Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-27
TIE LEGAL REVOLUTION

now In progress as represented by tho
movement for cutting off the dead
weights which hinder aud delay justice
is clearly right to those who have wit
messed its benefcent workings.
Can any human being assign even a
plausible reason why no plaintiff can be
heard in q common-law court IN this
State unless he first states his case in bad
English, in certain specified, recognized
declaration !
There is no doubt about the fact that
the union OF the American Common
wealths is the greatest nation upon the
face of the globe. An immense MAORI
ty OF these Commonwealths have al
ready adopted the desired changes in the
a~ntiduated modes of procedure. Why
should tho Old Dominion lag behind In
this grand galoxy Of States With her
40 1875 square miles of territory, her
magnificent still in the infancy
of their development, and above all her
great and glorious people, she must re-
gain not only her former greatness, but
strive to lead the nation. Let her shake
off these cerements of the tomb and
again vaken to life. The status of our
law courts will exasperate any n who
loves Justice. The old forms undoubt-
edly deprive good lawyers of business,
which is Justly their due, because
of the foolish delays which drive
off litigants. Many good men dread
going into court. The people should
have no such feelings for the majesty OF
the law. The simpler the administra
ton of Justice is the better it is for all
parties. Any one who will take the trou-
BILE to took into the condition Of the
human intellect in the eighteenth Gen.
tury, when Sir William Blackstone was
in the zenith Of his fame, can easily I'M
derstand why there is so much useless
form and ceremony aboutthe administra-
| ton OF Justice. Blackstone was himself
n reiormer Of the first order. but there
are lights for us which were denied to
him. In the formation OF our conclu-
sions it is well-nigh impossible for Us not
to be insensibly influenced by education
and surroundings. We are not neces-
sarily right ever when We are free from
these influences, and our final decisions
should only be made after carefully
weighing all the evidence.
I'D to 1870 our worthy torefathers
thought it best that the law pleadings
should be in bad Latin. Blackstone
mentions the fact that for high treason,
or numbering their husbands, women
were to be burned at the stake. he
makes 10 comment upon this horrible
punishment, which was not abolished
until 1890. The first volume OF the
Commentaries was published IN l76o,
There is no question about the fact that
what he did was the beginning OF the
law reform which is rapidly spreading
over the world. Frederick Pollock. pro-
lessor at present OF Jurisprudence in
the University of Oxford, in the preface
TO his admirable work on Contracts,
saws: Blackstone, L doubt not,
opened to his first hearers little
less than a revelation. But Blackstone,
If he we're with us at this day, would be
the first to proclaim the necessity OF
doing his work over again and doing 1T
Thoroughly from the beginning.
Title by title and chapter by chapter the
treasures of the common law must be
consolidated into rational order before
they can be nelly grasped and recss'
as o whole" To little extract Is gwen
simply to show the state of opinion IN
our conservative mother country. The
hook from which it is taken was pub
Lshed in England in 1885, and many
editions of it have since been published
in America
Lady Mary Montagu introduced IN
ocuIation into England TO restrain the
spread Of smsIl-pox in liza under the
patzonAgs Of Queen Caroline. PopulA'