Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-04
zancaster fntelligenrcr.
MONDAY EVENING, FEB. 4. 1884.
AsoUT poUIREs.

s.co,ao,s rxccptions 20 sweeping Charsss' |
Eorrops sINrxIIraEscRR In this weeks
,.sue m the WEEKLY INTELLIGENcER,
i nosioed 4 rather severe arraignment Oh
tho 'sauires In general, and Of the 'squiies
Of this county in particular, and being one
~ thoee whose day Of usefulness you
seem TO think Ia past. feel In justice to
this much abused fraternity to say some
thing In reply.
In the article to which allude, and also
IN other articles which have appeared In
your paper heretofore, you charge on the
magistrates az body, misdeods and,
micht say, crimes, of half dozen or less
blackleqs Of Columbia and Lancaster city
who are disgrace to the names and office
they hold.
Though some others may have blunder.
cd occasionally, yet all the misdemeanors
noted In the papers as being done wiiiuiy
and habitually by the 'squires and consta
bles of this county can be, and have been,
laid at the doors of half dozen men, and
II IN unjust unfair, and unreasonable to
charge Il TO the magistrates OF this county
A n rule, whom It Is we'll known fact
that it ia confined to such small min
ority of them and we will venture to say
there is no other class or profession that
can show such q prepondersnce of upright,
lust and honorable men over the black
sheep of the flock as the 'squires OF this
county.
We have but two judges in this county,
and one Of them at least has been charged
repeatedly In your paper with many ON
cial acts unbscomipg the ermine, and
quite as grave In their way as have been
charged to the worst Of our flock, yet |
do not MUD Of your suggesting the aboli-
tion Of the office of judge. Many lawyers
and district attorney have been charged
with everything dishonorable and disrepu
table, vet we have hoard OF no move to do
away with the one or muzZle forever the
other.
The ministers of this land have often
disgraced the cloth, but as yet we have
seen no law passed to shut up the
churches. There are black sheep in every
flock, and Judas was one Of the twelve
chosen by God, but the other eleven were
not charged with his treachery. Why
then the Squire?
You say they work for the man thai
hires them though it looks so on account
of the majority of verdicts for the plain
tiff, this is mistaken impression. IL a
man comes to me to sue another, and atei
he states his case plainly, l tiud he has nc
case tell him so, and he drops 1t, but If
see his case is apparently just aud he brings
suit is it any wonder that the chances are
largely in his favor?
From my own experience, and also that
of several OF my conferees with whom
have talked, fully one fourth of those
who come tc us to invoke the power of the
law We dissuade from their purpose
now II We should institute suit at
the request OF all. undoubtedly most
the cases would bs against the plaintiffs.
Again, the majority of actions brought are
to enforce the collection of debts admitted
ly due, and to settle book accounts when
the Indebtedness is not denied in toto, but
only as to particulars those cases are all
necessarily for plaintiff. As To criminal
cases, think but few will believe the in
situation that the magistrates of this
county are such grasping Shylocks as to
commit an innocent man to jail, or worse,
the horrors of Bummers' hall, for the
paltry sum of two or three dollars though
as have said there are afew whoprr their
as for magistrates liability infallibility
Judgments, We don't clsjs wrong when
but that We are We do not admit !;
juries reverse bear me out that
and facts VI one man, usually chosen
the judgmilgence and ability, aud fairly
for his inted in law and ability to siit
wtli p0s 70 aOouI 40 llhcly W pc do
evidef twelve men selected indiscriminate
tharom all grades Of intelligence, aud
ly little aptuess and no experiences in
dealing with lawyers aud witnesses.
The majority of men would trust to the
squire all the time, as is evidenced by the
small per cent. OF appeals to the number oi
cases we decide. This article is growing
too long now, or l would touch on the
matter of intermediate courts and may at
some future time, and in conclusion will
only say, let the people and the politicians
see to it that the fee grabbing. heartless
men, who now bring shame to our county,
are returned to private life !; let the proper
authorities punish to the uttsrrn ost all
wilful wrongs perpetrated in the name of
law; and il any party again dare
nominate to this office men
proven unworthy let all the
papers regardless of politics make war to
the knife on such unworthy aspirants, who
seek the Office for the unlawful emolu-
ments that may be wrung from it and
exercise its rights to the shame Of justice,
oppression of the innocent, aud disgrace
OF our name and county.
If you will kindly give this place In
your valuable paper you will greatly
oblige large number of 'squires who do
not care to rest mutely under the imputa-
tions cast on their ability aud fidelity.
ID. F. NJ.