The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-10-10
Correspondence.
Letter from Rev. M. ID. Jump.
BURLINGTON, Oct. 6, 1884

Editor RegiSter and JOu1ndl:-
While have no desire for news
paper controversy, yet your rejoinder
to my note of last week seems to call
for brief reply.
In the first place permit me to make
acknowledgement, with all due hui
militv, that was behind the times in
my reference to Webster as an author
ity in definition. | simply knew that
he was a man well-thought of by Amer
leans, and had often heard his diction-
airy spoken of as especially reliable in
such matters; but | see that a new and
higher authority has arisen, in recent
years Sin this part of the world, and,
of course, must bow to it with be-
coming Difference.
In respect to the personal anintUS of
your comments, most thoughtful read
ers will, think, see in it an indication
of lack of material for fair and tenn
perate argument.
1t will be more than suspected that
a very sore and sensitive spot was
touched by your correspondents charge
of official delinquency. Were there no
truth in the charges, there could be lit
tie concern for the effect of such
"sweeping and exaggerated" state
ments as you declare mine TO have been.
/ suspect that the charge rankleS be-
cause of its truthfulness, at least in re-
gard to some "magistrates" (pOSSiGiy
near to the REGISTER office, who may
feel that something must be done to
parry the force of it.
Your correspondent was not ignor.
ant of the statute for the punishment
of official delinquencies, which you
quote with an evident air of triumph
But it is we'll known that nothing can
be done under that statute except
through the grand jury; and every one
knows also how nearly dead letter
that statute is, and for this reason, viz.
that the same irreverence for law whict
leads to official delinquency also makes
its punishment next to impossible
however fragrant such official short
coming may be; and it is just at this
point that we see the imperative neet
of a quickened public sentiment, which
shall be so strong and SO constant in it
pressure as to make magistrates an(
jurors feel that they must maintain TIT
law in its integrity. In view of thi
nCCu, IL olidhkCi1 IL
logical when you say that "publiC sen
timent in and of itself amounts to lit
tle." The law, the courts, the prose
cutting officers, the juries, constitute
the machinery for the public admins
tration of justice; but it is a simple
matter of fact that public sentimen
must apply the power and largely di
rect the action of the machinery. Pub
lie sentiment, as rule, measures tn
exactness with which law is admins
tered. 1t also largely determines tn
fidelity of public officers to their trust
Has public sentiment then done all
can do when it has secured the enact
ment of prohibitory statute?
Considerable space was very kind
devoted, in your last issue, to a pei
sonal exhortation of the writer of thi
to do his duty as a citizen of Vermont
BE assured that exhortation is well re
ceived. We all need such reminders
it is easier to talk than to do.
But permit me to say that tn
''iacts" which | am so earnestly e>
horted to bring to the notice of tn
proper authorities have been brougl
TO the notice of the authorities, wit
lists of reliable witnesses "facts" III
questioned by any one; facts as ope
to the light as facts need be; but II
heed was given to them by the ''prop'
authorities" and yet, if We are to b.