The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-01
A GUARANTEE.
sEATrLE. FRIDAY. july l..
LET JUSTICE NE DONE.

The following letter has been received
By this Post-inteiiigencer. and is given
for what It is worth. the name of the
writer-who says he Is a lawyer--being
CONSIDERABLY withheld:
Your editorial In this mornings r l..
like the study OF the iaw. lis interest
ing. According TO rs logic. 4 A. was
sued for 800 on "A negotiable note. but IL
was found that he was liable on 10 such
obligation. but had DETAINED the Plaintir,
a judgment could BE- rendered against him
for that breach. Further. II your Man
o9fng editor was trial for crimiualiy
hbeiling r.. which was no, sustained by
thu evidence but IL was disclosed that
obscene matter had been sent through the
malls. his gull. Of the latter would sus-
tain conviction for the former. Again
C., prominent citizen cashier az Blank
Bank. receives deposit of xE3. which
was never returned to the depositor. Is
guilty Of taking money which did not
belong tn him." but he is not guilty OF
Grand Larceny. and no code of Laws
shouId be framed which would make him
SO. The techrcaiities of the Law can he
brushed aside with no more intelligence
and justice, than can lynchings be suhst!-
fufed for legal executions. our institu-
tons guards the liberties OF our citizens
when imperIiled with such Jealous cara
that America has become the synonym Of
Liberty wherever Civilization has reached;
has h~ckcned to our shores the Nations
OF me Earth. and established or this Con-
tineHt Government that shall perpetuats
until Time shall die, and We are too near
the Centennial OF our Birth TO think of
abandoning these safeguards and rights.
because perchance some unfortunate
woman. who might he guilty NJ some Of
Tense could not he legally convicted OF the
crime charged against her
One of the most discouraging oh
stacies to any attempt AT reforming
Jurisprudence Is the presence I'm the
legal profession OF so many men whose
knowledge il a mere veneering such as
this letter d!scloses. When there is a
wider comprehension Of the principles
of law. AZ distinguished from petty
Jogging casustry. the work OF reform
Will proceed more inteillgcntly
Meantime. progress is being made.
although slowly, Within the pas, CEN
fury both In Great Britain and the
United states there has been n great
advance In statutory law and IL the adj
ministra;ion ~ justice Many traditions
arising as.: - the common law have
been abandoned. and the tendency is 10
simplicity and detiuiteness. practition-
ers trained I'm the old school have. how.
ever. reluctantly accepted Innovations.
and the result has been that even whore
broader codes have been adopted they.
have been tnsrred by the rc-introduction
Of some obsolete notions, and IN the
other hand there has been too much II
an effort t. he exact
For purposes of illustration We may
select two Il the Ten Commandments
thai immortal AeyaloRue upou which so
much of human law Is based Thou
shalt not kill' Is command uuan
which rests all the statutes against
murder in It's several degrees ana ,h,,
less heia0us forms e homicide. t. in
suite the proper administration ~ fuS-
t!ce II should only n necessary - aver
that man has been killed and tha,
there is reason a. believe the accused
did the Killing Al the rest should les
lefs IL the idry and - th. Judge re.
tween thein should ~ determined
whether the accused Is gsltity. and
whether there were any mitigating ctr
cnmSianc"~, Ant fhe vt'ur; should ala
the jury III arriving a; he gsaclusl4r
wh5'her justice VII b. dnae hy itunleh
inr t'g mufdyf granddaughter. assault
with intent to klll. assault with a dad
Is weat-og a. selcutous ASA aft II is a
'FsxestS go justice that e man proved
= eave kii1ed another should ~ ab.e tn
WALK ga. e court hceaase tn officer
who draws up the ia3tctrueut has
resrSsi htW wi'h saurie-. ara e, IS ais
covered. after hearing an army e s,t;-
res<cS shat the vrynse "a ,f such
character te,t tustice wt1 bre; "a, .l.sne
b, eonsletsuS oniy q a~sa@lt ,.ttn
deadly weapon TINS sumalatt Sos
re attempt So g. cleseiN lrio leeaI DIS
uaCttons - alch 1t ussy l.. ,s,strua'r q,