The National Register.
London, England, 1820-02-21 00:00:00

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(JU2_ationtl

No. 1,221.—V0t. XIII.]

SIR RICII.IRO GOLDEN ItrIALS FOR
MAGISTRATES AND VIIERIFFS.
"1. 1* pigmies estimation of the government tinder
which they live, being founded on the pule, just, and
rational administration of the laws, it ought to be felt
tit it no social duties are more important and obliga-
tory • than those of a local magistrate or justice of the
peace.
2. All such magistrates being representatives, in re-
gaol to their particular powers, of the constitutional
authority of the supreme executive government, they are
bound in every act of their (Alec to consider themselves
as delegates of the sovereign, and in consonance with
the royal oath, " to execute law and justice in mercy,
and to govern the people accord mug to the statutes agreed
on in parliament, and to the laws and customs of the
kingdom."
3. An English magistrate should always bear in mind
that the supreme executive authority, of which lie is
the local represeittative, is restricted in its powers ltv the
laws and the coustitutioit ; that the rights and privileges
of a free people are us inviolable a. the prerogatives of
the sovereign ; and that English magistrates are not in-
strumettis of a despotic power, but agents of a constitu-
tional mottarch.fwhose obligatioiss to hi. people are de-
termined by the sante lams that constitute the obligatiam
of the neople
4. An liatglish magistrate should feel that every sob•
ject of these realms, he he tick or be he poor, be he
accuser or sander accusation, is equal in the eye of the
law ; that the laws of England are no respectors of per-
sons , that they can never,leldtkpettsed with to suit the
humour Of the magistrate or-the policy of the a •o;
and that they are literally imperatise in their popular
sense, until they have been altered of repealed by the
conjoint authorities which made them .'.s
5. The cardinal virtues of all suagiilracy are Aims
impartiality, vigilance, and benevolence.
ti An incorruptible magistrate will not only be
incorruptible in his own conduct, directly and in-
directly, immediately and remotely, but he will "itemise
a wholesome suspicion in regard
.to the possible cox
oo s, extortions, and oppressions, jwised by hiss
constables, officers, and other agents 4siiis authority. •
7. An impartial magistrate will jealotilly evety.
avenue of his mind against the vice and aiealtitess of
partiality ; he will be careful not to be influenced by
ex-pane statements, by crafty or malignant iiisinitations,
or by interested and vulgar prepulices; and Ite.ywill
ne•ver fail to fraterniser that, although justice is blind
iu
regard to the parties, she is all eye w her search after
the truth!
I. A vigilant magistrate will always hear both sides
before he makes his determination , lie will patiently
toibmit to the awkwardness, timidity, and inexperience
of either of the parties ; he will cautiously balance the
various points of evidentei,ptid will persen.re in his
exammatious, whets, .•
.011 he has disentangled
tie case before him lions ail omit and uncertainty.
9. A benevolent nsagistrate will never forget that
mercy is the brightest ornament of all power; he will
never suffer any cruelty, threat, or wanton insult to be
committed on persous under acitisesion, to extort con-
iessions, or use any other pretence nlialsoever ; he will
never exact bail beyond the Means of the patties ; he
will himself inspect all places of temporary or permits
tient confinement ; and he will carefully prevent viole-
t:4sm of hum: y its Lae various subaltern agents of his
jurisdiction.
to. A public-spirited magistrate will always be easy
of access on special occasions which demand his in-
terposition, and he will be punctual in his attendance at
those known periods whicit lie sets apart fur the admi-
nistration of justice.
11. In he:
trate should remember the deperukuce of the partiekott
his patient attention; his examinations should be public,
but in most cases the witnesses (ought not to he heard in
each other's presence; he should be. jealous of the influ-
ence of rewards and penalties on the evidence of the
informer; he should wanly ,guard himself against the
snefigoent feelings m sinister designs of accusers; and
befave be coutistits or convicts, lie should be throughly
satisfied that the act charged was perpetrated with a cri-
minal intention. and contrary to the true intent of some
statute law of ordinance of the reabn.
12. In all adjudications relative to the poor, an up-
right magistrate should he the poor man's friend, and
the guartkan of the destitute and helpless, against the
sordid calculations of avarice, and the overbearing spirit
or wealth, accurately discriminating between the imp ost-
honeof idleness and vice, and the claims oh' industry and
Witte.
13. He ought to be sensible that the letter of the laws
is the rule of conduct fur subjects as well as magistrates,
awl that no man is amenable to magisterial authority
Who has not offended against the ordinary and obvious