Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-12-26

is merits, are most 'vieioas. Il our
laws are 10 be such as to exclude our
Courts or a mixed commission aud
every ether man, than the leaders of a
party heated by partisan controversy
and in the midst OF il, to Judge OF
elections, then our safeguards ara all
gone ; and who shall be our leaders.
depends entirely upon the dictation OF
partisan Leaders. and their will to be
exercised at time when they are least
fitted to judge displssionately of the
matters they will have in charge.
Their partisan feeling and intense
bitterness engendered by the contest.
as we'll as the strong indugement held
out by the Office which their personal
ambition Graves with the keenest APP
petite. viii be the inducements held
out to them to turn with contempt
from the Courts, and decide themselves
upOn difficult and technical questions
OF Law to treat with seorn the claims
of the adverse party and disregard the
admonitionsof the more candid and
disinterested individuals which com
pose their own. In short to leave the
whole matter in the hands of indi-
vidualS the. least fitted to justly dispose
OF it. We are no alauHLst, but il
eternal vigilance still continues 10 be
the price of liberty, iand it is the duty
Of the Republic to anticipate dangers
and forfend against them,) it IS mani
testify its duty when dangers are upon
it and likely to pass without remedy
to provide against their recurrence in
the future.
Take one provision for instance in
tnIa DiiI, ,rt,m,vly the eubnfs-iOir Vr
the legal questions to the courts
How much better to provide for their
decision by competeng Court, now,
while il can be done on sound abstract
principles while the country is calm,
than TO wait until the question is upon
Us, and some rules haze 70 be fixed
AMID the discussions upon the perDnnei
Of tie Court, and the lunumerable par
tisau considerations that will then en-
Ter into the consideration of the rules
to be adopted. Times Of EXTREMIST
! danger uie now occurring il our tran
siti0ns from oHe administration to an
other. II imperfect provisions, or i
want of adequate ones then occur, we
shall soon see more bitter controversies
! than ever existed between the House
OF York aud Lancaster in old England
in more ancient times, and tyTants viii
eAult in proofs Of the incapacity OF
man for 8eif-government. 1t is possible
that the responsibility OF this issue Is
! already upon uS. # Il controversy
should arise through loose provisions
for the settlement Of intricate questions
WIli:h will surely occur, we should be
| wanting il that desirable situation oc.
aUpied by the country in the late re,
| be!!ion, uameiy: a united North u
gainst the South. the former aided by
4 just and righteous principle, rcoog-
niIed III the abstract by all men. We
shalt then have arrayed one OF the
great political parties of the country,
against the Democratic party in the
North aided hy united South upon
Questions, the nature, character and
ulprils q which no man can foreaee.
Let us hope that Congress will be wise
in time, and provide and make just
and adequate provision for the safety
Of the country, before confusion, part
san ieaIonsias and heated controyer-
sizes shall render them impossible.