The recorder, or, Lady's and gentleman's miscellany. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1801-1802, 1802-03-20
REMARKS

ed. Yeas, 81.
REMARKS
vfeN TIE sPEscH OF sovERNsUR
MORRIS.
Confined fran g The Reeordey'' eff the etb
cayrenf,
IN tuFniag back TO the lpeech of Mr.. Nor
ris.n you win obferve thar he divides his ar
guments into two heads, hrh, the expediency,
OF the propsied repeal, and fecond, It's har
mony with tae federal contribution. We have
already followed MIR. Morris through his OBJ
ieryatio1s upon the former Of theie two points;
and we have r9e1 with nothing in this part of
his speech, flar was much better than decia-
nation. Burt muF not from this Be abrupt
~ inferred that the opinions of Mr.. Morris
are incapable Of a respectable defence. In
she outlet OF the bpGneis it was rer,arkedt
that, upon tbs quetion, the republicans were
conhderabiy divided AS for the ground of
erpe@'fncy, profefiiopal men are, in one rcfpet,
the 5et judges. They rust know tire pro-
babllLty whether public juitice will be ad-
numbered mote espeditiouG, more eBeatly,
ana more b,n.Rly, by the prefeut iyheu of
courts than by the lait che. But then, their
deciilon muii be heard with this material oo
Jection. They coniider themielves as almoif
parties III the caufe.+ They feel that the DIG
pity or the bar, as well as of the bench, is IN
tereited n the Independence of the federal iud-
ges. Without the frnaileh inputation upon the
purity OF their motives, We may be executed
'of thinking i pofible that the honor of the
protection has Tome influence On the judgement
OF Irs members After all, however, L mutt
be granted thu: the memorial from the law
i nj tl-l 4 ! o.
deieryes eminnt regard.
One of the reafons for the expediency of
the repeal of ne act, IS thai the Judges will
have too little buiineis. We have Teen chat
MIR Morris b,gins his fpeech. by ridiculing
this doctrine. His protected opinion. IS that a
Court which hls very Little buEnefs to come
before it's Of IS muchinlportauce to the pub
l.c as that which does = great deal. This i'm
plies avery wild sbflrdisy BY the faaae, rule,
the wheel batIow tliat can hold fifty pounds
weight Of rubbfh is of IS much uie as the cart
thatremopes twelve hundred weight. Leav-
ing this concet, as too contemplate for farther
notice, we fhall juft remark that The fupreme
federal court coaliits at prefenr Of tx Judges,
with iaiafies which extend collectively TO the
ium OF TWENTY ORR THoUsANDFIvE HUN
DRED DOLLAR: PER ahnam. ".ARd what have
+" they got 70 do?' fays general Aiaion. g To
try tea fuits; for fich is rhe number now on
F." their docket, disappears from certificate iuit
" put into my hands; and TIE average number
{" on their docke:amounts to from eight to ten.
!" Thus, for the tial of the nmcnfe nuu62- of
Z" eight or ten lu IS, YOU have Gx iudges, one
&C with ialaty offour tfou!and, and FIVE Others
g with iaiari,s OF three thouiand FIVE hundred
&c dollars each"
fut the cafe that, in this federal court, the
trial of each caufe lalts upon i medium for
year, and this does not feem an extravasant
(uppoiition. Then, beGdes the charges of
the clerk, and other incidents, the country
-nuit pay two tli0uiaad one hundred and ffty
dollars for the deciiion of every luit that
comes before IL. You NUT always mind ALTO
that this rnoney is 90 be RATED at a very great
eXPence for cueom houie officers, or excite
men; or ellie, that you muR borrow it at tx
Or eight per cent In proportion to the
quantity of butiBeiSthat comes before it, this
federal tuprerne court is one Of the mott pro-
ligai ettabliihments upon earth. In the courfe
Of thefe debates in Hongrels, It appeared that,
If this time, the Common amount of cauies
depending in the fedeal courts is from flxtcen
hundred to two thouknd SupPoie the latter
number; and that eac7 Of them is TO he dcci-
led, like thofe Of the f1prenae. court, at a real
and practical eXpence Of two thoufand Ave
hundred dollars, o. upwards. This would ab-
orb FIVE or tx millions of dollars per annun.
No man will fay that fuch a fyftem Alould DC
adopted in the fubordinats federal courts.
and it ieems evident that what would De 70
ought rulnous upon a large icale never to be
embraced upon a frnaIl one, The Office of a
rupremc Judge would fhrihk into fnccure.
The mite OF popularity poheaed by the prefent
corps of judges viii hardly promote then, to 70
iehraole donation. Notwithstanding the
bswling encomiuns Of Mr.. Bayard,S thepujfe
OF American gratitude does nor beat very high
towards Mr.. Psttcrfon, MIR. BuIhrod IVaih-
lngton, or Mr. Cbafe. By every fenf5le
Recorder" February 27th. IBID.