Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-01-09

= fN"et SotupCuSdtsOns--A UuSy III tue OCtO.
Der session, 1881, after reciting that "the
provision made for the officers of govern.
mentby an act IF assembly, passed in May
preceding, had been found inadequate TO
their services, as well on account or re
guam I'm as the depreciation between each
quarterly payment" the legislature increa-
sed tiie salaries of the different officers st
government, and made their pay equal to
specie. (sjce laws Of Virginia, Edit. 17s5,
pa. $50. ~ In 17S5, only four gears Gfer.
rvards, tue legislature, by an act, the pre-
anIbe of WHICH recites tsat 7" the salaries
allowed 10y law TO the officers of civil gov
ersmens had been found TO e.rcec3 proper
and adequate compensation for their servi-
Yes" reduced the salaries OF most of the
ohicers'of government, including the At.
torney General. Gee acts OF 1785, CHI 10 J
--lu l777, AT ihe organization of the ge-
neral Court, the salary OF the Judges was
fire hundred hounds per annum. (Ses Laws
OF Virginia, edit. 1765, pa. IS. sect. 7S.)
1t was Afterwards reduced to tdree hun
dyed Hounds; (See acts OF 1875, CHI. TO-
Rex. Code vel. L, CHI. So, p. SOD After
the establishment of the district coarts, the
Judges were allowed, in addition to their
stared salary, OF one fhons1nd dollars per
annurn, their haOelt.ng e-rfenscS which
were cominuted .ior tue present salary OF
Efeen hundred dollars per annum.
Having she wiz the Practice OF the govern
men TO have been 10 Uary the salaries OF
the ridges from time to time, as they Ell
ther exceeded AN adequate compensation,
or were nor equal 10 theft services, let us
see whetnyr there be any thing in fi''incihie
which is hostile to 1.-THE constitution OF
Virginia provides shat the salary OF the
Judges shall he .jiaced and adequate; not that
,t snail not be dlminished.- Now IsNa APP
parent to the understanding OF every man,
that the CONSTITUTION is not satisfied, unless
those salaries be not only fired, that is,
certain but adequate also.--A salary may
be Permanent, but not adequate. Suppose
the Judges have "a fixed salary, and eIther
from Tie depreciation of the value of mo-
ney, or AN increase of business, it should
by Inadequate 10 their services, would not
the legislature be bound, in GUY to the
Judges, TO increase II !? On the other hand,
II from all appreciation OF the value OF mo-
ncy, er el,uiGulion of business, the sala-
nv of the Judges should be more than ade-
euate, vouIa not the legislature, be bound,
IN duty to the teofie, TO reduce II !-l4et
Vii suppose that, in consequence OF the great
pressure .. business before the court OF ap.
peais, tue legisiature should require the
ludges to sit eco days in the year, aed
should fix upon any given SUN as an ade-
Qsate compensation tor such SERVICES (; bat
III order to promote an earlier decision of
Causes by that court, they shall determine
TO take away The right of arbitrary sp.
peais, and increase the sun for winch a
writ OF error or supersede.ss shall iie, thus
decreasing the BUSINESS, ard no. making 1t
necessary for inc Judges to SIT more than
100 days, would it oe said that a salary
,uh -
compelled to SIT 200 days. shall necessari-
ly be continued, when the judges are only
employed half that time
But have heard it said, You may in
crease The salary of the Judges as much as
ycu please, but you Cannon dimtniSh 1t,
without affecting their independence. Ii
by the term independence, yeu mean d
MATS pecuDiary circumstances, no, word
in the Enghsh language Can convey more
indeterminJrc iGea.-it rs from a MAI .
.ya,rS, either real or imaginary, that the
same sun OF money will make him indepen-
dent or otherwise. "A frugal man content
wiki the necessaries OF life, will be more
iEdepende mt, on salary of $500 dollars a
wear. than man who INDUCES himself In
luxury would be Oh a salary OF 5000 dolls.
Bat tie argument is founded on the suppo-
sit on that the Independence Of judge Can
only tie affected by diminishing ms salary,
and thereby inducing him 10 coart the ia
vcr of the legislature. Has it ever occur
red to gentlemen, that when we depart
from The constitutional ground OF .HEed
salary, the arsumens applies as strongly to
an increase as diminution If, In the one
Gaze, a Judge would be deterl ed from do.
ire his DUTY for fear the leg stature might
dininish his salary, might he not in the
t,her be induccd TO court their favor, un-
der hope that it would be increased e.
Let I be distinctly understood that 4 put
these cases merely hypothe Acal-y. have
10 idea that any judge would be influenced
bv such unworthy motives. But IS argu-
nents have BIZ en- deduced froni view OF
ole side Of the picture, Thought IL but fair
t. exhibit the other.
AS tn the erfedfency Of allowing the
Judges o. the court OF appeals salary ol
$500 dollars year, have as little doubt,
as have of the c0nstifuHona ffy OF increa
sirg or diminishing their salaries as a
chance oil circumstances may REQUIRE. In
tbs uTese nj state of the dockei OF tnat court,
il would require the utmost eNertIOns Of ne
Judges sitting every day ~ the year, 70 get
tlrcush il They Viii, no doubt, ieei the
necessity Of reetipg ~ vacation and Of
pessessirg themselves July of the tecords
IA Is many cases rs can possibly be decd
cd az the succeeding teru. 'iy pursuing
this course, they viii require no arguments
.,,t.,lt, f,onfs. Oh Which any Of rbe