The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-07-29

REMARKS OF Mr.. PEARCE.
OF Rmopr ISLAND.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MAY %,
! On The BW from The Senate, entitled ".fn.
.7ci Increasing The terms ofhe .Judieias
Courts ofhe United Notcs for hs South
ern District Of .Ne,c York, and adding 10
Me compensation ofSererai District yldg-
es sofhe United Siaies.
ICoNcLupsp Sir, Of what conse.
quence would be the summary process iIa.
less they had court to enforce their rem.
edy? What consequence the lien which
the law gives them upon the vessel in whica
they have periled life. without this court?
And what benefit would be- derived from
the DICTIONARY bills and respondeniia bonds.
without court whose judicial province is
was To take cognizanco of claims Of this
description, and how much business of this
character have your courts in the interior
to attend to? Sir, the Judge Of the Slate
from which | came, is liable TO be called ev.
cry day in the year 10 attend 10 10 this buai.
ness; he Ives in CONNIE ctcial town where
it may exist and although by law he ia
compelled to hold but four regular terms Of
the District Court, to which is TO be added
two cfthe Circuit Court, Of which he is q
constituent part, and by law bound to at.
tend, yet by the statute, no aan appoint
special courts, and would do what hc has
never yet done, neglect his duties, II no
did not do this as often as IL was found nec-
essury Sir, this is but a faint outline Of
his duties. Before admiralty process can
issue against any vessel on the complaint
Of seaman for his wages, he is bound 10
issue. If the parties live or reside within Y
certain distance Of his residence prescribed
by statute, n citation to the respondent, to
appear and show cause why process should
moi issue. This involves n hearing and
preliminary trial, and always consumes q
good share of;ime. But there arc other
duties which the District Judges in the At.
lantic States are required by law to attend
TO, for which they can receive no compcn.
sa,ion whatever; duties, sir, that they were
not required TO discharge by the first acts
passed defining what would be required Of
them. Every petition to the Treasury de-
pnr,ment for the remission of a penalty
must be examined and certified by them;
cvory insolvent debtor praying for u re-
lease from his confinement imprisoned IN.
der the laws Of the United States, has a
right to have his case examined and tried
by aDistrict Judge; nay, more, every horny
headed veteran of the revolution, praying
for the bounty Of Government, has a right
TO call upon the District Judges for a cer-
tficate in bis behalf to the War Depart
mcnt. But, sir, il 10 not the mere sccumu-
lntion Of duties that these Judges have
cause 10 complain Of: by late act of Con-
gress they are positively prohibited from
attending TO any professional business,
without regnrd at oil to its interfering with
their Judicial duties.
The remarks which | have made am
aware are more particularly applicable to
the Judges in the comncrciai s,a,es, and
those which own the greatest share ofpnv,
igoiion. Sir, in the State from which
came, the Judge has not only to attend 10
the concerns Of the citizens Of that State,
but nj times to those Of the citizens of oil
the States bordering uron the Atlantic; ono
of our horbors is not only the best in this
but the best 10 the world. accessi-
bic at all times. and with every wind. to
vessels Of every dmcusion; in that baTbor
II certain periods in time Of peace you cnn
zee vessels from seveo or eight States, ev-
,ry one Of which is lif bio 10, and not un-
frequently does. mako business for the Dig
rici Judge.
Let gentlemen who are curious 10 know
moro than have stated, Of the duties Of
he Judge of the District Of Rhode Island,
20 TO the North end Of this building. and
,xaInine the docket olthc Supreme Court:
hey will see tho number of cases which
,early come up from the Rhode Island
District let them cast their eyes over the
~ res of that docket for the years 1919.
1913, 1914, and 1915, and think with the
Exception Of Massac achusetts, and not cx-
.epling New York, they will find that DUR
ng those yenrs more cases cnmc TO tho
Supreme Court from the Rhode Island
District, than any other in the UDisd
states. | am not disposed TO say that from
his il should be inferred that more bus-
ess was transacted there than in many
,ber States: bot the business which came
rom there, was the result Of our peculiar
,ra situation, nDd our accessible waters.
What has taken place may be again looked
DR.. and hence the necessity Of Judicial
fficer Of intelligence, character, and iDteg-
~: such one we now have, one who
ould not disgrace seat on the bench Of
~ Supreme Court, and if he was not there
rimus inter pnrfs, his peers would not be
nwilling to call him their equal. But
lcb a man We csnnst expect TO retain,
i,hont giving him on adequate compen-
zion. such a compensation 40 wilt at least
rnish him with the means Of subsistence.
There is one remark which feel my
II const rained 10 make, the result Of
nyersaiion which had with the Chair
m of the Judiciary Committee, (Mr.
,cbanan.J not now here which j did not
ink confidential; and if thought II was so
opld not refer to IL. That gentleman IN.