The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-07-22

York or Virginia; yet every one viii ac-
knowledge that they preside ovsr greater
extent ofterritory than either Of the Judges
of Eastern Pennsylvania or Virginia. the
Judges Of Massachusetts, or the Southern
District Of New York. From their situa.
ton, those Judges cannot be called upon 10
discharge any Of the duties the others are,
or every day are, liable to be called on 10
discharge. They have no sdmiralty busi-
ness whstever 10 attend 30; they conDot
have any, as they are far above tide water;
! they are not called upon to enforce any ot
the revenue laws, because within their Dis
tricts there cannot be any infractions oJ
them: and all the aid which they can well
give the Government in the collection ofits
demands, is in sustaining few, avery few
suits on Post Office Bonds, and demands Of
that nature and description.--t is truer
that they have, by special act Of Congress-.
| Circuit Court powers, but il is also true.
! that, from the respectable character Of tho
State Courts of New York, Pennsylvania
and Virginia, they are very seldom resort
| ed to for the purpose OF collecting the de-
I mands Of a citizen Of one State against
| citizen Of another State. IRdulge me bus
| for moment, mr.. Speaker--and l am al
most unwilling, at this stage ofthe session
| and this hour Of the day, to crave even thas
while / contrast the duties Of these
! Judges with his of the State from which
| | come, as well as that Of the States Of
Maine and Connecticut Judges, whose
compensations, by the amendments pro-
posed are to be entirely overlooked.
These States are maritime: the State OF
Maine has a sea coast OF three or four hun
dred miles; Rhode Island and Connecticut
are both commercial States; the Judges of
these Districts or States have 10 do what.
by the Constitution it was contemplated
lhcy should do, and that for which they
were created to do: to enforce the collec-
ton Of the revenue. Every seizure that is
made IN consequence Of any violation OF
any Of The revenue laws either i'll the form
of an information, or an action Of debt, ~
brought before them. AS they are Courts
Of original, and, IN many cases, exclusive
original jurisdiction, there are no other
Courts before which complaints of GER
tain kind, and causes Of action Of certain
escripton. can be prosecuted. Sir, TO say
nothing of:he Magnitude Of these duties
of this character, the amount may be learnt
from another source. What is the amount
of the tonnage ofthese States? What the
quantity of exports? and what the amount
of imports? Without being prepared with
any date or returns, in reference to two Of
these States, by reference to a document
before me can show how the little State
| represent stood few years ago, and
: am not aware that she stands now differ
ent from what she then stood. From tis
) document before me, it appears, that, but q
few years ago, the Imports Of Delaware.
whose Judge now receives two hundred
dollars more than the Judge Of Rhode
Island were G0,i23
The Imports Of New Jersey,
whose JUDGE receives a
salary Of twelve hundred
dollars, were 1888
The Imports of Rhode Isl.
and were l,4l3.953
The Imports Of Georgia,
-, whose Judge now re-
ceives a salary of sixteen
hundred dollars, which is
10 be increased by the a.
mendment proposed, were 50,S7I
And, by fUrther investigation, it will be
found, that the relative proportion Of tbs
, tonnage Of the several States referred to.
is about the same as the imports. | hope,
Sir, il will not be hereafter supposed, that
, the duties of a District Judge are to be es-
timated by the number Of square miles Of
E his Judicial District. Much depends upon
the duties TO be performed within that Dis
trict, whether the same be large or small.
,, But these are not the only duties which the
District Judge is. or is liable to be, called
upon TO discharge. He is not confined to
questions to which the Government mar
be a party: this Court is created, among
other things, to administer speedy Justice
to hardy, adventurous, mertorous and
needless class ofthe community y--the SAT-
lors of the country.
: Concluded nert ueek.1