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Show Jl'DICIAL. DIGSITT. The Bench thould be distinguished for dignity of bearing, profound decisions de-cisions and impartial justice. It should command the respeot of all classes and of all parties; and it is eminently detrimental to tho full and free course of justice when such respect 'u not accorded to it. The Herald yesterday referred in a jocular manner to the fracas between Judge Hawley and Mr. Baskin; but to day tho matter must be treated seriously, for it is one of serious bearing. We may be supposed sup-posed to touch the subject impartially, not viewing either the Judge or the lawyer with very profound respect. Both have been recognized by the pub ic as fraternal partisans, with certain cer-tain aims, objects and purposes alike. Nobody will aceuse Judge Hawley of being a Mormon, and just as little will those who know Mr. Baskin imagine that he is a Mormon, for he has striven to appear par excellence, a ''Gentile of the Oeutiles" a phrase we quote much as we dislike it a man who loved to display his animus against everything that boro the name of Mormon. The subject which caused the dis pute was the dissolving au attachment. attach-ment. The oourse of the lawyer indicates indi-cates too plainly the opinion entertained enter-tained of the Judge, even by men of his own party, as well as by almost the entire "Gentile" and "Mormon" population. What is the respect entertained en-tertained for a prominent member of the Federal Judiciary of a Territory, when a lawyer of his own set will call him openly "an old granny;" tell him he entertains the most profound con tempt for him, and threaten to throw him out of the room down stairs? The order of Judge Hawley for the' arrest of-Mr. Baskin, we believe, was issued, and a penalty of $100 fine with ten days imprisonment was imposed. Yesterday Mr. Baskin was walking around town and appeared to entertain en-tertain no higher feelings of respect res-pect for the Judge than be did the day previous. Hero is a Judge thus openly treated with scorn, whose orders appear ap-pear to be no more respected than a passing breath of wind, who is publicly pub-licly made the object of ridicule as an officer of the Federal Judiciary; and what shall be said of it ? Without expressing ex-pressing an opinion on the language and actions of Mr. Baskin, is there not strong reason for tho inquiry we heard made repeatedly yesterday whether such a Judge, who cannot elicit respect and who is thus publicly defied and scorned, who has evoked contempt so etrong that a member of the bar of his own party gives plain utterance to it in a court room and snaps his fingers in his face is fit to be entrusted with the high office which he is called upon to fill. Has his order or-der to arrest Mr. Baskin not been treated with contempt ? Have not his rulings in Court evoked the most contemptuous con-temptuous criticism? And will anybody any-body name one man connected with the bar where he presidus, who entertains enter-tains for him that respect . a Judge should receive? We may ask further : Had Mr. Baskin been a Mormon Attorney, would he have been walking around yesterday, freely expressing his opinions of the Judge whose order had been issued for his arrest ? We think not; aud the public think not. So much for "distinction as between citizens." We understand that the Court thus treated with contempt, by an extraordinary extraor-dinary decision, decided itself 10 be a Supreme Court of the United States. And for a Court of that dignity to be so treated shocks the memories of the illustrious jurists who have occupied such an exalted position before. "How have the mighty fallen." |
