Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-02-07
Our CONTEMPT Case.
Still Moving Through the Newspapers.
Williamsport Banner

Still Moving Through the Newspapers.
Williamsport Banner.
In the whole transaction the judge has
assumed powers which are foreign to his
Office, and he will find that in this country,
editors have rights rs we'll as judges, and.
as guardians of the public interests, they
can criticise the public acts Of men who
are entrusted with legal powers. In no
branch of the government service can the
eye Of the people peer with more keen
sense Of duty than when it watches the
laws progress rs guided and influenced by
the Judges, who are presumed to be nn,
biased. They will hold this right until
forced to relinquish it.
A Cumberland Valley View.
Carlisle Herald.
Good citizens will not dispute, lst, that.
if Judge Patterson was actuated by the
motive insinuated by Mcssrs. Steinman and
Henscl, the people Of Lancaster county,
whose servant he is, have a right to be IN
formed Of it by whoever is courageous
enough to give the information. I'd. That
whether Judge Patterson was i'll fact actu-
ated by such motive, Judge Patterson is
precisely that person who is not compe-
teut to determine.
No principle of the common law is better
established than that a man shall not sit
in his own cause. Necessarily involved III
the Lancaster case is the question whether
Judge Patterson was governed by an
unworthy motive. on particular occa-
sion. Is Judge Patterson the party to
say he was not? IL he has the right
to entertain this case Of contempt at
all, it must be on theory the Messrs. Hen
sci and Steinman must be punished:
whether Judge Patterson was influenced
by the feeling charged or not. But even
then, how monstrouS to permit the person
who is individually insulted and offended
to determine on the quality and quantity
Of punishment to be mcted out to the
offender! In ordinary contempts, the
offence is not directed against the per-
son of the Judge. but against the machin-
cry. the methods, the principles, OF the adj
ministration of justice. Only a man obtuse
to every feeling of refinement, proud, self
ish and unblushing would dare in the face
of fair-mnded and intelligent people to ar
rogate the right to decide how severely
shall he punished the sin of asserting. per
haps with overwhelming proof, that him
self has been Influenced by an unworthy
motive.
a big Elite.
Lock Haven Democrat.
Messrs. Steinman and Iiensel, lawyers
of Lancaster and editors of the 1NTELLI-
GENCER, published structures upon Judge
Patterson for what they believed to be un-
becoming lenicncy towards prisoner OF
political influence. The judge took them
to account and tried to strike them from
the list of attorneys. This they resisted,
and claimed that they acted rs editors IL
their criticism, and that it was done in ac
cordanoe with rights guaranteed to tho
press by the constitution. The case has
been argued, but the judge has not ren
dcred his decision. He was touched on .
tender spot by the structures, and with
more passion than judgment sought t.
punish these editors as lawyers. In thu
he ovcrreached himself, and, i'll hOmely
phrase. has "bitten off more than he ca!
chaw.
Elf md