XXX, 



ODDS AND ENDS TRIAL OF A THIEF IN THE BACK- 

 WOODS NEW MODE OF REPORTING AN ELECTION 



PARADOX LAKE ^VON RAUMER AND HIS STATEMENTS. 



Dear H- 



They have a curious way of disposing of civil and 

 political matters in the backwoods ; for they are not 

 trammelled by the formalities of law, having imbibed 

 the very ridiculous notion that its end is secured by 

 the administration of justice. It will be some time, I 

 am afraid, before they become sufficiently educated to 

 understand that the science of law as reduced to prac- 

 tice now-a-days, is based on two great principles — 

 first, to give the scoundrel a better chance than the 

 honest man — and second, to make technicalities weigh 

 against truth and justice. The idea never entered 

 their heads, poor souls, that a slight informality 



