Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-03-19

States, particularly IN The ciles OF Boston ".
York, and Philadelphia. The Cir,uit C' n
Of The United States have jurisdiction in
peals from he District Courts of Cb,r,.P
common law and criminal cases. Th,rs W
greater reason for separating the iuri,dir,;a'
iii This Distric,. than there is in the other r,"
Of ,hr United States. In Virginia, the sa'.
rior Courts of Law. for counties where tho.
.pula,ion is much greater than in ;he COUNT.
in this District. have jurisdiction in spDe,s;'
cases as low as S33 80, and original iuri,5;.
lion in all common law cases where tue el,;s
amounts to 800, and 10 criminal cases.
The Clerk OF the court Of Alexandria mas f..
nished a statement, taken from the docke, !,
his office, of criminal appearances from II.
year 1907 TO the last term OF he count amo.r,
ing to 1922, for twenty nine years, whiehi,,,
average Of or'y-four criminal cases for earl
year, or twenty Two cases for each semi>aDrp,
al term.
lie has also furnished a s'atemcnt Of Il,
number Of chancery appearances, during III
same period, amouaIingto 2.0s3, which is IL
average of seventy -One cases for each wear. 4,
ihir,y Eve cases for each semi annual term
We are satisfied Tia, no criminal, common h,
or chancery case, has been delayed in its mi
by the court, where the parties have been rr.d,
The court has been always ready proceed !, |
The trial of The causes Some few case, has.
been postponed, owing to the term Of he Ala,
andria courI running into the term Of he |
Washington court. Semi-annuai sessiorsar
more convenient than quarterly sessions Wau
the court was fist established, in 1901, tie SCI;
sions were quarterly in each county.
This was found inconvenen; and no nqSf |
benef, arising from it, the law was rh.rgt
so AS to require only semi annual sessions A,I
delay arising from this, may be remedicl IVA
dop'iog the moderO law OF Virginia, which ~,
thorizes the process 10 be returnao!c month
20 the clerks off t, and the order lar plradi,
10 he taken in the Office monthly rh.h
ter is the practice now in Alexandra.
By this means any case, il the party pIrf
is moi negligent, would be in state Of rea]h.a
for trial al the next court after he issuing d
the writ. il the writ is not ISSUED too near he
time Of he meeting Of The court.
.Ans,Der 20. We know of no cases Of pari,v,
lar hardship, occurring under the las 6rs in
terroga'orIes.
ansmer 81. We think The system Of The Or
phans' Court calculated to promoe public Good
and whether IT, produces this efirc. depends
like all other systems, upon those who are call.
ed to execute il. The Orphans Court beinpu
important branch of the judiciary. having ,.S
ice Is Of great moment 10 the estates Of dsesm
ed persons, and OF orphans committed oisw
perinlendance, The judge Of il ought to be p,'
ced IL as independent situation as to his CON,
pe"sa,ion, as The judges Of the other courts
The salary ought 10 be such as 10 eOabs lin
20 devote his time TO his duties, without bsi,
called to employ himself in other avOc,in
for support. Fhe salary Of the Judge o@
courl of this county, we do not think adtqag
TO the services he ought 10 perform. hni
cour, from the nature Of Its duties, rQui,,
him TO be always ready 10 attend TO them. Ih.
sum Of FIVE hundred dollars which Tie law Il.
lows him, is not sufficient 10 authorize bin 10
devote the whole of his time TO The of. C. The
mode of payment too is exeeplionabIe. lihI
a tax to be levied by the Levy Court upon ID.
peopl. Of The county.
Thisis not only an uncertain mode Of rsi,Es
it, bu, as the levy is Iaic only once agar, and
the tax collected annually, he can only bep'it
annually, instead Of quarterly, as all other Jug
es and officers of Government, anc even Bank
officers. are.
We would respectfully suggest whe'h''@
salary Of the Judge should be increased 10 Sl'
600, and to be paid gu, Of The Treasury OI&
Uailed States.
.ansUer %. The system OF compen''ns
justices OF the peace, by fees 10 be pad by is
ljftean, parties, is calculated 10 produce s,s'
to poor and ignorant persons. !"
proper and impartial Administration oil la'n'
in cases where the claims are below the Juf'
dic,ion of the Circuit Court, demands 'tm''
dy That remedy will be a matter oil co"'Iao.
a lon for those who may be appointed 10 d'B"
the laws for The District.
.ansWer % We have no recollection o. d"
particular case Of hardship or abuse afi'l0E''
der The TWO last intcrrogaores.
.ans,Oer "a. The legal proceedings ava ".
u'es, which were in force in Maryland Oe'g.
the 9Th Of February, 1901, and which aI'
force in Washington, do differ il. some in't'.,
es materially from the laws Of Virginia IN w,
IN Alexandria, as does the practice oi the '''''
differ in some instances. q,
SnsDer IS. We do not know oil sn' ""
arising from this difference
.Answer 26. We are not sensible Of any ?.
Iicular influence, moral, saIutsrIlN o'0e''rs
upon the lower class, arising iron ttS 'P''
ton of the laws, aud Of YierS dmls "a 30 rs,
ADs,cey az we think a evi,al 81 t!t -