Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-02-11

U =
the people And if faere is ANYTHING tn,t
settled in the State of Maine. Mr.. speaker;
TO-DAY. settled to the acceptation OF canu'u
men here upon both sides it IS that tnese
opinions determine the Law on this question'
And !. would be. sir. slur upon those oPIn,
ions Z, go hack into the Maine Repors-Anu
have nothing 10 say against ansthins ,lA'
there. we take it rs Law until other ia~ Is
made and established from time TO tlme-ou'
il would be a slur upon those great Opinions
if We go back and hunt up something 'ns' AZ
the mind of the gentleman seems TO De coh-
Trajectory. for one am tired Of TINS every
dav nesting of nervous gentlemen who seem "
consider that il is necessary Tor thsh ~ se'
up here every day and snarl at the supreme ,
Court We have something else to do. Inc
majority has fairly started out and mas pee"
aided bv candid men upon both SIDES WIG
have come in here 10 do the business OF '''e
State and 90 home. And no risn 81 US ist.
has been found bringing IN in any 1anc,iui
way. these things: least of all should they
come from this gentleman. He will have
enough to de- before this session*nd> without
meddiing himself with the Justices OF the
Supreme Court [applause1. We tell MN
that he will not display and establish IN TINS
House anv reputation for courage superior 10
ordinary mortals because he thinks best 10
arise and whistle every day TO keep his eour-
age I'D This House has something else 10
do than TO attend TO such matters as tnese-
You cannot introduce an order that these
opinions should be printed, as they customa,-
iIy are in such cases. or TO go into the VOL.
umes. without somebody getting up ana
undertaking to give a stab at the supreme
Court. Now we believe in that court Inc
State believes in il. The country believes IN
il. II has, by its acts. done service to the
cause of Justice and humanity and the laws
that revolve around the great questions OF the
ballot that will make that court memorable
in all times: and the gentleman from Minot
had better let that court alone laughter j.
| move that the order be indefinitely post
poned.
Mr. PERRY of Camden The gentleman
from Ellsworth. seems to take it as though
the gentleman from Minot didn't want these
opinions published in this years law report
But did not understand that to be the idea
advanced by the gentleman from Minot he
simply wished that the previous opinion OF
the court should be published with these re-
cent opinions. and see no good reason why
the majority should oppose it. And see no
reason why they should be so touchy, why
their toes should feel so much trodden upon
whenever an attempt is made to enlighten the
people 1t is fact that all these reports
are in the libraries of all lawyers. But
what we want is that the people shall be en-
lightened in regard to this matter. OF what
advantage is it to the country people that
these opinions of the judges are bound up in
sheepskin and placed upon the shelves of the
libraries of the lawyers and judges of the
State! 1t is of no advantage whatever
The common people haven't access to them
without first handing over ten dollar bill
to the lawyer. What we want is that the com
mon people who are to receive these 5000
copies of the recent opinions of the court shall
have some light on the other side. believe
that the most of our people are honest, or
mean to be so. They follow the best light
that they can have; and with this republican
House they only get such and such law. and
We cannot perhaps hold them responsible for
their acts. But if we can give them little
more light SO they can understand the ques-
ton as it is, perhaps they would act different
ly.
Mr.. PERRY referred to the action taken on
his order in connection with Judge Virgins
opinion. and expressed his regret that it had
been disposed of in his absence. His idea in
offering the order was to have both sides rep
resented to the people. He saidthe majority,
especially the gentleman from Ellsworth,
seemed to feel very much touched when the
time comes for the people to have the law on
this question. What can he or the majority
of this House be afraid of? Are you afraid to
have these matters go before the people? You
must be towards. every one of you. if you are
afraid of that Why do you come here and
attempt to crowd out any matter that belongs
to the people TO understand? If they are
bound i'll these books, that is no help to the
people, for they cannot have access to them.
He hoped the order would not be indefinitely
postponed If the judges had cut their fin
gers or their own threats the people wanted
to know it. The people haven't any too much
respect for the court, although the gentleman
from Ellsworth rlight think that no punv arm
could be raised against it. He would tell the
gentleman that the court is not the Almighty
He would tell him there is a power higher
than the pulpit or coHrt, and that power is
public opinion. applause
Mr.. SWAN of Mnot, was not aware, when
presented this order, was going to arouse
the ire of the gentleman from Ellsworth to
such an extent as 1t seems to. only wanted
the people to have all the law upon these
great questions which have been discussed
during the past three or four months. and I
was pleased at the introduction of the order
by the gentleman from Camden in regard to
the decision of Judge Virgin, a decision that
has the force of law; not mere opinions given
without arguement by either side. and which.
IN reality haven't a particle of binding force.
believe there is is no one in this State of
any party but that will say that the decision
rendered by Judge Virgin that honorable
Judge, Is righteous decision and founded
upon the law and constitution of the State.
And see no reason why it should not be
published with these opinions. Nor do 7 500
any reason why former opinion given but
one or two years ago, should not be published
IN the same book and circulated among the
people. Why is this opposition made to hav-
ing this opinion and that of Judge Virgin
publishedY Simply for the reason that there
are some who do not dare to have them pub
lishcd with these recent opinions in one book
and have them 60 before the people. They
therefore get up these excuses in order not to
have them published in the same book.
MIR. \ oUNc of Brunswick Two. at least
OF the gentlemen on the other side. seem to
have inexperienced the condition of the
case The majority make no objection to
the publication of the opinion OF Judge Wiz.
GIN except as an appendix TO the decisions Of
the supreme Court. There was propos;.
ton to incorporate the opinion of n SINGLE
judge in book which contained the authori-
tative decisions of the Supreme Court. The
majority of the House
Mr. PLAIsTEp of Lincoln DO Won regard
the opinions of the Supreme Cour, IA ,r.hor