Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-04-13
ALEXANDRIA, d. c.
TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL IS, 1880.

The citizens of the District of Columbia can
not but feel grateful for the interest manifested
by the Committee of the District in the House OF
Representatives for its welfare. They must be
sensible of the difficult duty the Committee has
to perform in adopting the laws to meet the IN
terests of two, we might almost say, three differ
ent portions of people, inhabiting this territory
The editor, in union with the united voices OF the
people of Alexandra, concurs in expressing our
obligations to the worthy and untIing Chairman
of the Committee, for the efforts he has made to
obtain correct information, and for the bills ne
has prepared and submitted to the House of Re-
representatives..
We wish we could agree with the Committee,
that it was expedient to pass the bill reported on
the 29th March last, 90 for recognizing the
Courts of Justice in the District of Columbia.
There are, in our opinion, various and strong OBJ
jectons to the bill, which we shall state as con-
cisely as possible.
lst. Including the Courts which are to be held
monthly by Justices of the Peace and the pre-
sent Orphans Court, there will be held annually,
in District ten miles square, not less than eigh-
ty-four Courts; which will appear by the follow
ing statement:
The Circuit Court twice year in Washing
ton, .....':.."..
Ditto in Alexandria. ......................... 9
A Court by one Judge twice in Washington,
Ditto in Alexandria. .......... .............. 9
One Judge to hold four Courts for trial of
criminals, ...............
Ditto in Alexandria, .................."..... 4
Chancery Court twice year in Washington, 2
Ditto in Alexandria, ......................". 9
Justices Courts in Georgetown, ..............l2
Ditto in Washington, ....................".12
Ditto in Alexandria, ."..................12
Orphans Court, regular sessions, in Wash
ton, ................"...l2
Total number. .......64
That is, fifty-four Courts for Washington coun-
ty, and thirty Courts for Alexandria county,
besides, daily sessions of singh Justices in
each county for trial of breaches of the peace.
Besides three in Washington, and two in Alex
andria, of Masters and Examiners in ChaRcery,
who are to be the executive officers of the Chan
Gerry Court, the proceedings Of which are to'be fl
nal, unless exceptions are taken to them. Pub
lie Justice, and the due administration of the laws
do not require that the people should be harrassed
with perpetual attendance on courts. There
will be more courts than there are weeks in the
year.
end. This multiplicity of Courts, instead Of
putting an end to litigation, will increase it.
Srd Where there are Courts who are to pro-
coed in their business according to certain prin-
ciples, without which the proceedings of courts
would be arbitrary and oppressive, there must
be, in most cases, such agents as lawyers en-
powered to manage the business for parties in the
court. These kind of agents, whose business it
is to manage and attend to legal controversies,
the parties cannot do without. The business of
the Courts to be established by this bill, will not
be such as to enable the lawyers to devote their
time exclusively to them. They must attend the
Courts of the adjoining States. This objection
is not urged on account Of the lawyers, but it is
on account Of the parties who may be before the
Court.
4th There is n" need of a Nisi Prius Court
The introduction of this system will delay bust
ness, and increase expense. The Ms Prius
Judge cannot decide points Of law SO as to be
conclusive, nor set aside verdict or non-suit
and grant new trial; but these and similar points
must be referred to the Circuit or full Courts,
which will produce both delay and expense. Be-
ing new court into which the case is taken,
there must be new counsel employed, or the
same counsel have additional fees-the expenses
will be doubled.
5th. There is no necessity for separate Chan
Gerry Court nor for a separate Criminal Court.
The present Judges, with little more system
than is now observed, are fully competent, both
in body and mind, to perform the duties of Chan
cellors and Criminal Judges, as they have DONE
They receive as high salaries as the Judges of the
Court of Appoale of V;r,,,,o ,yho h., t,,, 49,.