The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-03-31
ADMINISTERING JUSTICE

One OF the distinguished JUDGES III
Georgia a few days ago made an ad-
dress before the lawyers in Atlanta
on the. subject of the laws admin
stration, and in the course Of his re-
marks be took occasion to say that
the work of the courts was seriously
interfered with in many cases by
three causes. These causes he stated
to be, the preachers, the newspapers
and advertising lawyers.
That there is merit in his con-
illusions along this line those who
have given the matter consideration
will admit. Only a few days ago a
distinguished lawyer in this state,
holding court in n of the counties
by appointment Of the Chief Justice,
wrote that he thought too many sug-,
gestions were coming to the courts
from the pulpit.
In the case of the Georgia Judge
as well as in the case at home it was
distinctly stated that the motives of
the preachers were. the best, but that
the ends they sought to serve were
not always accomplished. The trou-
bile with the preachers is that they
do not confne themselves to a dis
cussion of right and wrong when
they come to talk about the courts,
nor to law and disorder, but once on
the wrong track, they undertake to
try cases for the courts, or for other
tribunals. An instance of this took
place not long ago. A man was to be
tried in the courts of Atlanta for
murder. On-the eve Of the trial, a
preacher, seeking more ~notoriety
than anything else perhaps, in the
course Of one of his sermons, in
stead of denouncing murder and
wrongzdoing in. the abstract, took
up the particular case then about to
he tried, and demanded of the courts
the death penalty. He knew none Of
the facts Of the case except from
hearsay and was not in, position to
determine the facts of the case in a
Judicial way, nor to suggest the
proper punishment for the man
about to be tried. His language was
Incorporate, non-christian in charac-
ter, and did not tend to assist in the
proper administration Of the law.
He should have been adjudged in
contempt Of the court.
On the other hand, just a few
days afterwards, when the case had
been tried and the party accused
found guilty by the courts and SEN
fenced to death, a noted evangelist
took occasion to write to the Cover
nor of Georgia and ask for a re-
.prieve. The preacher in this case
knew nothing of the facts of the
case except from reading the papers,
and it must be evident that the Gov
n Of Georgia, who will have be-
fore him the sworn testimony in the
trial and the assistance of counsel,
will be in better position to pass on
the case than was this minister. If
the minister sought to influence, the
decision Of the Governor itkwas
necessarily through his standing and
reputation. If some other prominent
man had sought " influence the
Governor contrariwise or these con-
siderations, the minister would like
ly have thought he was trying to
tamper with the just demands of the
law. We do not say now that either
the one, nor the other of the
preachers expressed u views OF che
case. What we are trying to say is
that the courts constituted to try
cases are better able to render Just
judgments in all cases than any
preacher, and the preachers in I'm.
~dertaking to try particular cases, in.
stead of denouncing wrong as
wrong and commencing right be.
cause it is right, hurt the cause they
would help.
Newspapers err in the same way
at times. But the chief grievance
against newspapers along the line Of
IL