Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-16

under the searching eyes OF the lawyer OF
the day are forced upon the attention of
the Court.
! We submit that this is all an unworthy
and harmful business that there has been
no conduct on the part of the United
States District Court to warrant these as.
saults on the part OF a press overanxious
to be popular that it is the duty of the
good citizen to assume and do all he can to
maintain the integrity Of the Courts until
it is shown, beyond question, that their
presiding officers are vicious I; that if the
Courts are to decide questions of law as
clubs, and municipal legislatures, and a
trucking press dictate, there is an end to
order, and the last days of the Republic
have come, for an incorruptible Judiciary
ceases to exist when the Courts are swayed
from duty by the heated whims and parti-
san demands of self.constituted opponents
of popular thought. 1t is altogether
too common thing to sneer at the Courts,
contemn the law and its processes, and
| tip-tilt the nose of assumption at the thee.
ries and doctrines of the law. All who
thus engage confess the shallowness of
their views concerning the functions of
government and the foundations of society.
As a science, the law has kept pace with
all others. Its principles are more ancient,
have endured from before the most venera-
BILE of the sciences, come nearer to being the
sum and perfection of human wisdom, and
approach closer to divine exactitude, uni.
versatility, immutability, justice and mercy
than any other of the schemes of men.
So, too, the Courts, as administrators of
the law, have not fallen below the highest
standards of human ambition. That the
laws and the Courts do not bend more
easily to popular storms is perhaps the best
evidence of their being least worthy of re.
proach in the mouths of the people, who,
from the beginning and alone, are RESPONSE
BILE for them.
The assault upon Judge Hoffman is off of
the same piece of vulgar goods that we
have indicated as being the product of sus-
picion, impotence and ignorance. And
this we say believing that, while acting
with sincerity and with the dignity of con-
scious Judicial integrity, he erred in judg-
ment regarding the bailatle right of those
whose claim to be admitted to the country
at all, was in question. But that was not
great matter, and 1t is more likely that judi
cial rigor of Interpretation will override than
sustain this lay exception taken to his de-
cision, which at least was on the side of
mercy. In the name of common decency
and respect for the laws and rules men have
established for their Interpretation, we cry
halt in the abuse being showered upon
Court that the records show has been doing
the best that could be done with due re-
gard for the right and the dictates of the
laws of the land.
ALWAYS Oh THE VERGE OF REFORM.
1t was to be expected that the Gar
was on the eve of granting liberties
and inaugurating reforms just as the Nj
hilists killed Lieutenant. Colonel Sudeikin.
Somehow the Gar is always on the ragged
edge of an act that would make him
hero and benefactor when the Nihilists ap-
pear and compel him to remain a coward
and a tyrant. We were net at all sur
prised to hear by the doctored dispatches
from st. Petersburg that if only the Ter
rorists had not asssssinated the Colonel,
the Gar would have granted constita-
tional representation that he was just
about to do 30 but now, of course
etc, etc. Ii this is not the lie of
despot, as we believe it is, then it proves
him to be moral coward, since, if he is
convinced that his people would be bettered
by grant of constitutional privileges and
better representation in the Government
councils he will not be restrained in max
ing the grant because few men have been
so rash as to murder one of his officers.
He would do the right, if convinced OF his
duty, irrespective Of the wrong. doing OF
any faction.