Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-04

ceFncd Willie the operations OF their good effects "a
silent. Thus THO young and Inexperienced are le6
INTO error IN their estimate of the effects of thor,
institutions. Thus he had taken up tho op;nion
ofthc evils OF the sys,cm but IL was an opinion
which he discarded; and he learned 10
ocncVe that they could not be surrendered wiihou,
1sihg some of the most valuable parts of our system
ne united IN tho Communications which had been pad
" these tribunals whe equality of right il taught
" i"c'igioie and Pr1a;ical terms 10 the hnmbicst
.'" ~ cue community, and where the poorest man
Va" 1' orought into equal controversy with the
pr"udcst and lordlest OF tho land Those nro ti,,,
lessons winch attach MS to our own institutions
wn'ch MAKE us feel that wo IRE part of our coun
Try, enjoying ample protection pnd which rn.t,os a.,
adhere To them under all circumstance '"""' ''
Strike this clause from the resolu,iou ,,I -,
destroy these tribunals. There aro s,ron $500. 49,
why they should instead Of being destroveS Lo 80,
bl:shed by Constitutional provision J'bo; E ustu-
tive operation is not the least important Of h.;
functions; and he asked if this should be vss,a =;
'he Legislature or the Executive5 for somewhere il
must be vested f you take away the county con,,s'
Lei Tie Executive take these various appontmen,s
anu lie thought the system Of cabas instead of heinz
oestroyod would be increased in magnitude re
cescanted on the beneficial effect of tlI rosnoc,ohi
bodies scattered through the country all fconr ,h
deep interest IN the prosecution Of pence prooncrit
"na coon government; and asked il it was likely TINT
caoaiS should be found there, us if the power wus
vested IN an ndivlduaP In cases of division of n.r
ties, and combinations and cabals he asked bou -
these county magistrates TO keep up so pcrnicinus
HyStem 1t was said they gave the patronage anon,
. rad thpk
their offices are aborous and without proit and IL
only interest they have is so to distribute the Ia
Dor that it may bc more easily and cGut ly narfhr,r
cd, and tn the benefit Of he peoplc IN wbor, 81,
responsible. So far as his knowledge went I;tL 49,
never, in one instance, verified the charge wincb hi
ocen made against these courts. The responsibi;,v
therefore, has been found eli,ctunl and no ,,It!
Gus not to abolish them.
MIR HENDERSON said he did differ from, tho co,
tcman as to tho prOpriey of retaining these conr,
~ ConS"tutionai provision. If they nre so vaua-
OF. tne LegiSRture will not abolish them He would
not now trouble the Committee, as the hour yos
ntc, hut II he found at any future period that he
remarks would be of any avail he should take mn on
porun'y OF stating them. Like the gentleman fror,
OraEge, nc had had twenty-five wears cypericnce as
these courts, and he could say that this svporo,I
had convinced him thar these ma rstrates are uttnr.
incompetent to the performance Of the tu,les ossgn
ed to them. Persons who have had suits fnr r. =.
than nifty dollars have been subjected to more costs
than the amount of their debt: and he bud in eucl
cases usually advised those who applied Ia him "a
thrr TO pocket the loss tan "a incur the cxrense and
risk OF loss lie knew the justices were worthy mon
but not wonderfully wise. ''
MI Lfton said the gentleman had suTpzed him y aI,
Ga" course of Argument which me had taken re v,, -
toned to hear Of the different statement of the o.n,Je
from ioudoun from tina, which by the ecutcnn
from Orange Hc also made remark on the prcn, nne
trse courts extending the courts of probate ar
phans court IL that England ever r.,a,.
through the of chancey once m 30 veaIs IC,bs
the case where the law of progenure prevails and yI,
the system simple, hc believed every estate in Vg
II would 90 through chauceTy frequently He asked o
many disputes OF Probaies of wills settled in the county
courts ne tad the county transact great mass of b.
AeS belonging to chancey Practice aud with great cor
rect"ess He referred 10 particular case where the decision
county court was erromcousy reversed; and said thai ,e
were oheT CASES when the decisions of the county
correct while those of the superior were wrong. lie
accounted for this 10y saying that in county courts men
I more generally followed the PLAN dictates of eGujiy
All the business pcrformedb by line county courts Vas pe,r
i s anu u you abolish these courts to what
you a'ise, me JurIsdictiom IL you establish
judges at only 800 dollars year, take county
court ann multiply this number by lOl and you will tie
lowest Instead Of Judges not experienced ~ trick ard
ccae you supply their places with young peItosgers
who have had brains acquire il He would u
vcr desire 20 have tired before tribunal You
have abolished your courts and have got in their places pre-.
cey the last in whom the county put any confidence
lie adveued TO maxim that necessary 10 have
to the people He bore his testimony merits of tie
courts as they are at present constue repeed ihs Oh
40 charge oi arrogance against them There comfy and
neishhory feeling which, mark their conduct They are PC
cular subjects Of attachment the people He MI ed how,
Instances of charges Of corruption against these count,
courts lie had only known two cases He knew then Of
also resisted the impression that there injury done 60
influence he stated that gentleman had once stated TO hir,
uai one or two families in Dinwdde had always held thc
v" o. magistrates IL appeared that these families
ce who could he chosen for that Office They were admitted
be honest and Efficient and that il was matter of ,
necessity that the commission thus filed lie believed
that every reason was IN favor of retaining these courts
adyeued gentleman Albemarle who had novod ~,
Maryland lie had in his memory list Of all the business
winch was lone IN the county of Virginia nothing
aud he had compared with the costs OF sitting Of lie
court in Maryland very short session rs regards the hours in
the day which they sat- and peculiarly long one as regards
the number oi days IL Of perpetual court like OIL
court Of appeals lie enlarged upon oppressive tax which
oe Maryland court; imposed upon the people gentleman
nom Philadelphia had spoken Of Virginia pride (NIT
SAID that when he crossed the Potomac lie did begin TO feel
himself proud The gentleman sad-you proud but Nc I
so proud as you ought TO beand he then the excel
enoe OF the county system The gentleman referred T.,
the case OF black who sold side Of leather
white man shoemaker for ready money; while black
was absent, the shoemaker carried of the side leather
he owner of the leather The shocmakcr shop ard
hnIg ms leather there, put on his shoulders and carried
mack or this I've was committed for petty larceny and was
ed Ihe foreman of the jury asked the magistrate how he
could commit this man The was-It was hi, ov
fault for told him, he would pay costs would ut
commit MN Philadelphia Is too wise pay these costs
nc concluded with expressing his hope thar these apcis.
tribunals would not bo touched Nc askcd those genlrinc
VINO possess great veeaiion for old institutions what part
ol they were inclined To leave When they o
on reforming any thing they always vote fS ~; and o was
loss 10 know what part they willing % leave
Mr. HfSpFHsON expressed desire address the Committee
and moved thar the Committee RISE.
The Committee then rose and reported progress
IL. Convention then adjourroi I'll II o'clock .onouow