Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-04-20
CLEARFIELD, Pa. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1881.

= Every candid and competent lawyer
knows what IS meant by contingent
remainder or an estate in fee simple
and yet II lisa word by which the dema
gogue may for time at least succeed
in decelving and misleading some peo.
pie He artfully suggests that il means
the same thing as the Judges own
pleasure-or his own will-or in other
words, choice between whisky or no
whisky, in which the Judge has moth,
ing TO consult, except his own sover.
eign pleasure or will-or il not his
own will, then the will of those per-
sons in the county who may rem on.
strate against law pervadng the
whole State. Who is so ignorant OF
the fundamental principles of his Gov
ernment, as not to know that we have
no master but the law, and that Judges
abovcall otherpersons, ,areits servants ?
When there is law on any given subject
il is folly and madness to talk about
Court having the power to regard it
or disregard it at its pleasure. 1t is
only when law violates the Consti.
tuition that a Court may set it aside
but in doing so, il exercises no arbi.
trary power-it merely asserts and
maintains the superior authority of
the Constitution, adopted by the peo-
pie, and which is master of the Legis-
lature as well as the Courts. There
are hundred things resting in the
discretion OF the Courts, which | will
not take time to enumerate. A Judge
Ignorant enough to suppose that he
could perform all duties relating to
them according to his own pleasure
and not according to therule furnished
by the law, might make himself as ty.
rannical and odious as an Eastern des.
pot 1t is difficult to deal with such |
absurdities with any degree of patience,
and forbear further remark. The
present license law is the most strin.
gent ever passed. Its penalties are
heavy, and its commands difficult to
keep. Whoever sells liquor under it,
voluntarily enters upon a hazardous
business. Any license law, however, is
probably unacceptable to a large ma.
iority Of the people of this county.
People in many other counties like it
no better. But dislike of law fur.
nishes no reason for setting it aside ex.
cept by legitimate methods, and to
these methods the people throughout
the State are confning themselves. On
the other hand there are very large
number of citizens in the State who do
like this law and have a legal right to
expect that it will be fairly administer.
ed as long as IL remains on the statute
book, The man who does not ap-
preciate the Importance of adhering TO
aw, has not thought much beneath
.he surface Of things. The Court is
.he last place to which anybody should ,,
urn for an example Of insubordina. .
ion, i know full well that the signers
)f this remonstrance would not desire ,
except what was proper and
awful, but they have been grossly i'm. !
posed on and deceived, with respect to :
he power of the Court. We will
make the following Endorsement on :
7our remonstranoe, viz "If we had
he legal power to refuse licenses for !,
he reasons stated in thisremonstrance !;
We would refuse all applications but !
believing that we have no such right !
II power the applications OF Gompers !,
md Keiffer must be granted--each of I
aid applicants having, in all particu. !.
ars, complied with the law, and no OBJ. !.
ection being made against them, ex- = !
ept the matter mentioned in the re. y
If you should think US wrong as to
he power Of the Court, you can then
rrange to remove the question TO the
iupreme Court, and if you should sue. -
eed there, you will enjoy the distin-
honor of having stopped all
cense in Indiana county. Nor will S
he benefit of your effort be confined d
0 home. The inhabitants of other a
ounties all over the State will be sur a
rised and delighted with remedy g
hat never occurred to them as giving I,
he least promise of success. 1 have b
lade the Endorsement for the purpose h
{ facilitating the removal of the mat r,
Or to the Supreme Court, and if there Q
Q any person who believes that that tri. @
unal has not already pronounced upon @
, we hope he will make an honest "
fort to procure decision. "
,Jouy =. BLAIR ~