The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-11-15
TRIAL RY NEWSPAPER.

The only reason why the press Is COM
PEELED to try public scoundrels before the
court Of public opinion is because they
frequently cannot be brought to justice in
any other way. When the legal profession
declines TO purge itself of lawyers who
have either committed theft or helped
others to steal; when it does not impeach
VIGOROUSLY corrupt judges; when public
prosecutors do not prosecute: when justice
Is fairly described as not seldom "drugged
by avarice and bound by technicalities,
what form OF trial remains for knaves who
scalp and skin their fellow men save
"trial by newspaper" 1t was trial
by newspaper that convicted the Tweed
ring and brought 1t to legal punishment;
it was trial by newspaper that exposed
Belknap and Babcock under Grants ad-
ministration; it was trial by newspaper
that forced the Credit Mobiier iHvestiga.
ton upon congress; it vas trial by news
paper of the Doodle aldermen that
dubbed the lax prosecuting officers and
judges of New York city to indict Jacob
Sharp and the twenty-one aldermen he
bribed. who would not have been tried at
all. much less any of them convicted, had
it not been for that ceaseless tirebell rung
day and night by the press to inform and
assemble the people TO protest against the
crime and the escape of the criminals.
No wonder the people welcome trials by
newspaper OF scandals. for the people know
by experience that if it was not for the ex-
posture of rascals and their trial by news
paper the unprincipled representatives of
justice who disgrace courts. or loaf in the
chairs of prosecuting officers would never
dare to do their duty or fear to abuse the
machinery in order TO secure its miscar-
rage. There was a time when it was con-
sidered base and detestable for man to
sell for money the utmost effort, of ali his
talents, skill and learning to save 3 vii.
lain from the gallows or the prison or TO
enable him TO cheat some widow or
orphan out of her patrimony and liveli-
hood. This romantic and sntiquated
sense of decency and self-respect." writes
a great American, "has long since disap-
reared" Ii is because the people know
this is true that they sometimes distrust
the honesty or wisdom OF courts, the in
,egrity and energy Of prosecuting officers
the moral sensibility and honor of the
legal profession.
The modern doctrine of legal ethics is
made by the great lawyers, who are a.
WAYS of counsel TO the great robbers OF
the people, TO include the right to misrep-
resent the law or the facts. TO deceive the
| Judge and jury, TO obtain averdiot for thei,
| client by any trick or dishonorable means
| 10 treat with contempt the ancient notion
that lawyer is part of the machinery &c
| ascertain the truth. to promote justice. no,
/ 10 defeat it, And yet, in face OF this sor,
| Of legal ethics. We hear frequent denuncia
| ton of trial by newspaper. Ii rascals of a
certain sort are 10 get any trial at ali there
| must he a newspaper trial" for lawyer,
| and courts seem 10 agree that such men
shall never be pat on trial, much less reach
| prison, If public opinion waits for them Il
| set the machinery of justice in energetic
| and remoEseless motion.
| We are jest through with one memoir
| able trial by newspaper IN Washington
| that We trust Will be = wholesome mora
! object lesson to al whom it may concern