Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-12-17
More Bad Logic.

But the reason Is PLAN IN that IL
takes the position
/. That Judge Hoffman was really
not libeled, and could not have been.
,. That Judge Hoffman could not be
injured although the administration of
Justice was in danger of being brought
into contempt.
Now, how a bad end can be con
demned without compromising the
personal character of the instrument
to that end is something we admit we
cannot see.
If the integrity Of the court can be
attacked without involving in the
onslaught the moral rectitude Of the
individual or individuals Of the court,
then figs can be gathered from thistles
and grapes from thorns.
Hence, it was to relieve Judge Hotf-
man entirely of all imputation of
concern in the matter that this para
q aph was inserted in the petition to
the governor:
Seco"d-That the otherwise
That is. outside of Robinsons i'm
parchment
-unquestioned personal and j"diciol in
tegritv of Judge Hoffman does not need the
vndication implied by Mr.. Robinson's inn
prisonment and fine.
For defending this complete state
ment of the case--a statement which
covers both the "personaf' and Jul
dicial'' phases of the Judges concern in
the matter, the JOURNAL is rewarded
with the supertiuous, almost idiotic in
qujry of the Aecs to its readers
Is the Great Paper Obtuse?
We will answer-maybe not.
But if it is, how was it with those
fellows who went bowling down to
Annapolis last winter declaring that
the Jury commission was direct i'm
parchment of the court in general and
Judge Hoffman IN particular
And how is it now with those people
and papers who hold the Judge harm
less and unimpeachable under a system
in which he takes a hand in selecting
juries, but howl about the reflections
he will incur in changing to a system
in which he will not take hand?
Fellow-citizens, if there is any
obtuseness in this business it is
monopolized by those who are en-
deavoring to conform their arguments
to fit the quandary of the occasion.
Part of that obtuseness consists in
their belief that the JOURNAL is gulled
by their logic and likely to be scared
by their newspaper brayado.
No Formally Needed.
The JOURNAL is not in good form to
20 on the editorial witness-stand this
week for cross examination by the law
editor Of the Cumberland NelrS.
Somewhat Unexpectedly, somewhat
suddenly. as detailed elsewhere, a
great grief overlook and overcame us
on Monday. and time has not yet
healed the wound that death has in
hicted.
Moreover, we are not ready. Several
things are to happen yet. The history
of a few current affairs is not com
plete.
When these turn out us we expect
we will answer the NetcS' questions,
and probably several that it has not
asked.
If the outcome, however, amounts to
an authoritative, conclusive, everlast-
nag contradiction Of the general senti-
ment of the appended paragraph, then
we will humbly retract all of it and all
that Is in the article from which it is
taken-history and all:
The Journal has as much respect for the
courts as anyone. At the same time it in
dulges no fulsome adulation of their powers,
privileges and dignites. These are all right
in their way, but to command popular respect,
they, like all other institutions, must deseTVe
respect When they become screens behind
which servants of the people can take refuge,
and from which libel suits to silence free
Sltetl anu llltlltllHcHtS W suppress lhC
liberty of the press can he shot out whenever
the fancied exigercies of the situation seem
to require it, the higher court of the people
will eventually assert its own prerogatives.
But we want it understood that when
any authority comes to sit in judgment
upon this paragraph, there will likely
he somebody there TO see that Its
connections are not overlooked.
Meanwhile, we stand right by the
sentiments it contains.
If thee are strong enough in the
Judgment of the law editor of the Ne,cs
to warrant imprisonment, we are ready
to 90 to Jail without the formality OF
Indictment and trial.
For the law editor of the Ne,cs has as
much moral right to imprison the
JOURNAL before a trial as after.
Still PcssimistiC.
The Cumberland NetcS takes great
comfort from the supposition that
son Russell did not form a syndicate anc