The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-05-31

Pri oi Pu't,c i't'i ~ grows gr<y NlsN age =
a.;noR tuinhes iut ot1Iin, before tae .at part is
! ':sed from the daH - TO @i:it ssu!:.s are we
! % aicribe this A.Ec:., tsn fon, rating the re-
cstpts or arrearaees or the accsni,,e taxes, too
high, or from making fo,nc mitake in the tire
| the tax is 20 he paid IN, ani the time
when the money is to be ,iiiburfed
9TH: Complaints have been made about the
defective administration or iuitice ard variety
| otrrforms have been propofco
If: We are invited TO aI,r;dge the fees and
Influence OF Lawyers and the tedious forms of
TUFTS, by initiating TIE standardization OF
Penn.yivania diiitrea: limits have been propo-
/ I'D both with ref pea to the fam TO re recover
ed and the power oe fIb!t1uent appeal from
the dcci.ion ofthe arhitra,ors. Should this
pan &c adopted, would it not be better Till to
.prc!erve the pre.cn, plan 70 as TO give either
CT the parties the right of soirg into court of
luitice or both cfthem the right Of referring to
ar5itrators and itill fubieaing the DELINQUENT
| party to- the iurfdiction OF the civil officer?
2nd: Innovations have been propofcd into the
number and the appellate power of our courts !;
and the number and pecuniary compensation of
thelrJudgcs. On theie points one OF the Editor
correspondents has So
-3 Taken the liberty of recommending the Mary
land fyiiem Why (he aiks) can we not modify our
county courts by limiting the number of judges to
three Let one be fcienti6cally lawyer Let their
leio'ls be haif-yeary quarterly. 1t would be un-
neeeiary tn have regularly trained lawyer in every
county. Such plans and distributions might be made
as would unite economy with the efficient adalinf-
traton of juice. All rhefe judges iould receive ia
iarieS proportionate their fervces. Why expect
men to aoour for nothngl Thew will not be faith
! iui they cannot. Money forms the finews of war,
and 1t alto contributes the life blood of the foeia bo-
dy. 1t is the arongeR Indictment TO individual es
erton Let this fytem fupercede tine ditri6 and the
preient county courts Their jurifdi9ion may be ca
lily bended-courts of ordinary would relieve them,
The union OF the county and dihriGt courts would
abridge the courfe Of appeal. Such multitude of
tribunals, riiing above another, is a monher-It
is oniter that treads down the fold nteres of the
community"
/ :rd: The trial by jury has loit comfortable
part OF its value by the choice of unenliehtcned
I or partial jurors. To corret1 this defect, two
eXpedients have been proPoied, 1T. to take the
power OF empannelling them out OF the hands
I OF a .hA2Ae individual, the !heriff, and give it to
greater number Of men, fuch as the bench of
magistrates, end. for preventing even their max
ing Partial Election, to fimmoh greater
number at one time, than is iufficient to conf-
tute one jury, and out of thefe to take twelve
men by lot, to fer"e on any given trial. For the
attainment of tlieie advantages, two plans have
been recommended. The following is from the
laf Nat. Intel
! /. Let all the citizens between the ages of %
and so, who can read and write, be enrolled.
and the names of competent number be an
pually drawn by lot, amounting, fay for each
county, to IS.
| .. Let the court at its firft feifion in each
year, name 2 citizens who fhall ferve as iu
rors for the period of a year commencing l2
months thereafter.
! 3. In contributing iury for a particular
cafe, let citizens be drawn by lot from the
hrit ciafs, and three from the laff.
( A more detailed plan is fuggefted in note P.
OF the appendix 8 Vol. " fuckers Blackftone''
5th: Difficulties have arifen about the divif-
on of our counties. To reconcile convenient
number of Legislators and a fmaII expence of
importing them, with convenient attendance
at courts and at ele Gons, is difficult probe m.
Coun;iesarelaid Off forthe purpoie of jurfdietion
&repreientaton. May not this plan fupercede
the neceflity of dividing counties? When the
countyis too large to admit regular attendance
at courts let the majority of the countymen,
if they will incur the expence of new iail and
conrt-houfe, have the complete power of diyid
ing it. And to elect their representatives, let it
be laid off in inaller diftrits, where the people
may attend at fome central place, and then IL
whole fun of theirvotes will decide the election.
Cefcra DeGnt.