Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-03-18


chancery suits for all the col ties may be
brought in the circuit court to be held at
Washington. The provision :hat the Lew
court shall levy any sum not exceeding gov
dollars year for the Judges, is veD 0o'e'
! tionable,
lst. On constitutional grou'ds'
! The srd article OF the constitution pro-
yides that the judges, com OF 'hF supreme
and inferior courts etablished by congress,
.b,ll At stated t:hes, receive for their SER
v;ces ! complication which shall not be d.
,,;n;shod airing their continuance in Offices
naas.ne constitution authorize congress
- sclare by law, that Levy court, or any
,aer corporate body shall levy and pay
part of the salary Of the Judges. If this
clause of the proposed law is consistent with
the constitution, congress may by law also
declare, that the whole salary shall be taxed
upon the people of the district by levy
court, and that the Judges shall apply to the
Levy court instead OF the Treasury Of the
United States fortheir salaries, which would
be making the judges as il it were, subser.
Went to, and dependent upon levy court
for their compensation.
Again-.-Can congress delegate the power
Of taxation to levy court, for the purpose of
raising money to be applied 10 national
object
| The Judges Of this district are as much
Judges ofthe United States and national Of
hcers, as the judges of the district courts of
the United States are. The Levy court is
body intended for the regulation of mere
county matters, unconnected with the affairs
oftbe nation at large. They are appointed
for local purposes Congress can no more
transfer the power of taxation for any gene.
raj purpose TO the Levy court, than they
could transfer il to corporation.
Under the power of laying taxes, the GO
vernment is not authorised TO lay tax for
the support of any branch ofthc general 60.
vernment, upon the people Of particular
section of the country, but such taxes ought
to be uniform. The judiciary of the United
States is one of the most important branches
OF the government and the Judges of the
courts of this district form part of the ge-
neral Judiciary of the nation.
I'd. Because il is out Of the usua! course
obserse in every state in the Union, and
| by the United States, as to the mode of pay
ing their Judges. which is out of the state
and national treasury. ! hope our Judges
think too highly of their dignity s. indepen-
dence to accept the profered law, How
oohtemptible it would be tor the judges to
be higgling and perhaps intriguing with
the justices of the levy court to raise their
compensation ten or twenty dollars, il not
TO the limits allowed by the law and how
improper that they should be in any degree
dependent or them for an increase of sa-
larry.
Another Objectionable provision in the bill
is that which puts it in the power Of the dis
trict Attorney in criminal cases affecting
life or limb, upon his application without as
signing any cause. to have the cTmina. sent
from the district court 10 the circuit court
in Washington for trial,
A still more Objectionable feature OF the
bill is that which gives to justices of the
peace the power to sentence persons to
hard labor in work house for petty Offer
ces and misdemeanors. who are unable, or
who shall refuse to give security to an amount
equal 10 such fine as The district court might
impose. They are thus to be deprived of
their constitutional right to trial byjury.
A. B.
Extract OF letter enclosed from Margarita.
Juan Graego, Bib February.
'' There is nothing new from the continent:
but it is expected that General Bolivar would
bring Morillo to action by the 25h ult, 1t is
well ascertained that he (Bolivar) commands
force OF 5000 men at least-amongst which
are 800 effective OF the British Legion-U.
ster's corps of 600, and the rest Santa FEST
nos and Llaneros Tor cavalry of the plains),
100 men OF Devsreux's Legion, under com.
mand of general Montlla and colonel Stop
ford, will proceed tor the Main in ten DAYS
these troops, | am sorry to say, are grossly
neglected as TO discipline, and i'll differed,
owing to the delay, the absence and mex
perience of general u lint thew will Eaht