New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-22
TIE ANEMc4N BIZ ASSOCIATION
AN ADDRESS BY JUDGE DILLON on AMERICAN n
sTITUTIONs AND LAWS.

AN ADDRESS BY JUDGE DILLON on AMERICAN ~
suTUTIONs AND LAWS
SARATOGA, Aug. 2l.-The American Bar
Association called order this morning by Vice
President Rufus King OF Ohio In the absence or Presi-
den. Parker who called TO New-NOrk The hrst
business the session the filling OF vacancies In the
General Council After this had been done, John F.
Dillon. OF New York, delivered the annual address, his
fu1ec. being The General Character Of American In
stuilou, and Laws" He declared that every Nation
must stand for euDOdy aud represent great prin-
cpe I'm our Government this principle Is the absolute
civil ami political equality OF all Its citizens whose col
lectve WILL expressed by majortes Is the original and
only source Of all political power. BY this fundamental
principle we must stand fall. He denied that our in
situations had either failed Of that their work
ings were unsatisfactory file alluded to the great and
coIaex problems which confront the American lawyer
arising OF the laws and legal institutions OF Matt ON
such territorial extent with its duplex systems
Of National and state Government aud Jurisprudence
snd ont of the problems presented by the continued
multiplication NJ corporations, dealing with interests
vita alike to individuals and to society. He insisted
chat ilstce Of supreme aud paramount Importance,
an that the result OF good laws well admin
isiered
entered upOn SURVEY OF the general nature OF the
American systcm OF laws Rnd its practical workings
anu concluded that they we're with the political
Institutions and adapted to the genius temper and wants
Of thc people The law. including equity is the
ground work NJ the whole Of american iufisprud
tupe Do has foh the afst beou dlahs aud Cbafae
tfrItrd ni apf Of freedom which especially adapted
q be- the emre aud necessities Of cell governed people
Management Of local analts b, local Constituencies IL
t"ns"nfnt WITH The spifit 81 the eehhen Law 10
tuu4 .rd tho Constitution uf thr thtnd States ~ tho
tn s,Ssnd liz stsried Tie hdobtsdness OF tLia
tuuy 10 the judgments of tlsi Justice MARSHALL when
Il wac able To pand and thus answer The Necessities of
great people. Ito declared harshalls Judgments upon
NH In las uH1 lTlut Ina II
sAd massive Works OF the human reason ana that ny
ute ol the Great Cnlei Justice.
dyerng To the jury, he expressed the view that this
political system aud that 10 belongs 10 our free nstu-
tous and tends 10 perpetuate 1hen Discussing the SUI
lect of codacatOn lie defined the various senses IN
which THIS term is used and expressed himself as
strongly in favor OF conservative schelne OF cOuIncd-
ton comprehendng the principles Of the law relating to
The ordinary aud daily affairs OF life and OF society stat
u what Is clear removing what Is obsolete setlIng
within the limits named would sooner later he
adopted IN Enslsnd and then, II not before, III tls
procedure adopted many years ago In the state OF
New-lork. under the lead OF David Dudley Field and
4ecialtd tA scnuonan on living 10 witness the ecu
Menicsl triumph Of his ideas. only in this country
bat 10 nearly every country where the English language
He insisted that two practices had sprung in recent
Snles Which tended seriously TO deteriorate
raw lhe nrst II th owing 10 crowded dockets, many
encouraged the submission OF upon printed
briefs and dlsfayOrcd oral argument at the bar He
.aea that as a means OF enclunS truth ana reaching
sound judgment, there substitute for oral argu
tueAtdlou ne cOnsQcrcu OF print
efs hk Tor facc-O-face argument had been attended
viz the most injurious results The second leading
cause " deterioration In modern reports arose from the
acuce Of many appellate courts OF assigning the record
" one Judge 10 write the opinion without the previous
examination OF the case IN conference by oil the Judges.
~ both % these respects be considered the Supreme
court OF the United states to be model tor all other APP
ieaie courts IN the country. He declared himself OPP
posed Standardization of law and the sub
.nieton Of the principles OF any alien system; aud in
ssted that the needed amendments should be made TO
tle hardy native stock Of the law equity
stens now prevailing in this country. He considered
" most fortunate Circumstance that the groundwork
" the jurisprudence OF the English speaking people
throughout the world and the same, that they
the same legal literature and that ae result al
improvements and advancement In the law made IN any