Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1885 — Something New in the Law. [ARTICLE]

Something New in the Law.

Senator Vance claims that the peoEle of North Carolina are the Tnost iw-abiding people in the world, and to prove it tells of a newly appointed Justice of the Peace who, on a public ocoasion, when a fight was about to commence, commanded the peace, and preserved 1 it by rushing between two combatants, drawing a knife a foot in length, and threatening instant death to the man that should violate the publio peace. I know (writes a correspondent) of an incident which illustrates admirably the love of justice which animates our excellent body of magistrates, as well as their ingenuity in threading the mazes of the law and’ arriving at its true meaning and intent. A newly appointed J. P. in one of our eastern counties was trying a civil case of much difficulty, in which the law appeared to be involved in considerable doubt. On one side was Lawyer B , contending that the law was dead in favor of his client; on the other was Lawyer H—-, who was equally as positive that the law was clearly on the other side. The Court was in great doubt for a time, but a lucky idea occurred to its mind. “Gentlemen," said the Court, “the facts in this case are well ascertained, but the law seems to be doubtful. The attorneys on each side have stated what the law is, but they do not agree. The Court decides that, as the facts are established by the oaths of witnesses, the law must be established in like manner. The Court requires each attorney to swear that the law is what he has asserted it to be.” One of the attorneys took the required oath without hesitation. The other demurred, and lost his case. Our new J. P. declares that he has discovered a plan of getting at the truth of the law nevef thought of by Coke or Blackstone. — Harper's Magazine. ;