The Red Cloud chief., 1884-12-05
THE ATTCRNEY-GENERal

submits His Annual Report. Containing
Many valuable Suggestions OF Reform la
Prs"tir Before Knitted States Cour,s-.
National "eHIt-ntiary Recommended a,
an Econnfhic Measure.
NAsHESGfuS, u. e., November q.
At:orney-Gencrel Brewster has COM
pietcd his annual report. IL Contains a mum.
Der OF suggestions and recommendations
looking to new legislation amcndatory Of
existing statutes. Our criminal proceed
urc Is faulty. In criminal cases the
p!cadin@s should De sitnpliacd. a uniform
system OF challenges provided and the
trIais s!iorn of the technical objections
anu Ei.nlDcr!css dilatOry motions that can
no" De I~ntcrposed to prevent q speedy
trlai upon merits. In preparing indict-
lDchts Tor Ofcnscs against the United
states III Is now necessary 10 follow the
Common Iaw forms Of the last century.
with 81! their tcchnicalities, ycrbosity of
description and rcpctitions, 50 that what
should be 4 simple and concise written
accusation, becomes a long and confused
InasS of descriptions and allegations.
wholly unintclligibic to both defendant
and Jury.
With a Wow 10 ~rcmcdyin2 the evils.
omissions and defects Of criminal pro-
%rc'iurc, Mr. Brewster submits Il number
Of carefully prepared forms. and recon-
mcnGs their adoption a. general laws for
the courts OF the United States. lie
recommend, that the statute, authoriziny
OUTGOING United States Mars!,als TO exc
cute All processes in their hands at the *
Ilraion OF their commission. be changed.
80 aS II require them to turn over 10
their successors all unfinished business.
1hc present law, Mr.. Brewster avs. lead,
10 confusion and conflict Of authority. Is
well as delay in the settlement 81 Mar.
hhal's accounts.
He recommends salaries for United
Si"t"s NaTs:laiS and District Attorneys.
The present ic" system is an expensive
one. Il l. estimated that it costs the
Government SO III expenses for every
dollar cithe Marahai's ~cmoluucnts which
shows That il would be 10 The interest of
fhr Government 20 give the Marshal a
fixed compensation, 80 as To remove all
Inducements II ~pcrpetratc frauds upon
the Government and frauds upon the cit
izcn.
The saInc reasons in favor of salaricd
officers apply with even more force To
United state, Attorneys, who examine
the ]ccouE;s of MarShals. The cmoli-
mcntS of the Attorney ought not 10 be
contingent upon the amount of business
done 10y The officer upon the correctness
of whose accounts he must pass.
Mr.. brewster recommends tina the
httorncy-Gcucral bc given authority 10 adj
Just salaries Of Marshals upon some basis
To be fixed by law.
ON the subject of United States priS.
OncrS, the Acknowledgement favored the
erection of a Pcnitcniiary centrally To-
Gated and controlled by the United States
in which to confine its Own prisoners. II
Il not always possible To secure such
treatment and discipline for prisoners
confined in State and municipal Insti,u-
tionS best calculated To affect their
Information. United states prisoners, ~
Il rule, are of Il better class of men than
The average convict, and are capable of
performing better work. If Il Govern
mcnt prison were erected the eonyicts
could be- employed i'm the manufacture of
supplies exclusively for the Government.
This would keep them employed. and
should render the Pcnitcnt!ary almost
scli-SuStaininin%. 1t also would ayoid
any objection To convict labor, while the
taxpayers would he relieved almost en-
iirciy of the burden of supporting them
IL tcil1Et>N dtt> upon tillN EtCOllliiltliUa-
tion. il i suggested that the Pcnitcntiary
should be erected ut some central point
where there are ample railroad facilities
for the transportation of the goods manu-.
factgrcd by them.
TIE Star Route civil suits, the Attorney
General says, have been vigorously
pressed. In fourteen cases instructions
10 bring suit have been given, and in six
or eight process has been ISSUED and suits
commenced.
The condition of the public service. |
Mr. Brewster says, so far Is il relates &c
officials III his department, il gre I'M
proved. This il due 10 the active efforts
of the present administration in checkino
irregularities, correcting abuses and
furnishing frauds and cXactions COM
mittcd 10y MarSlials, District Attorneys.
and Commissioners in 4 number "a dis.
trictS. In every case where these matter.
came to his attention he has lone all il
his power 10 remedy, and in some case,
has succeeded in the conviction and pub.
lie punishment OF such offenders.
In these efforts To improve the public
service nsany difficulties were expert.
cnced. They were resisted by dclin.
Gucnt officers and their adhcrentS; but
the useful and purifying effect followin"
conviction and Imprisonment was soon
felt in the whole service.
In order To continue this strict super.
vision OF the conduct and account oi
court officers, he recommends al ample
appropriation by Congress.