A Russian Court. of the law, only make the same conditions hold good over the entire country. Don't divorce a person for impoliteness in one State, and make murder, arson and forgery necessities for a similar result three miles away in the next State. In any case, why do we pretend that marriage is for time and eternity, when we know it is of possible speedy dissolution? Isn't the Law poaching on the preserves of the Church, anyway,
A
297
when it dissolves a bond created by the lat ter? Of course, all this is only a layman's point of view, and, more than that, a layman who has been neither divorced nor yet wed. It is, however, sometimes the blind man who best theorizes on painting, and the deaf man who knows a thing or two about the soul of harmony; and, really, I would cut out of the marriage service that phrase " whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder."
RUSSIAN COURT.
THE assizes of Russia are held at least twice a year, and, if needful, three or four times, in the chief towns of the depart ment, and three councilors are commis sioned to hold them. The senior councilor takes the title of President of the Assize, and on him devolves all of the chief duties. As soon as the three arrive in a town, they pay their official calls in a carriage and pair, call ing on the prefect and the diocesan. These functionaries pay the return visit immedi ately, and the mayor, assessor, police com missioner, and other officials follow. On either side, the ceremonial is punctilious to a degree, and the etiquette is in all cases strictly defined. As the arrival of the judges is generally timed for the afternoon, the so cial ceremonies occur in the evening. One entire day must elapse between the arrival of the judges and their sitting, in or der that there may be full time to examine the calendars on which are spread the indict ments, the depositions of witnesses, and all of the facts and rumors which the police have been able to collect concerning the .ac cused. There are three categories for trial : The political offenders, the press offenders, and those whose crimes involve sentences of death or exile. These may be in strict con finement, in the houses of detention, or at large. The public prosecutor, and not the Bench, decides as to what enlargement shall
be allowed prisoners before and during trial. He is supposed to be very fair in all that is done, and sees to it that the accused are present when the juries are drawn. The drawing is the first business of the assizes. A panel consists of forty men, and for each trial fourteen are drawn, twelve to form the jury, and two supernumeraries or suppliants to act in case of sickness of the jurors. These two men sit in the box with the others, and hear the trial, but take no part in finding the verdict, unless in filling vacancies. Every prisoner is attended at the drawing by counsel, although he may be of little use to the prisoner. At mid-day of the second day after their arrival, the judges open court. The hall of justice is a large room, at one end a dais, on which are the judges, clad in scarlet and ermine, in large arm-chairs. Behind them hangs a life-size painting of Christ on the cross, and on the table in front of the judges' chair is a gilded crucifix. Of the picture and crucifix the judges seem almost entirely oblivious. Mounting the dais, the prosecu tor follows, and takes a seat in a rostrum at their right. The gendarmes then enter with the prisoners, escorting them to a dock opposite the prosecutor. The proceedings commence with the reading of the first in dictment on the list, by the clerk of court. This may occupy an hour, as the indictment
