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 The Supreme Court of Minnesota.

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In the second district the court convened The first term of the Supreme Court was "at the house of Mr. Bean, on the west held at the American House in St. Paul, bank of the Mississippi, at the falls of St. An on Monday, July 14, 1850, Chief-Justice thony." The grand jury was duly sworn; Goodrich and Justice Cooper being pres and it is interesting to know that Mr. Justice ent. About this time a certain English Meeker's charge was able, and "characterized man named Edward Sullivan made a tour by sound legal and philosophical lore." through the Northwest, and, as is common After retiring to-" the old mill in the vi with such travellers, published his " impres cinity for deliberation," it was found that sions." From this book, entitled " Ram bles and Scrambles in

the community had ^^^^^^^^^^^^ North and South failed to provide them with any derelictions r America," I quote the following picturesque to investigate; and the bit : — term of court came to a sudden close, with "The Chief-Justice of nothing to render it Minnesota was holding memorable other than his session at St. Paul. its position chronolog The bar of the hotel was ically in the legal his the court-house. The tory of what is now the Judge was sitting with his city of Minneapolis. feet on the stove on a level with his head, a Much ceremony at cigar between his lips, tended the launching and a chew as big as an of the judicial ship in orange in his mouth, and Mr. Justice Cooper's a glass of some liquor by district. A spacious his side. The jury were warehouse was fitted in nearly the same ele up and gorgeously gant position in different decorated for the occa parts of the room; and a sion. Governor Ram lawyer, sitting across a sey and Chief-Justice chair and leaning his chin r Goodrich occupied on the back of it, was seats with the presid addressing them. The MOSES SHERBURNE. ing justice. Justice prisoner was sitting drink ing and smoking, with Cooper's charge to the grand jury was a somewhat flowery and his back to the judge, and looking the most respectable and least concerned of the party. elaborate affair. After listening to its flow ing periods, our editor decided that, although Although it struck me that there might be a good a young man, the Justice possessed " a dis deal of justice, there was very little dignity, in the criminating mind, competent knowledge of application of the law in Minnesota." The learned writer then proceeds to en the law, suavity of manners, and much per sonal dignity. Minnesota may be proud of large on the usual topic, the weakness of an her judge." It was subsequently discovered elective judiciary, and attributes the lack of that but three of the members of the jury dignity in the Minnesota Court to the fact could understand the English language; and that the judges were elected by " a majority of the members of the House of Assembly." possibly to prevent the utter waste of judi cial eloquence, the charge was printed in full This latter learned observation on the method of electing Federal judges seems to corrcbo in the next issue of the village newspaper.