Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-05-18

Another SuGEestion for Its decentralization
OF the Court Into Sections.
. I " In fON~ pro.,

Another SueEession for Its Reform Division
Oh the Court Into Sections.
Lancaster in the Press.
+ have been much interested in reading
tho communication in Mondays issue in
relation to the supreme court. The writer,
perhaps, was a little excited but the evils
he refers to are NO less genuine ones, as
every lawyer will testify. What shall be
the remedy? Some have suggested q sys.
tenn Of intermediate courts whose judg-
ment shall be final except in cases involv
ing very large amounts. To this there is
tho objection that lawsuits are tedious
enough and expensive enough already
without increasing the number two steps
necessary to reach final decision that
to maintain the intermediate courts would
require additional expense that . poor
man is entitled to the same tribunals as
rich one.
Your correspondent suggests four
courts Of seven or five judges each, and
the Press edltorialIy says the plan would be
a good one were it not that judges differ
in their opinions. and We might find the
same law differently construed by the diff
ferent sections. To meet this difficulty
We suggest the following, giving it for
what it is worth: That the supreme
court shall consist Of fifteen judges, who
shall he divided into three equal sections.
which shall sit at Philadelphia, Harris
burg and Pittsburgh respectively. Each
section shall hear appeals and prepare
the opinions thereon for their respective
district. As soon as tho opinions
are prepared tho prothOnotary shall
cause the same to be privately
printed and shall forward q copy
<ho sn.1 %Nrothor .>c
both paper books in the case, to each of the
judges in the other sections for examina-
tion and approval. All the judges shall
meet in banc at Harrisburg every three
months, when opinions shall be filed and
reargumcnts heard when necessary. This
will give tho judges of each section an
opportunity to read tho opinions of tho
other sections at their leisure-were they
practiciDg attorneys they would have to
do as much-and having read them they
will 60 into the court in banc prepared to
say whether or not they are willing to
adopt them. In practice, We believe,
nineteen out of every twenty cases would
be adopted without question, and on the
twentieth the points of difference could DO
discussed and harmony preserved.
PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
An Animated Canvass ter Moderator.
A dispatch from Springfield, ILL.,, to the
Ledger says A large number of the conf
missiOners to the general assembly of the
Presbyterian church in the United States,
which meets in this city on Thursday,
have already arrived, and the hotels are
over crowded. The moderator Of the last
assembly, Rev. DR.. Henry Darling, who
is to open the session with a sermon, has
arrived, together with Rev. DIR. fairfield,
voted clerk, and Rev. w. II. Roberts,
acting permanent clerk, and Rev. Drs.
Graham, of Philadelphia. There is con-
nected with the assembly at present 1T
presbyteries and 80 synOds, tho number
having been reduced at the last general
assembly to 80. The number of commits
siOners accredited, including corresponding
members, is $50 and it is expected that
$50 will be present. The contest for mod
orator will be quito an animated one, as
the candidates are quite numerous, the
prominent ones named being Rev. DR..
Hamill, of Penn; Rev. DR.. Herrick John
ston, of Chicago, and formerly of Philadel-
phia and Rev. DIR. Gregory, president of
Lake Forest university.
The opening session will be held in the
First Presbyterian church and on Friday
the business meetings, it is expected, will
be held in the state house.
A large number of commissioners to the
general assembly found great difficulty in
procuring Accommodations.
The question Of who is to bo the next
moderator is exciting unusual interest.
Rev. C. A. Dickey, of Philadelphia, it is
thought will be elected, because he is not
Unidentified with either the old or new
school branches of the church. His
strongest opponent will be the Rev. DR..
Herrick Johnston, of Chicago.
MR.. GEIST PLEADS SURPRISE