Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-01-20
THE LAW QUESTION.

toline Saddletree kept an excellent anu nixniy
esteemed shop for harnesses. saddles. &c &c :,
Bess wynd. His genius. however las ne MIN I'M,
self and most of his neighbors concsive1) LAY
towards the weightier matters OF tne Ia", All.
be failed not 10 give frequent attendance upon
the pleadings ana arguments OF the lawyers
and Judges In the neighboring square, where,
10 say the truth. be was oftener 10 De Ioonu
than would have been consistent with his own
emoluments; bat that his wife. an active. pains
taking person, could. in his absence, make
an admirable shin 10 please the customers
and scold the journeyman.-HKARr OF MID
LOTHIAN.
In this introduction TO the Edinburg
saddler, Sir Walter Scott has accurately
described character who may be found
in nearly every New England village.
He aourishes and attains his highest
growth in the shire-town or county-seat.
Here we find tailor dubbed Squire
JONES'" and there a cobbler laboring un-
der the sobriquet of Judge Smythe.
These men, ike poor Saddletree, all un-
mindful of their own business, may be
found in attendance at every trial, great
or small. and thereafter they repair direct
ly TO the nearest tavern or store, there to
exhibit their legal knowledge. The mer-
its of opposing lawyers are discussed !;
the presiding justice is criticised, and his
charge is denounced as one-sided; while
the twelve jurymen every one of whom
is a peer with their critic are ranked as
block heads for no, bringing in a verdict
according 10 the law and evidence, as
they were sworn. A group Of admirng
friends gather. and listen with wide
mouthed astonishment to the words OF
wisdom uttered by these pseudo-lawyers.
They in turn become critics, and the bar,
the bench. and the laws become debased
BY such profane handling until we are IN
danger of losing all respect for the law
Unconsciously, while making game OF
the causeless Judge" and the unrecorded
ESQUIRE" better educated and more
thoughtful people initiate their bad habit
of carping criticism, which will eventually
lead TO communism and to disregard for
all authority. This tendency may be
observed at the present time. in all its
uncouthness, and the dangers to follow
are in full view. A large number OF
Names citizens are today denouncing the
Supreme Court, and declaring they will
not obey the law as interpreted by that
BODY: fourth-rate lawyer. and doctors OF
medicine are presuming TO declare laws
unconstitutional; Aedgling lawyers and
Young men who have but opened law
book. make themselves as ridiculous as
poor Saddletree BY grasping Statute or
a decision which they do not comprehend,
and proving to their own satisfaction and
the satisfaction of their admirers that the
Cour, has stulti6ed itself by giving de-
cision which does not agree with their
view of the case; women. only familiar
with the dairy or kitchen, and children
scarcely out of school take up this cry
against the highest tribunal Of the land,
thus all these inferior voices are calling
the nation to ruin and It's people 10 un-
honored graves
The full meaning of this outcry against
the Judiciary is not grasped by many VINO
ioin in it. Some restraint must DC exer-
cised in every community, and people
must choose for that restraining power
either statute law or brute force. That
citizen who denounces and dehes the
Court. encourages the highwayman to
obtain his living by violenee-for why
has he not the same right to defy the law
which pertains to the ordinarily more
peaceful citizen. The embryo lawyer,
and the lawyer full-aedged, who presume
regardless of the Court, 70 declare laws
unconstitutional or 20 interpret them &c
suit themselves, are cutting their own
threats, for they are encouraging sprI'
of contempt for law, and those theo-
ries which dictate an appeal to the KNIFE
or bullet instead of TO the WIT and ex'
ecution. The woman who cries out
against the Court adds to that growing
spirit of anarchy which seeks to thro"
down those barriers of law which now
alone protect her home, her person and
her property from the assaults of Grim
inals. The whole tendency and newt
able result of the prevalence o! such
a sentiment Is toward q return TO barbar-
ism, where the strongest shall rule, rot
and Cypress to his hearts content.
In no profession, trade or business l;
competition so sharp or Is rivalry so mark
ed and noted as in the profession of law
Yearly, thousands of promising young
men enter the bar, and sink under th'
pressure of competition. Only the strong
man, the powerful. keen and witty intel
iect can push through this aspiring throns
or maintain his position in it. When
LAWYER becomes distinguished in his own
county or State. be is man OF more
than ordinary ability, no matter what M
immediate associates or early friends may
think Of him. From these distinguished
LAWYERS our Judges are selected. Those
most marked by well-balanced minds anc
judicial intellects press for or are pressed
forward when 3 vacancy occurs, and the
one who has the strongest and mos
hearty recommendation is selected to ST
upon the bench. Every one OF tie sever
Judges composing our Supreme Court
was a marked man before he was PLACED
in this honorable position. Years o
special practice and training, have made
them familiar with our laws in all then
bearings. All kinds Of cases are triec
before them. and thus their knowledge
becomes broadened and deepened. With
these men rests the Interpretation and
execution of our laws. What lawyer
1T. his limited practice, is 50 well quail