National Republican., 1883-12-03
rnr ArronNrY arNrnAL.

The attorney generals report reviews the
condition Of the judiciary of the United states
and gives statistics thereon. There remain
on tho docket Of the supreme court S4 cases
not disposed Of Tho number of cases decided
at the October term IN which the United
States were concerned was 81, Of which 80
were in favor of and % against the govern
ment. Beside these there were 10 cases dis
missed in which tho United States were con-
cerned. In the court Of claims during tho
past year T72 suits, claiming over $9OOO,OO0,
were brought against tho United States, and
81 suits, claiming $l62, 2,155.l7, against tho
District of Columbia. under the act of June
/ 10, 1850 OF the suits against the government
so were brought, and in 80 Of them Judgment
was for claimants $i75,G6076. OF the suits
/ against the district 26 were brought to trial
| and Judgment for claimants rendered in 20
cases, aggregating Si0,70l0i. In the circuit
and district courts during the past fiscal year
| 1857 civil suits were Terminated Gag of them
in favor of tho government, and ON July |,
1888, i,432 civil suits were pending to which
the United States were u party.
There were terminated during the last
year 1892 criminal prosecutions under the
customs, internal revenue, postofiice, election
civil rights, naturalization, intercourse, and
| pension laws, beside miscellaneous There
were pending July J. 1883, 5,722 criminal
prosecutions.
The attorney general recommends the ro-
enactment of section ii of the act approved
| Aug 16, 1856, providing that United States
attorneys may appoint substitute attorneys
! In certain cases TO attend TO the duties of tho
Office when they cannot so attend themselves,
| to be paid only the regular fees of the United
States attorneys. He recommends 10 on the
score of economy lie suggests that the pay
of the district attorneys for New Mexico and
A-ss .al., a .a- 4 A.
| $4,000 per annum. He also recommends that
not moro than four witnesses, except in capi-
tai cases, should bo allowed to DO summoned
Mt tho government expense for defendants
who swear they cannot pay witness fees. Ho
| thinks that the fees of witnesses and jurors
in the territories should be increased. He
recommends an Increase in the number of the
territorial judges, special appropriation for
the Utah judiciary, the making the maxi
mum compensation of the clerks of the
United States courts uniform, and that the
emolument returns of attorneys, marshals,
and clerks be settled for the fiscal year in
stead of as now by the calendar year. He
suggests curing defects in tho present system
relating to funds paid into courts and addi-
tional legislation to protect tho executive
civil officers of the government in tho per-
formanco of their duties. He calls special
attention to the management of the District
of Columbia Jail, which, he says, Is unsatis-
factory, and recommends that II be put
directly under the management Of the attor-
ney general. lie suggests that all ac-
counts of chief supervisor of elections
should be taxed in open court under
the inspection and examination of the
Adistrict attorney, and forwarded to the proper
department for further examination and re-
duction if deemed advisable and necessary.
He recommends that outgoing marshals be
required to turn over to their successors in
Office all unfinished business of every kind
in their hands at the time of the qualilica-
tion of their SUCCESSORS. He recommends
the amendment of the fee bill to pay their
deputies not less than one-half their net
| earnings, and also recommends making the
salaries of court officers fixed one instead
| of fees. Ho reviews at length the criminal
procedure of the law, and recommends that
| the old style--verbose and pleonastic style-of
preparing indictments bo changed to one
more intelligible and more in consonance
| with the common sense of tho age. He
| thinks ID desirable that the pleadings may bc
simplifed, q uniform system of challenges
provided, and the trials shorn of the
| technical Objections and numberless dilatory
motions that can now be interposed to
prevent speedy trial upon the
merits. He mentions the anomalous condi-
tion of tho United States courts in the Dis
trict of Columbia, where thequestion whether
a criminal has tho right of making ten or
four challenges Of jurors. He recommends
that all persons who are entitled in the event
of the conviction of a defendant to compensa-
tion or reward by reason of any loss or dam
age sustained or for the arrest or apprehen-
sion of the defendant should be made by law
competent witnesses; and to remedy these
evils above recited he submits u carefully
prepared form of criminal procedure for the
courts of the United States, which embodios
the substance of the recommendation above.
He recommends that section 1892 of the re-
vised statutes be so amended as to afford the
postoilice and other departments protection
against perjury.
He devotes considerable space to the jury
system of the District of Columbia. He
refers TO the large number of people virtually
living here, but having n constructive resi-
donce elsewhere, as n fact that initiates
against the jury system in tho district. lie
thinks the same justice should not be assigned
moro than once in seven years to the Grim
inal court. The small number of persons
selected as candidates from whom the Jurors
are to be selected, arising from tho vast mum
ber of those who are exempt renders il
necessary to draw nearly one-half of the
, panels from talsmen. He comments on the
, subject Of Jury fixing" in the district
which, he says, is alleged to be alarmingly
! prevalent. He speaks of those crimes which
, are ohenses against the United States, and
says that when n crime has been committed
in the district against the United States gov
! ernment by government official justice ha'
| UOO Dccn SONtlhihCht. ~
person In the employ of the government whit
betrays his public trust commits crim
. against the United States. When that crime
is perpetrated within the district, past ex
perienco proves that he should bo tried be
fore jury other than that engaged in TIN
trial of local crimes committed in the district
To remedy this defect of the law, he submit
L that tho desired end might be attained b!
extending lin such form and under sucl
!, limitations as may be advisable) tho jurisdic
tion of the United States circuit and distric
n courts for the judicial district of Maryland s.
p as to include the cognizance OF crimes com
mtted in the District of Columbia. BY thi
the circuit and district courts of that judicia
I district would have original jurisdiction owe
all crimes committed in the District of Co
r lumbia which arc oifenses against the genera
: laws of the United States, and their jurisdic
tion would DO concurrent with that of tn
= courts in the District of Columbia, SO tha
II the prosecutions and trials could be pre-
ceeded with in either court. The advan
I. tages to be derived are that where the trial
: take place in the circuit or district court i
J. Maryland, tho jury would be drawn in tn
manner now prescribed by law, from tn
n people of the entire state of Maryland, an
Q the chances of obtaining an impartial Jur
- would be greatly increased
:. In conclusion, he recommends fire proc
y protection for the records of his office.
=.
Religious Differences.
2 LOckp0d Journal.
nF tna xpIib rON Af