Part 41 (1/2)
Upon a tie of the Woodford Circuit Court A young lawyer, after diligent preparation and exhaustive argument, confidently submitted his first case to the tender mercies of the Court To his utter dismay, His Honor promptly rendered a decision adverse to the contention of the youthful barrister Deeply humiliated by his defeat, the latter exclaimed: ”I am _astonished_ at such a decision!” The ad to accomplish its charitable purpose, the irate attorney asservated more excitedly than before, his astonishe ordered the clerk to enter up a fine of five dollars against the offending attorney for contened supreme, and the victim of judicial wrath sank back into his seat, utterly disth relieved in part by an old lawyer fro and soleht be said, Your Honor, in extenuation of the conduct offriend It is his first case, one in which he felt the deepest interest, and upon the successful issue of which, he had founded his fondest hopes I trust Your Honor, upon due reflection, will remit this fine It is true, he has with much vehemence expressed his astonishment at the decision of the Court But his youth and inexperience must surely be taken into account Ah, Your Honor, when our young brother has practised before this court as long as some of us have, _he will not be surprised at any decision Your Honor may make!”_
THE POINT OF THE JOKE
Sydney Sical operation to get a joke into a Scotchman's head And not a bad reply is that of the Scotchlish_ joke”
It is unnecessary, however, to cross the Atlantic in order to find a feell authenticated cases where the surgical operation would have been required The Hon Sae of Southern Illinois, was one of the ablest and es, and possibly--on or off the bench--theof all of the sons of e Weldon Soon after the close of the War, he one day told Judge Treat a story he had heard upon a recent visit to Washi+ngton McDougall, formerly of Illinois, but at that time a Senator from California, had become very dissipated near the close of his terht a policeman on the Avenue found hiutter As the officer was et the unfortunate statesman upon his feet, he inquired: ”Who are you?” The reply was: ”This all, but now I am _Sewered!”_
A few e Treat said: ”Hay, Weldon has just told all Mac was in the gutter, and a police I was Senator McDougall, but now I am the Hon William H Seward!'”
AN INCIDENT
Upon the occasion of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the City of Bloo, late Minister to Belgium
In the course of his address, he related the following incident:
”In the early history of this county, two boys one day went into the old courthouse to hear a lawsuit tried There were asseed in the trial, but giving strict attention to the proceedings It was not a suit of great importance
”The Court was presided over by Samuel H Treat, who afterwards becauished lawyers and jurists in the State
”One of the lawyers was David Davis, first a noted lawyer, then a circuit judge, then a judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, then a United States Senator and acting President of the Senate; a citizen of State and national fahted to honor
”Another was John T Stuart, a brilliant lawyer, several tiress, and one of the most lovable of men
”Another one was David B Ca attorney and afterwards a profield
”Another was Edward D Baker, as afterwards a United State Senator froon; a famous orator who immortalized himself by his marvellous oration over Senator Broderick
”Another was Jaall, a brilliant Irishman, afterwards a United States Senator from the State of California
”And Abraham Lincoln, who has passed beyond the domain of human praise into the pantheon of universal history
”I ht add that one of those boys afterwards became the Vice-President of the United States; and the other is your speaker
”Speaking to any audience in Aht say in the world, I doubt if such an incident could be truthfully related of any other gathering”
A JUDICIAL DECISION ON BAPTISM
It is rarely the case that a Court is called upon to decide questions of a purely theological character Of necessity, however--property interests being involved,--controversies, ious character, sometimes arise for judicial determination
The case to be mentioned is probably the only one where ”baptism”-- the true mode and e Aexecution in the jail of one of the counties in northern Kentucky Under the ministrations of the pastor of the Baptist Church, the prisoner at length ood confession” and desired to be baptized To this end, the faithful pastor applied to the circuit judge before whom the prisoner had been tried, for permission to have the rite observed in the Kentucky River near by The judge--more deeply versed in ”Blackstone” and ”Ben Monroe”
than in theological lore--declined to have the prisoner reave permission to have him baptized in the cell The physical impossibility of the observance of the solemn rite in the prisoner's cell was at once explained ”Certainly,” said the judge in reply, ”I know there is no room in there to baptize hiht where he is confined” ”But,” earnestly interposed the nize sprinkling as valid baptism
We hold _immersion_ to be the only Scriptural reatly surprised ”Well, this Court decides that sprinkling _is_ valid baptism; and I tell you once for all, that that infernal scoundrel will be sprinkled, _or he will be hung without being baptized at all!”_
Inasher court, it stands as the only judicial deter-controverted question