The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-10-17

state, are as pure as waters from the
heavens can be.
But some of you may ask, "what con-
nection has all this with laying a corner
stone of a Court HOuse?" 1t is simply
this: Unless in this building there be an
intelligent and honest administration of
Justice, the most important uses for
which it is intended will fail. The pub
lie is more or less inclined in these DAYS
to criticise the law and those especially
set apart to administer it, and forget
that the responsibility for the proper
execution of the law does not rest upon
the Judges alone. Judges may at times
be justly subject to criticism, for they
are human and make mistakes, but the
intelligent people of every community
ought to remember that there must be
some arbiter to settle the disputes of
others which they cannot settle them
selves, and that under our system of
government the courts have been or
ganiZed for that purpose. When then,
one of those courts determines a ques-
ton which the laws of the State have
left for its determination, the law-abid-
ing people of the community should not
only accept the decision as conclusive of
far as some other tribunal may be
authorized to review it, but they should
use their influence to uphold the courts
and to encourage and induce others to
do so. Unjust and improper criticism
of courts by those who are believed to be
law-abiding and influential people may
besmore harmful to communities than the
commission OF some recognized crime,
for it not only weakens the power of
the courts, and interferes with the pro
per administration of justice, but it en-
courages the criminal to commit other
crimes. No reasonable judge should
expect litigant who believes in the
justice Of his cause, but loses it, to at
once feel that the decision was right
and he was wrong. That is not natural,
but such litigant, after the immediate
effects of his disappointment are over,
ought to realize that a diSinterested tri-
bunal is more apt to be right than a
party to a suit, who is more or less
predjudiced in his own favor, and if he
cannot bring himself to appreciate that
fact he ought at least to be willing to
attribute proper motives to the tribunal
which decided his case. 1t is extremely
rare to find a court deciding a case from
improper motives. OF course no honest
judge would decide contrary to his
judgment of what the law is, or what
the facts require, and his Self-respect.
his oath of office and his legal training,
will generally prevent him from being
affected by prejudice, fear, favor or
other improper motives or influences.
But want to bring this still closer to
you, the people of this county, where it
belongs. | have said that the response
blllty for the proper execution of the
law does not rest upon the judges alone.
Upon whom then does it rest? | would
emphasize the answer, and unhesitat-
lngly declare that it is upon the people
Under our system the people not only
elect the judges and legislators, who
make the statutory laws, mot to speak
of the fact that the majority of our
legislators are not lawyers but selected
from the public at large), but they take
a most important part in the decision of
cases in court. Trial by jury is guar
anted by our Constitution, and jurors
are selected from the taxpayers and
registered voters, exclusive of lawyers.
Under our Constitution Jurors are
judges of the law as we'll of the facts in
criminal cases, and if these be a wrong
decision in such case the twelve men in
the jury box are responsible for it. In
civil cases if the judges Interpretation
OF the law be erroneous it can generally
be corrected on appeal, but if the jury
be wrong in its conclusion, with but few
exceptions, there is no redress. So
after al, what is of supreme import
ance is that the people of the com
munity be honest, intelligent and faith
full to their duties in order that justice
be properly melted out. You cannot
shift all the responsibility and burden
upon the court. 1t rests largely. with
you, and you the people of Garrett
county, have it in your power to deter
mine, to large extent, whether justice
shall be properly administered within
the walls of this building in course of
construction
1t is therefore for such reasons that
have spoken Of the opportunities you
have to educate your children and to
advance their moral and spiritual well
fare, which will not only make them
more intelligent but more honest, more
appreciatiYe of the duties and response
bilities devolving upon them by the laws
of the land. So | appeal to you to do
your part towards educating the young
Of this county, and above all towards
making them honest, upright and righ-
teous citizens who viii respect and obey
the laws Of God and man. A com
munity largely composed of such ma
terial can have but little cause for com
plant of the manner in which the laws
are administered. | trust that while
you can still speak of this building as
your new court house" your county
will have so progressed in its educa-
tional, moral and spiritual interests that
the residents Of the lowlands of this
State will look up to the highlands OF
Garrett to find people who have made
1t one of the most prosperous, intelli-
gent, lawbiding. and religious counties
of the State
If such hope be realized, then the
money of the taxpayers of this county,
expended on this building will besre-
turned many fold, and this will in reality
| be Temple of Justice, wherein the
rich and the poor, the high and the low,
will stand on an equality, and can be
assured that their rights will be preserv.
ed and their wrongs redressed, as impair.
TALLY and abundantly as is possible to
be done by human tribunals.
Capt. J. M. Jarboe, Worshipful Mas