, 1879-01-01
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

tercI+ bllt IN fhB ~ 1T other suggestions he
fails to consider the 'nsurmonntab!e difficulties
IN the way OF ts adoption. causft1 bv thr fnls!ts
lo our political srsten1 and the weaknesses Of
human nature.
Tic would have the laws revised By commit
tee OF the nb1cst lawyers. There could be no
exhibition Of Wisdom mnsc profound o1, the
tart of the Legislature Of Illinois than the cn-
forcement Of this very plau, but ru!htna, be-
lieYc, could be further from their tastcB and In
tlthattons.
The who1e courao Of American government
has been steadily drifting nwsy from tic chi.
ploymcnt Of the abiest tnen BY either the Fed.
eral Or State author tiles.
With few noted exceptions II Is notorious
employed by tho railroad md other corporations,
and that whenever they come iu contact with \
stnte GoveEnmcnt tho latter Is at disadvantage.
1t Is on1r too notorious that tn elective UiHccrs
ntflity Is tho least important qualification, but
III appointed ofIieers 1t ts strange enough that
matter Of pure business interest tho Govern
.nsnt 9es no. place y. salaries higl, enough to
1t u well known that It would Gc Of 10 ANIL
to utrcr Eyarts " Curtis the lust vacant posi-.
tson in the Supreme Court o{ the United States,
Aver, Jewcti. Dexter. or others OF equal rank
would leasc their practice for tho prcsarlnus
tenure Of sent IN te hsghest Court Of this
stato with salary Of g. COZ ycar.
II there Ia ntlv way OF obtaining tic services Of
such gentlemen It il by giving them quisl pEo
quo for their work At what 1t Is worth. anti It
would he beyond alt precedent that tho Lcgis-
Iaturc should appropriate s1o,oU0 n year for
years to the subject OF tho reform Of the laws.
Even should the Legislature commit tlIis act
Of etatcsHianst,lp, which would startle the coun~
ttiat tho appointments wouli be nude from,
those who would return the most political In
tlucnce, and each, | fear, would be duly
kessctl his sIarc OF the next cnmraign fund.
ssall there will 10 no thorough change In the
laws worthy the naIne Of reform until ttIis very
thing Is done. In oil departments Of scIcnre,
mechanics, medicine, u has always required
anl when We consider how complex arc the
hresent transactions ia social lllc, It Is plain
that there Is no task more difficult than to
frame laws to govern them, and ba at onte
clear 8nd comprehensive.
Nevertheless. although tho most PROFOUND
learnin may be applied su tho problem, It. Is
certain that the understandtnr and application
Of them must always remain u special study,
and tue object to To sought IL. that their con-
strucl!on should be kept from tho control Of
iEDorunt men.
Thu Jury system is In most cases, viii not
say in alt, as painful iarco a. would be that al
tory or tho patenf-0l!icc, and tho call for such
u simnltl!cation Of The laws ~ will cuah1c them
TO be intelli9rntiy applied ~ any and everybody
or locomotive that can he managed bY thu In
teltgcncc required to handle pfckax.
Thence atn suFprlscdlthat hr. Fauntlcroy
should III one breath call fur 4 reform OF the
laws hy competent men, and then propoee 10
leave the decision Of cnuses 10 nrtttratcrs who
aro absolutely beyond the control OF nil law,
neither required TO know aurthinr about IT nor
to npplyit If they did know II,
liz says hls objcct IL 10 tighten tho duties OF
the Courts, and This he proposes 10 do by put
pose to arotrate. and II bis oDponent has cot. :.
can Of course ctcct, under the proposed new az =.
tenn, to try 1he suit Ut jaw, provided be INV 7.
opponent all hts costs, including q damages or
LOSS Of tnu and irrvs1xetys Of ths rt,sIf Or ~.
sur. '
say tho plpn il either 10 lcyv a most ur tr.,
tax upou ltinanth or 10 fu.re I'LL eaacs to .irhi.
tratton.
Intends shc latter. ''
Suppo4s that in p1ne cnscs In ten ftho ,, ors
Mr.. Faunt1croy'e hguree) one party 10 n,,1
knows fIo has a u,,iuat caae nr nj tra.t srest
one, not supported by auy legal princ, nic' viii
lo nut nrnnnau 10 nrhitrstrJ Mhst =, n.,, st ~
liz viii tiaYc tLe benefit c,ther Of In ;,'lo.ar
discussion Or thu alternative Of q Ia ws,,jt in
which all hts exDensca Will bo mill tnri1,t,Jnw
his damages for tho loss Of his yauab ~ Tins
correspondent complains Vi tic con- Inc, @ al ~.
Htaso's Attorney In opposing thu III ,iinr Of In
dlrtMents by tho HsAnd Jury. Ir srrot n kny
that In nnrly -,,tnc cases til loo th = yerv inter
fercnco anycs thc reputation Of i, ;nnrr9, n,sn
As fur II eau learn The teutittp ant Il n,mnst
universal that tl,u uruud Jury il ihs mat 1o,.
geroi,s Institution e4lant, uNI f. has hn..s ahni.
ialcd IN 4cycral hsatea it hears an, il allowed
to hrar b,lt onc slIie nj ti,r tnt n sni = 49,. @
serupos man y ttlc cxaa essaion ~ a,t sy " faot @
cul. cast &l,r stait Of 4'an Ind itmcnt fnna u
upon tho character Of tho t,tUsI t,nrtoi'f ciivan
Take thu scccut rasc in IL =, finf,,h s.nt".
Court to which t,c evidently tfcrs, A. f,nii",s
u.tnt was ttlcrc Tonn.i aVaius / r"ntimnam vim
las had the highest reputat ION tsr i,nnrstv for
Nn,Snfds 1f twrnt y.Ityr vca =. IL ~. . ttt 80
il matters not for tho pres rnt ,urInso ,vh.,h5.
he Is gutlty OF tnnoccnt. ! ie wns IN Tia eItw A.
this time WIS tIrurnplIy o - l,ouI ~ "I.n ~ Iaf1
al, under iii rules OF !, ,sticc cona o ssn. u"','
and co.nllton ,lcecucy sls ,ulI hnyn sc"n h"nrI
before sucl, NJ, t,ldgnlty wns nnt tsyxu, hi,,,
In answer to Mr. Fai, ntierk,yis nrs,t,,n"nt tto,
ntlal,t t.serc Is ror, uptLuI In tha crurs. In.
cause say shat tho systcm of ,ixe,i Inv il IN.
tended a. 1 barrier rainst frauJ' tirr" r",;.,
hardly bc ore con, pats ,a..uatmr tr'e eSo; s
tho Judges III tho laI ri wurc fourst II wm,I, nn
tho very tiule to ct tallish barriers asuust fm. ~
ture fraud. I}O 81 II, uut tnnlirs Iffnrn 'vn.r