The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-07-03
WASHINGTON LETTER,

Inc DupreIIle court nOt naVlnS
yet adjourned, there'is still slight
evidence of life in and about the cap
itol building. Somebody has lately
been writing about the over-worked
condition Of the judges of this court.
1t really is too bad. The going
farmers and business men over the
country who labor from sun to sun,
and several hours besides, will SYM
pathize with these poor judges when
they hear the story of their wrongs.
They sit for four or five hours every
day except Sunday. On that day
tthey get together in the consultation
room and go over the cases of the
week, compare notes and agree on a
decision. Then the chief justice
names the judge who is to prepare
the opinion. There are nine judges,
and of course each has his turn at the
opinions. OF course there is some
labor in the preparation OF All, inn
portant opinion in an important case,
covering decision which must
stand as the law Of the land. And it
has been asked when a judge is to
perform this, the real brain work of
his position. Shall he do it when he
comes home from the court in the
middle of the afternoon and hungry
for his dinner? Probably not, Win
he do it after dinner? Not, likely !;
for he generally has engagements,
and most of the time he has 70 dine
Fout, which is surely incompatible
with writing opinions, Many brain
workers do their best ut nights, but II
a judge is full of terrapin, canvas
backs, Burgundy and champagne,
Ehe can't write aat night, and he
| won't feel in a humor for it next
morning. So, on the whole the posi-
tion'is full of difficulties, fa'gdilii
| Speaking of dining out, it is hoped
that President Arthur will be able
for time to restrain his propensity
for big dinners and their accompa-
niments, ! am informed that after
the Willard Bartlett dinner in New
| York he experienced recurrence Of
the same symptoms which were, no.
ticcd at Savannah on a recent South,
ern trip. There frequent indulgen.
cies seem to be telling heavily upon
his physical powers, robust as they
are. Ills countenance is sometimes
flushed and sometimes pallid. Cham
pagne and Burgundy freely used will
tell. The President betook himsel
to, the cottage at the Soldiers Home
d Saturday and will remain there un
til about the 10th of July, when III
viii go TO Newport for short stay
From there he will go on board th'
dispatch for trip along the coast al
far east as Mount Desert. This ma,
occupy three weeks. n H., will thcl
try once more some of tho good fish
ing in Canadian waters, such as III
enjoyed last year. In August h,
p.
} hopes to be able. to so, to Yosemit'
Valley. This is said to be an, au
thoritative, statement of his plans.
The result of the Star-route tria
adds one more to the violent shock
] which our jury system has recent.
received, and there must be som
: doubt in the minds of intelligent mel
how many more such the system ca
G stand. There has all along been mis-
givings about this jury-its compe
o tencey to deal with the case. But tn
most sanguine friends of the assuse
q never hoped for an acquittal. 1t wa
M generally believed that the defend
ants were sure of one or more juror
S and a disagreement was on this &C
count looked for; but the announct
ment Of a verdict, ''not guilty" crei
ted universal surprise. and amaze
q ment. How it was brought about !
d profound mystery as yet. 1t give
Q the phenomenal result Of declarin
IS innocent, with the Others, one d.
n fendant who was convicted on tf
first trial and who entered plea (
i guilty in the present trial. But tn
verdict win not change the OF
which the. honest Intelligent Amer
can people rendered against the'
plunderers long ago, when the fac
were first made kuown. And in q
it the circumstances and intricacies I
this memorable trial there is but OIL
n redeeming feature-the record mad
=, by Richard Mefrick as attorney fc
&c the people. Whatever may |
Z thoughtiof the character and goo
10 faith of the fellow Bliss, who, as a
g old chum Of the President, has n
ID ceiyed somewhere in the neighbo
y hood af $500 Of the peoples none
ll,fo,. his mart in the affair NobOd