Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-02-01

There is duty whicl. the present Legislature Of
virginia has to perform which is q so much irnpor
lance to the whole COY lnonwealth as the new ar
5ansement or tho a"dI'iary a!.> Tere is be-
eye which engages the public anxiety SO much
Residing at IL ng distance from Richmond it was
not until Tins day (ihe 24th Of Jan that [ saw the
Report OF the Co nmIttee on the Judiciary, which
find was made in ne House ten DAYS ago By that
Report 1t IS propoi cd understand tina the Judges
snail be twenty - number, of whom is to be
assigned to of she judicial districts in 20 which the
State is to be divid ID: That the Cbnurery Courts
are to be abolished; ard that these Judges are to do
all the business both common law and m chancerv
or at least so much OF the Nhancery business has
hitherto been done by the Councillors IL was Ger
taniy anticipated and oXpeC ted that the &hancerv
Courts would be abolished, VI that the Judges Of
The General Court would do Me Chancerv husiness
under the new arrangement to be made; but rs far
rs can understand. 1t was not anticipated er ex-
pected that one Judge only ud be assigned TO
circuit ii there was any crrot i'll the old system.
against which thought The pecp pie We're more unan-
InoUs than another, 1t that Of having q single
Judge to constitute Court. believe that that de-
feet was the chief cause Of the appropriately of our
present system; for besides nc delay and total fail
ure oil justice which Is often produced, the people
bad not confidence in the dcgsion Of single
Judge: they would not coude int lie capacity OF any
cHe man to decide correctly all tic material points
III cause as promptly as 1t was NECESSARY for them
to be decided in trials aG common law. The common
adage that two heads ara better shan one, is not
more true III any other caHr than il is when applied
to the heads o. judges corr .,tU ing Il Court TO
suppose that one of talelN and requirements is
as competent TO give prompt a Nd correct decision
IN cause, and as little liable TO en-, if there We're
Two, IS great mistake. One Of ~ Hse Judges may
De more ready on one point, and the other nPon
oLher' IN the same cause, and what occn TO will
De possessed by both. BY n comparsnn Of ideas they
VIII test the correctness Of any opinion an will be
less liable to err When they have difia, 1T case
TO investigate, the labor will be djvJed and when
authorities nave 10 be scanned for and examined
advantage OF having two judges instead of one mus,
be evident to every one
The people as | have aiready said have not conf
CC'ce III me OCCASION OF single Judge: and there
lore IT. IS that appeals have been numerous than
they would have been had the decisions been made
! by lwo Judges. For proof of This I refer 70 the
docket OF the Court OF Appeals, by which ! am in
formed 1t VIII be seen that the appeals have been
greatly multiplied since The introduction Of our pre-
sent one Judge sysLenr and this is great evil
AGAIN, IN the common occurrences or casualties of
NE; out OF twenty Judges. no matter what their ma
tural hca!h or constitution may be, is impossible
out one or more OF them will be SICK or so nJisaoscd
as TO be unable to bold The Courts when tlnv nuLf
/ TO be hoden which would produce DELAYS as has
been the case under the present svsfou canal fo
ochal OF justice Indeed as to this, think the sys-
tenn proposed would be worse than the present one
which we are so DESTROYS to amend I believe that
Tor Judge to DO the business i'm one circuit with
the edition Of tire Chanccry business and attend
hC General Courts, would fully occtyy his fine Tho
year round, or nearly he certainly would have M
time 90 discharge ;he duties of another iudra yyh,
happened ~ ur sick another circuit Now tho
only objection which ! can imagine TO putting two
Judges circuit, is the cypcucc of tho oddI ,,,,
Judge. The primary OBJ CT Of all government !.
hu administration Of Justice. If government fails
n this It fails IN every thing. IN economy which
would render this function Of the government less
feet, would lie very costly economy: IL ,youd he p
most expensive saving: what would he saved n tho
Government IN this way would bc ruinorl= a, fo lilo
people. An increase Of taxes 30 pay this additional
expense, would be eva far lrss than a lame and
defective Judiciary system. But II was supposed
T that The saving w!,g you'd take u19cc u0je- &c