The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-28

Attached TO all United States courts
IS an officer called in common conver-
sation a United States commissioners.
This person under the laws OF the Uni
ted states is given certain powers. He
can issue warrants TO a United States
marshal TO aryest anybody charged
with committing offences against the
laws OF the United States tRev. Stat.
Sec. 727). He is chief supervisor OF all
L. s. elections (Sec. 2025). He can take
bail I'm civil causes. and also affidavits
tsee. s45}. He is, or was. an officer OF
fees. and all fees were taxed 10 the
United States. and by that government
were paid (Sec 9s1). He has power TO
discharge poor men. sent. or lying. in
prison, under sentences OF the u. $.
courts (Sec. 1042); and lastly. the OBJ
ject OF his appointment was to afford
speedy ard convenient means fo- The
arrest and examination Of persons
charged with crimes tSec. 1889. So
great had bsan the frauds committed
by these commissioners that congress in
1896, enacted statute. the first para
graph OF Section 20. Of which is in these
words. That the terms OF office OF all
commissioners OF circuit courts hereto
fore appointed shall expire on the thir-
teenth day Of June. 1896" On that day
went out of this Office OF commissioner
of the Circuit court here in Providence,
Mr.. John Il. Blodgett. During the pend
dency OF this proposed law MIR. Blod-
gett prepared and submitted what
might be called brief ito the Honora-
In this brief Mr.. Blodgett not only
attempts to preserve the conditions un-
der which great wrongs had been done.
but he would also produce conditions
which permitted the meanest Of judi
cial frauds in the hearings OF cases;
and Mr.. Blodgett also strenuously urged
the giving OF Increased powers TO such
commissions; which, had Congress
granted. would have opened the door
10 still greater wrongs, easy OF per-
petration by all such commissioners az
chose to use them. Happily the Senate
did not listen. On the contrary IL 'leg-
1slated" Mr.. Blodgett out OF Office, for
law which the House had already
enacted. All u. s. commissioners in
Rhode Island went ous W Office June
30. 1896 and neCrly all went back into
office next morning, but Mr.. John T.
BIodgett was not re-appointed, and
Notwithstanding a strong effort was
made by him 10 obtain a re-appoint-
ment. happily he did not succeed: no
investigation into the management OF
his Office was made, but never was one
more needed Now comes from Wash
sngton one OF the members OF that Sem
ate. which voted Mr.. Biodgett out OF
ONCE. and as president OF that railway
which had such control OF the Rhode
Island General Assembly, that that
body enacted without division. the
terrible law OF May. 1898 Mr.. John t.
Blodgett being then a member OF the
lower house. then comes this president
we say. and In effect. with the assist
nnce OF his General Assembly. attempts
TO place on the bench as judge OF the
Supreme court. the man whom. as sem
ator. he legislated out OF a judicial
office. To what are We coming here in
Rhode Island; is there indeed a lower
depth into which II Is the fate OF men
here to descend? We recall nothing in
the history Of Rhode Island quite equal
20 these incidents. IL is the most dan
gerous thing done by the General As
sembly since the days in 1856, when the
Trevett vs. Weeden case came and de-
stroyed the Superior Court. Are men
going 20 permit individuals the
privileges Of using the legisla-
tive power 10 enact your statutes. and
then selecting the very legislators who
enacted them 10 adjudicate cases under
shem. We have read In hooks that
Power will intoxicate the best hearts.
as wine will intoxicate the strongest
heads" hut no man ls wise enough. nor
good enough To be trusted with unllmlt-
ed power. In the light OF these circum-
stances about how much is lacking IN
the possession OF unlimited power here