The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1821-02-12

representatives, on the question OF aDOilshing
the CHcuii Court Of Common Pleas, in COM
mii'ee OF the whole. They contain The prIn-
ciple arguments against, the bill. We have
been unable 10 obtain correct report of the
remarks upon The other side.
Mr.. REDIEGToN had been waiting 70 hear
the advocates of the Bill under consideration.
state i.s advantages, and be thought it was
incumbent on them to show that il would 10
more good than harm, but as they appeared
to be unwilling to cone forward IN defence OF
the Bill, he should make few remarks. lie
! objected 10 the Bill because il laid burthen
Oh Judges Of TIE Supreme Judicial Court
bear. He wished they might be consulted
before the question was taken. II they could
perform the duties that would devolve on them
and if the saving would be as great as had
been stated by The member from Paris, no
person would be mole 10 favor Of the Bill than
himself. Every State in the Union and every
! government in all parts Of Tie civilized world,
where Counts are established have an later
mediate Court. He never knew or heard of
any country where the appeal VAS direct from
the lowest to the highest tribunal. New
Hampshire had adopted similar system to
the one proposed, but had not yet under the
new establishment held any term. The ex-
! pertinent not having been tried no proof of its
( pracicability could be adduced. But New
Hampshire was small State with an extent
OF only 90 or so miles of sea coast and almost
exclusively agricultural The great majority
OF thePeopIe there were farmers, and were not
much necessitated 10 be concerned in Courts.
The greatest and most difficult part Of the
business in Courts of Law, arises from mer-
camille Observation-Disclosures such system
migh answer for w-Hampshire, but would
never do for Maine, which had Q counties,
OF which were commercial, and 500 miles
OF sea Coast.
He thought it would be unjust to increase
the labors of Supreme Judges without increas-
ing their salary, and if that should be done ii
would not be possible hereafter TO reduce II
when the system may have become unpopular
or found 10 be impracticable and should the
Executive be authorized to appoint more
Judges, we should IN any event be obliged 10
continue them in Office however unnecessary
or burlhensome to the public. The law re-
quired that the decisions of the Supreme Court
should be reported and promulgated, and The
interest and honor of the State required that
they should be correct but If the Court must
labor under such vast and accumulalng
pressure OF business as must necessarily come
before them, il would not be strange if they
were often obliged to reverse their own de-
cisons which would be attended with meal
culable evil. Much Of the time Of the court
would be consumed IN hearing applications for
new trials, and its responsibility diminished
and degraded by the multiplicity OF trials OF
Insignificant causes. He knew cause res
psciiog puppy which was some time since
tried with great argument before a Justice.
and afterwards by appeal in the Circuit Court
of Common Pleas.
The Supreme Judicial Court, held AZ the
seat of Government, is frequently visited by
gentlemen OF distinction from other States
would i be gratifying TO the citizens ofMane. |
and creditabie 10 the State, Cor these persons
on returning home, 10 relate among the Incl
dents OF their visit. that they attended The |
Supreme Judicial Court held in the metropo-
lis OF Maine, and heard the Chief Justice en-
gagged whole day in trying cause respecting |
puppy!
Another consideration was worthy of notice |
BY thls dill tour counties were deprived Of !
law term viz. Somerset, Oxford. Penobscot. q |
Washington The law passed in J me last hav- |
ing established law terms of The Supreme !
Judicial Court in the said counties, lie thought
they would not willingly relinquish that nr;vi |
lege. He understood that Massachusetts was /
about TO abolish the Circuit Courts Of Common |
Pleas, and substitute Court CONSISTING Of
three or four Justices. He thought that a We
ry safe course, and he should not be surprised
It proposition of a similar nature should be
introduced here before the final passage of the
Bill under consideration
Col. CURRTER, Of Readfeld. see no par,
OF The argument fine gentleman last speaking.
which has any bearing on the question excep, !
The puppy part, and for one, should be willing
Tor the establishment of puppy Court, and
that that gentleman should be Chief Justice
and that The court should be held at Vassaibo- |
rough.
Mr. SaITH, OF Wiscasset, said he had waited |
10 expectation that some gentleman OF the COM !
mitiee, who reported the bill, would have stated
for the information Of the House. the reasons
which led them 10 thus result Such Is the or |
binary and the proper course In parliamentary !
proceedings. But a. gentlemen did not feel |
disposed 10 state the grounds of their report |
he would endesyour briefly To present To the |
House some objections which he had 70 the pro-
ss~iaa IN,