Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-05-18
REMARKS OF MR.. PEARCE, OF R. L.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, May 10TH.
h, Commute of the HhoIe on the bill relating to
helOrphu,s' Courts mthe District Of Columbia.
In all questions. said Mr.. Pearce, which are
presented to this House, and which are the neces-
sary results of attempts on our part to leglslate
for the people of this District, we find peculiar
difficulties which we think we are unable to sur
mount We come he bringing with us notions
of local legislation, and every member thinks the
acts of his own State are those which should be
adopted by US here for the people of this District.
1t is not, then, matter of surprise, that On all
questions discussed for the benefit of the people
of this District. that our views should be various.
and our opinions different In addition to these
difficulties, there are others which grow out of
other circumstances, and are produced by other
causes. The ten miles square belonged to two
States, Virginia and Maryland; and by the terms
of the cession, and laws in relation to it. the laws
of the State to which the coded portion of terrific
ry belonged at the time of the cession are to be
considered in force until other laws are made by
Congress to take their places. The laws of Vir-
ginia and MARYLAND at the time of the cession
were in many respects different, and congress
having failed to pass new laws, we have seen one
part Ofthe District, Washington and Georgetown,
governed By one set of laws, and Alexandria by
another. The bill now under consideration, said
Mr.. y. furnishes practical Illustration of these
difficulties. The laws of Virginia have been re-
erred to for the purpose of showing that the Judge
ofthe Orphans Court in the County of Alexandria
should have no salary or compensation as such;
and the laws of Maryland have also been referred
to for our government in fixing the amount Of
compensation, and settling the mode in which he
shall be paid. | am disposed to consider the
question presented by the bill now under consid-
Grafton, as one of the first impression, and not to
be influenced by any opinions of local law which
| may have on the subject involved in the consid-
Grafton of this question. The difficulties present
ed we are bound to meet, and for one | am not
disposed to evade them. From what appears from
the discussion so far, this bill for have never
read it, proposes to give to the Judge of the Or
phans' Court in this County a salary of one thou.
sand dollars, and the Judge of that Court for the
County of Alexandria salary of eight hundred
dollars in lieu of their present compensation the
salaries to be paid by the Government of the
United States, and not by the people of the res
pective counties in the District. Involved in
the consideration of'this BILL Mr.. Chairman,s the
consideration of the amount of the salary of these
oJudges & the mode in which they are TO be paid.
At present. the Judge of this county is paid a
per diem of six dollars for every day he attends
or holds Court; and az fraction of day is in
law whole one, he is allowed six dollars for eve
ry day, any part of which the Court is in session.
! am told the Court is in session two hundred and