New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-19

An ancient ease has been dragged up for final adj
justment in the Philadelphia courts this week, be-
side which Jarndyce against Jarndycc was young
and immature. About one hundred and fifty years
ago, one Peter Grub discovered iron ore Lebanon
County, and opened a mine. One-sixth of this
mine was afterwards sold by the Grubbs to an Irish
laborer named Coleman; the Grubbs reservng TO
themselves the right to enter upon the premises
forever after, and TO take enough iron ore there
from for the supply Of any one furnace" At that
time the ore was smelted with charcoal wooden
bellows turned by water power furnishing the
blast. The heirs of the GTubbs contend that they
have the right to sufficient ore to run furnace,
with modern improvements, steam engines, hot
blast, etc. ETC., which have increased the capacity
ten-fold The Colemans have fought back this hot
mouthed enemy which, Ike Pantagruel, has a
bigger nav with every year, for generations, until
Judge and lawyers and jury before whom the case
was first brought are all food for worms. There
does not seem to DO law or common sense enough in
any generation to decide what is meant by " ore
enough for any one furnace" The letter Of the law
will probably carry the case. Nothing is so sacred
AZ an old grant or custom in Philadelphia. Witness
whole blocks Of houses in crowded thoroughfares,
held down to one story by Pean's deeds The very
lawyers 90 about with green bags, inherited from
the benchers of Queen AIMS time and the bakers
cut a wooden tally at each door every morning.
Those loud Democrats of New jersey who expect
TO manage Governor Mcclellan, are Boosting that all
the Republican Judges. whether on the Supreme
Bench or in the lower Courts, whose terms
will expire during the next Administration.
are to be replaced by orthodox Demo-
Gratis. This is attractive programme for
lewd fellows of the baser Sort but perhaps the Gen
~ Oh Wi
hesitate before nauguraiug in New-Jersoy The sys-
tenn of purely partisan judiciary. Among the best
citizens Of that State there is respect for the courts
which party malice has never yet been able to I'M
dermine. The removal for example, of a iurist SO
eminently fitted for the bench by his character and
temperament attachments and experience as Judge
Depue, could only be cOmpassed against the unan-
imous protest Of the bar and against the wishes of
all classes in the State whose good opinion Is worth
securing.
Some entcrprising publicist, who has read over
Mr. Toombs'5 Constitution, discovers that it may
leave the State without Governor, that it does re-
duco the number Of Congressman in the delegation
and that its grip the railroads Is rather feebler
than was intended. These, however, arc matters Of
minor moment. The vital article in the organic law,
which was framed to exclude the States creditors
from the courts where they ought to expect justice
appears to be impregnabe.
The Tennessee Legislature has already scaled
down the principal of the State debt so per cent
and the interest 33 per cent, and refuses to accept
the coupons for tsXes As soon a. the 4loated hold
ers of these insecunties are frightened into com
promising" at that figure, the sovereign State will
probably scale in little deeper. Tennessee hasn't
yet fairly warmed up to the great work OF Read
justment.
The advertisement of JOhnson's Cyclopeda,
printed in another column, presents a striking
array of testimonials to its extraordinary merit
from the highest authorities.