Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-01-21
COMMUNICATED.
EVER MORE SATISFIED WITH MY
Nv ~ VOTE

EVER MORE SATISFIED WITH MY
NEN In -' VOTE.
.,,rthe last session of our Circuit
p we had a practical demonstration OF
Co"i ..i,;tv of FERGUsoNIsM as legalized III
the "IInniion of the amendments to the or
the "' law of the State. And from its work
s'niII felt proud that voted against the
lhsa.bnrinr concern by which the taxes
lee neonle are absorbed in wasting time
o. ' n"sfs that never ought TO see the out
SiJe of Il Justices office.
s' IN, cases which used to worry the
c,nnty court are now brought under tech
' .I nIeadinp into the Circuit Court,
n l,Lere time, money and patience are all
astod in determining mere triileS. H.
',"sI of having two annual terms for
s,'rt-bouse lOating we have Ferguson
~, an MINIMUM. The old County Court
,,ccJrd reforming, but not abolition; II
",,,ld have been made Il worthy people 5
,rihunal. but Ferguson and the other self
Interested legislators who proposed the
amendments wanted to head of the mn
-nroyementS that would have been enacted
~ the County Court by proposing inc
obolition OF that court and making t!ie
circuit Court fee begetting concern III
lieu of it. 1t is absolutely disgusting 10
90 into Il court and witness with What Ut
fer waste of time business IS cCnducteu' no
regard for dispatch is witnessed, Far
mn, rs and others whose time Is worm iiuch
more nc home have to loaf arouliu court
bnusas for weeks merely 10 Keep awe
This old relic of monarchy which ought 10
have zone by the board with George the
Thirds other arrogance. Courts oil JUS
ice ought to he AmcricaniZed from that
t1aua of 10
pace. The idea of requiring twelve
sworn independent Conscientious freemen
d, lac pcnned in Il room and required to all
-, alike Ct fail to give Il verdict or judg-
,Dut is simply n prcsumptuous farce, an
outrage upon intelligent manhood; and
,.rrcially after the lawyers on both sides
have exhausted their legal inventum to
Slow that each side has unquestiOncd jus
,jrr on Lis side and To decide otherwise
would be Il great violation of the jurors.
solemn oath-what is the jury TO do ii
conscientious but to agree TO disagree.
Another reason for legal reform Is that
under present, and | may say old prac-
ice, is that Il very plain law suit VIII be-
come during the pleadingS and subsequent
,rial bctOggcd by liable and distinguished
iuristS." that often both Judge and jury
become completely EeNildercd amid the
flashes of ancient and recent precedent
which fill libraries from the time of Noah
10 the present. How would it be TO let
every case stand on its OWN merits uncn-
numbered by precedent. And how further
would it Go to settle all disagreement be-
tween persons by submission to diSlnter-
e-tcd persons for settlement. | think
there is 40 case either personal, inter
state or international which might not
b. settled by ARBITRATION. | candidly
Iclicvc if courts could be exchanged for
intelligent arbitration justice and right
would he obtained i'm nine eases 10 every
one - now administered, with saving 10
the people of millions upon millions OF
money. Nor ought the arbitrators TO
know the parties to the suit, so that Il poor
mIa might obtain justice against rich
man in dispute as well.
II is time that the modes Of trial should
BE rcpubicanizcd in this country and that
the old feudal relic with its superabun-
iaut volumes be Supcranuatcd without
paw, thereby discriminating the republl-
,al citizen of these relies which rust into
tie very vitals of energy and thrift. Nor
would arbitration be less cfticaciOuS i'm
criminal than in civil cases. If theft
ora murder he committed and 4 party
should be arrested for the crime, arDitra-
tors should be selected TO try the criminal
and If the crime charged should be proven
Iy unimpSLched witnesses, the penalty oil
law should he Il consequence; but II Is not
~ now, the consequences of guilt are now
contingent upon the weight of the cul-
prit's purse or his influence. Legal pre-
crlcut has cure for every wCighty purse.
The oldest inhabitant" cannot recOllect
when the last rich man suffered for the
commission of crime; why such thing
- furnishing rich criminal i PLAYED
OFT, 10 use Il common saying. | think /
may therefore congratulate myself in vo-
TIM against the constitutional amend
mcutS proposed and ADOPTED EY DEFAULT.
iflhe convention at Mar;inSbmg had de-
,larcd against them a. it should have done
taN-ca,iug amendments would not have
touched bottom. Bmt the question was
made 4 mutual one, and people voted for
the amendments because they did not care
anything about them, and the ole County
Court was unpopular from lack Of proper
construction and that was enough for the
average voter to know. ! know that all
Ibis j, rs casting sand against stone wall,
but every observing court attendant
knows what has here been said to be true.
Litigation is the manner by which money
is easily extracted from the pockets of lit
igautS and without redress, and the whole
court machinery is the means 10y which
It's accomplished. JURAI.