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Show BE REASONABLE. J It requires considerable fortitude and courage on the part of a man in office in these little settlements to discharge his duty on all occasions occa-sions according to his convictions; and it often happens that the persons per-sons that the public officer has to fear the most from, and that it is the most difficult to please is fiis personal friends, or at least the persons per-sons that he ha-; been in the habit of considering as his friends. It is also frequently the case that the very persons that ought to be forb-( most in assisting the officer in' doing their duty, and that would be expected to aid him, in maintaining the majesty and powerpf the law, are the very first ones to kick if their personal affairs require any adjustment adjust-ment Of course it is much easier for any of us to say let the law take its course when in doing so it hits the other fellow, then it is when it hits us, but the man that has a proper sense of his duty as a citizen ought to nerve himself for the ordeal when the law is against him and submit; as he would require others to submit' under like circumstances. A most excellent plan is to try to put yourself your-self in the officers place When you feel inclined to complain of his treatment of your affairs. Just now, in the estimation of certain parties, the county attorney and precinct justice are among the most uniust and unfair characters in the community on account of an unpleasant duty which they have had recently to perform. If .their I critics will take time to consider I th"cy will see, or at least ought to see, that it would be a much pleas-1 anter matter to depjde in favor of i the defense if the facts warranted I such a decision than to decide In , favor of the prosecution 3 lor this rea'siori most'Of the legal fraternity, prefer to bg-.-i'- tlirdo-fense tlirdo-fense rather than on the prosecution, and many a trespass goes unpunished unpunish-ed because people" are loth to incur the enmity of others by lodging complaint. For the protection of society the government has made laws requiring ceitah men to be selected to discharge these disagre-ablc disagre-ablc duties, and instead of people hampering them in their work they ought to assist. A little of the spirit of the old Roman general, whe, in the impartial discharge of his duty sentenced bis own son to death, would help matters in some of these cases; not that the matter we are now discussing is exactly in that line, but the man that could so far subjugate his affections to his sense of duty and right, would be just the sort of man that could say amen to the action of a public officer chat rendered a decision against either him or his, when said decision was warranted by the facts, Judges and attorneys are compelled to be governed by the facts and not by their friendships or preferences; that is they promise to be so governed, and when the live up to their promises prom-ises they ought to be applauded, not abused. |