Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-05
would OF all others require chsfhcVcrs

general assembly, signed by the venerable
Pendleton aud nine others, thus speak of
the act of l7T7, +" salary of 500 to each
judge was ,,uught by the legislature, to
be an adequate reward for his duties, and
this previous TO the appointment Of any
judges. The election followed, when four
OF those at present in office. we're Of The
number elected who thinking, as they
still think, that The salary Was adequate
TO The services, declined other pursuits,
and accepted their appointments under n
confidence that the constitution would enc
title them TO that salary as long as they
should perform The duty i'll an upright
manner. Is,
The nominal sum they conceived was
to he paid them in specie, or in something
equivalent thereto, and they have reason
to believe the legislature so understood it
from laws in force az that period, making
II penalto demand AN allowance for the
difference between specie and paper mo-
ney."
!le various substifuiions Of paper
money and tobacco for specie which was
not to be had, the Judges considered as
temporary e.spedienfs, Which though ,ope-
rating generally TO the dininntion of their
salaries, were not designed 10 affect their
independence, and therefore they acaui-.
esced, content 10 share in The pubic ca
lamitles, III the hopes OF recurrence 10
the constitutional principles i'm bitter
times. And they considered in IKE same
ight the act IF 1881, stating tie salary at
f 900 as dictated BIZ necessity and not pyo-
ceeding from design, and therefore, did not
CONCEIVE az their o6ictai duties to inte,pose."
Thus we see how the salary was re-
dnced III 1881 10 & 800, and i'm what light
the Judges regarded that diminution. IL
was breach OF the constitution, which
secures TO them fred. as well as adequate
salaries, but breach dictated by neces.
sitv.
In 1892 the law of 1871 was re-enacted.
ana the court OF appeals as at present
constituted, having been in the mean
time established, the judges of that court
were also allowed E300. In 1895 the
salary of the chancellor was restored to
e 500. and in 1906 the salaries of the iude-
es OF the court of appeals and of the gen
eral court were fixed at s $50. AT the
same time the lawSof 1888 allowing the
Judges OF the general court some trif1e for
traveliing eSpences vas repealed and
since that no alteration has been made i'm
tneircompensaiion, notwithstanding their
dulles have been considerably increased
and are now more arduous OH each one.
than either under the old general court
system, when more than forty wears ago
they were allowed + 500, or Than under
the subsequent district court arrange
meni: until the last Legislature gave them
three dollars iorevery twenty miles they
should travel on their circuits or in at
tending the general court.
IN 1902 two new chancery courts were
established and the chancellors allowed
+ $50 as salary. In 1914 the chanceI-
lors at Richmond and Williamsburg we're
directed 10 hold two other courts. the
one al Lxpcbburg and the other al FIRE.
dericksburg, and Tor this increase of duty,
were gwen the salary now allowed by
law. Other districts have been since es-
.aolisned, but no material alterat.on made
In their compensation.
In 1907 vacancy having occr.rct in
the court of appeals, the ,egislauars ~
upon notable expedieni To raise Vie
salaries OF the Judges without touching
the treasury. They refused to supply TIE
vacancy, and directed ihat the salary of
The tive should be divided among the four.
and tina, on the occurrence Of another
vacancy, the court should consist of three
Judges, who should in the same manner
be entitled 10 the salary of the five. Thus.
10 save 10 the State OF Virginia, three or
four thousand dollars, the court of the
last resort IN civil cases, whose decisions
OF every day were affecting The properly
| OF the citizens 10 Ten times the amount.
was left with scarcely sufficient number
| OF judges TO conduct lis business, much
less 10 settle great legal and constitutional
| principles. The error was discoveredU
! belleve) IN 1871 and the number of five
Judges restored, with their present salary
| offs $500.
| Thus we have seen, that during, and
| Immediately alter the revelation. when
| the state was poor and involved in debt.
| the pay of the members of the General
| Assembly and the salaries of the officers
OF government were placed on better
footing than they stand at present, not
| withsiapdlng the great change since i'm
| the state of society, and the still greater
change in The value of money. If the
members of The Legislature had still their
90 lbs. OF tobacco, they would have no
reason 10 complain, which is striking
illustration of the difference between a
salary reserved in some staple article Of
consumption, and one reserved IN money
or If they lad the real value OF their
three dollars IN 1893, it might be sUhi-
cIent.-Buf can any one doubt upon that
subject or VIII any reasonable man be-
iieve That II al that time il was found by
experience" that Two dollars :" were in
sufficient for their support" and If re-
CURED three, that at the present il re-
quires no more than three. In 1899 all
our contracts ami engagements were IN
specie, and every thing was valued bv that
standard. There was but one bank i'm
Virginia, with small capital, and very
few IN the United States. The price Of
living III Richmond was comparatively
cheap. Board was about six or seven
dollars week i'll tile best houses. and is
| nnW Twelve or fnurIccn E,,n.. - "