Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 24.pdf/432

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The Mistake of our Forefathers
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And hot volcanic epithetsMost picturesquely meanAre spoken of his Honor, outUpon the court yard green.
At last the final case is closed,And compliments are free,The Judge extols the jurors forTheir fine ability.Who joyously reciprocateAnd say they can't refrainFrom giving such a righteous JudgeA gilded headed cane.
And then the warriors of the bar,Their battles being o'er,Lock arms and chum together whenOutside the court house door,While nudging farmers wink and smile,And say: "They're mighty tame;The fightin' is all make believe,It's all within the game."
And when the term is over andThe court room closed again,With law and justice meted outTo erring wrangling men,A-ringing in the court-house towerIs heard the evening bell.In sweet melodious harmonyTo tell us all is well.

Seattle, Wash.

The Mistake (?) of Our Forefathers in Adopting the Common Law of England

The opinion is not often expressed that the United States would have done better to adopt the Civil Law instead of the common law which We derived from England. That, however, is the view of Charles F. Beach, who said in a recent address delivered at the St. Paul College of Law[1]:

"A study of the Civil Law and a


  1. "The Civil Law in America." By Charles F. Beach. Published by A. Pedone, 13 Rue Soufflot, Paris. Pamphlet. Reprinted in Chicago Legal News, June 29. July 6.