the vacation Of the courts. Our State courts
are always represented through q require
ment OF the law, by some one of the judges
with concurrent jurisdiction and full power to |
grant such relief in all suits and proceedings |
before them. Now that by acts of Con-
gress so large portion of their jurisdiction |
has been absorbed by the Federal courts it is
certainly due to our people that there should |
be no such hiatus in the exercise of that iuris- |
diction as is created by the non-residence of
the judges, who alone are invested with the
same.