The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-07-07
IMPRESSIVE BRIEFS.

nc vi COuubCllUS w. ".
Smith and w. A. Kinney suggest that
in the movement to disbar Attorney
General Cooper there 10 an event
which may become a Hawaiian Drey-
fus case so far as 1t involves high
principles.
A tax collector, In an unholy at
tempt to add IS to the crowded vaults
Of the finance department, assaulted a
Chinaman who had lawfully refused to
add to the burdens OF the treasury
vaults. Counsellor Humphreys was
retained by the Attorney Generals as
sistant to apply the torch Of the mai
esty Of the law to the depraved tax
collector and roast him. Minister Da-
mon at the same time, in the protec-
tion Of his loyal subordinate, the tax
collector. requested that the Attorney
General should protect this Govern
ment employe, which he did by send
ing a subordinate to his aid. Counsel
Tor Humphreys objected to the theory
and practice Of the Government which
permitted the prosecuting and defend
ing OF a prisoner at the same time,
that Is, blowing 1t legally hot and
cold at the same instant. He was per-
emptorily overruled by the Attorney
General, who made threat to put him
out Of the case. The miserable minion
OF the finance department was then
convicted Of the assault. Thereupon
Counsellor Humphreys moved for the
dlsbarment Of the Attorney-General
for the violation OF a great fundament-
al principle, or, in other words, for
maliciously boring hole in the ship
OF state, just below the water line,
with intent to sink her.
As the Court will give judgment in
the case shortly, the Press need not
discuss the merits Of It.
The briefs show that counsel on
both sides, in the proceedings to dis
bar, regard the matter as a very SOL
emn affair, an overwhelmingly solemn
affair. Brother" Kinney generated
storm center OF cyclonic wrath which
he directed towards the Attorney-Gen-
eral. Brother Smith generated an
other storm center OF indignation
against Brother" Kinney's travelling
storm center. These storm centers. In
the form OF energetic briefs, have met
and clashed, and SO filed the air with
dust and smoke that the poor laymen
can't see the truth concealed in 1t.
Brother" Smith believes that an
unwarranted attack, for trivial
cause, has been made on high officer
OF the Government. Brother" Kim
ney believes that In providing for the
prosecution and defense of a person
charged with crime, the Attorney
General Ia trying to paddle the canoe
Of justice in opposite directions at the
same moment, which Is infamous. The
briefs Indicate the usual pathos mani
tested by counsel in protecting the in
terests of their clients. Perhaps Broth
err" Kinney takes rather extreme views
in trying to hold the Attorney General
up to the ''scorn of mankind" The
"scorn" Is somewhat overworked, just
as the orators of the Republican, DEM
ocratlc and Populist parties overwork
the "scorn" business when they de-
nounce each other as enemies of their
common country. Brother Smith
does not play the hose Of "scorn' in
the case SO fiercely as Brother" Kin
ney does, but he does not hesitate to
denounce the movement to disbar the
Attorney General as a malicious affair,
something like an attempt to get the
crew of the ship of state intoxicated
and then let her drift upon lee shore.
In the meantime the offending tax
collector goes about his duties, caring
little and knowing nothing about the
clashing of the legal cyclones in the
halls of justice. which his untimely
conduct has created. The Supreme
Court meteorologists will speedily find
some way of drawing the fury out OF
these legal cyclonlc movements, and
the skies will again be clear.