The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-05-25
SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1873.
LnW.


to say to our patrons about debt.
This week we want to call their at
tention to another prevalent weak
ness, and one that is productive of
trouble, annoyance and tribulation-
and when if successful, is almost as
improbable as though it was wholly
repulsed or defeated. 1t is fostered
generally by bad temper and ill-feel-
ing, to crafty which, people will go
to great lengths rather than take the
sensible and christian course to heal
the wound and compose the difficult
ty. This evil is the tendency to go
to law-to invoke it's costly machin-
cry to settle trivial disputes, and lose
time, money and temper, rather than
submit to other judgment than their
own, blinded as it inevitably is, by
prejudice and temper. Then comes
magistrates courts and witnesses, all
more or less espousing one OR the
other side, and from that tribunal to
the circuit court where pettifoggers'
and court fees use up what may be
left of the substance of one or the
other suitors.
Leaving out of sight the loss of
time and money which the trial of
any case necessitates, there are other
grave considerations that should keep
every good citizen out of law. There
is always engendered bad feeling that
is transmitted from generation to
generation as the Legitimate fruit of
such controversies, and often the pros
perity of neighborhoods is perma-
nently destroyed by one of these in
significant but unfortunate feuds. We
wish we could induce everybody to
think twice Of the cost in reputation,
in time and in money, before they
willingly embark in a law suit.
Lawyers are useful, and in some
cases, necessary evils, but when they
are used, as they frequently are, to
break down the peace of neighbour
hood and produce and promote dis
cord, they are the veriest curse that
can be inflicted on people; far worse
than the plaques that visited the
Egyptians, and when to this is add
ed that it is frequently done in cool
blood to promote their own selfish
ends, it becomes simply atrecious.
But, says some one anxious about his
rights, what would become of us if
there were no lawyers, no courts, or
no jails. That is exactly what we
are taxed for and what we want to
get rid of. If the lawyers had no
cases, there would be no occasion to
open either court or Jail then there
would be no tax needed
for their support, and as for
the lawyers they would go to
work like other honest people and
earn their money in some more cred
liable way.
Now what we wish is that people
having grievances would think we'll
and calmly before they go to law.
There is scarcely any difference be-
tween people when they are not both
measurably wrong and when if they
have the desire to compose the diff
Guilty they can do so by calling in one
or more fair minded friends, and be
guided by their disinterested deci-
sion, and if that decision is not alto
gether to their wish, as close bust
ness question they will find they
have saved money when they count
what court and its attendant luxuries
such as clerk fees, sheriff fees, petit
fogger's fees. time at court, &C., has
cost. Nor are there many who come
out of court with success, who when
they survey the entire ground, that
would willingly engage in another
controversy even if the stakes were
twice as large. We know We do our
peoplea kindness when we urge them
to avoid law. There are squabbles
mostly personal, that people are
willing to refer to the law and take
great comfort in carrying such mat
tiers to court. There are suits for
debt, suits for SANDER, suits for prop
erty. all of which can and ought to
be avoided, and would be but for the
advice too often given by the petit
foggers and shysters, who assume to
be lawyers.
If we "speak no evil'' of our
friends there need be no society scan
dial or malice. If we will rigidly
keep out of debt we need have no
suits if we will not listen to unkind
speeches about anybody and discour-
age all gossip, there need be no scan
dial suits, and if we are plain, careful
and prudent about our business mat
tiers there need be no court to adjust