Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-05-25
Communicated Or the Ns;ir1L Inte'Egencerl
DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
To The People efMe District Of Columbia.

To The People Of The District Of Columbia
barring the present recess Of Congress. il may
not be lrtDroper Ia ORA" yoar aiteof'on 10 tue
charges contemplated m the Jurisprudence OF
this district, b. the bill printed by the commit
,ss a,,oo;n,et last year, 10 form or seec, code
of laws for YOUR government. That in which
,,u are more materially interested is the life
r;,r Court. propose b, them to CONSIST OF fifteen
Magistrate, Iur each county, 70 alternate their
SESSIONS FIVE at a time, Of six days IN month,
for four mouths. foe a salary OF LA dollars a
wear. n they make good every day the law al
Iows: and TO do the business OF ont-of door Ma.
yis,rste eisht mnGthsio tie year Tar Hn,hing; and
h reducing the Jurisdiction OF Magistrates from
fry dollars TO twenty. dollars; aud debariing
Ne;n The privilege of issdiag executions 90 their
own idgmeGt. which are required 10 b. record
al ,o.thr Clerks office With his bill. Ihis pal.
try petty magistrates c0nft system was intro
due ed ia earl, tunes Ia MARYLAND. when The pco-
uIe we're Ignorant and crimes few; but as inior-
NATION and population increased, vice and de.
uravity increased With it, and II was exploded.
and q SSsrem adopted simi'ar so the Circuit
Court. which experience has shown to lie greatly
superior Where then can be the proprirty at
turning US hack to the measures proved to be de-
fective.
Ihe DriDttu ueSUhI VI pC
yis,rates Of the District. who Investigated the
subject, and 'endeavorsJ To fluid the ocneiit al
such change On comparing the severa, dock
cts ard other data. it appeared that there were
IL 600 suits brought before the Magistrates of
th,s county alone IN one wear; OF this humber az
least s. 600 are over co dollars; the cost on
which, allowing tor witnesses ~ htisated cases.
may now amount TO - cent, each, .us 225A dol
lar, Ia the aggregate; while The same number OF
suits decided bg this contemplated Couct, allow
Inc for lawyers fees, clerks and other charges
incident TO Cou',. viii amount to Is dollars
each. or $4,000 dollars per annum. Can this
enormous tax o. required by YOU without an
euuivalents In B,.u more, to which we bear
some analogy in location and population, they
haze found u advisable To increase the jurisdic-
ynn Of Magistrates to $50 dollars IN certain
cases, and 10 give them power over cases Of tres
pass, detnue. trover, &C., and they boast much
Of the facility il afrds, and the amount it saves
~ costs The complaints made of Magistrates
decisions although there rs some ground for itl
do not emanate from the people, but generally
from that Class Of citizens Who unable 10 obtain
a support IL, the great struggle and competition
in the Circuit Courts, Wish u system narrowed
dow n and rendered too small to command the
notice al those who tower at the head in the
larser field, and To multiply cases for their pur.
poses. Ghe Magistrates system is at present
defective. but it is not where these busy ones
would place II.
II the selection Of Magistrates was made with
a view 10 sheir integrity, talent, and capaci.
" for the duties cnnfijed TO them. and the mum.
her of efficien, Magistrates limited to the demand
for the speedy administration Of Justice, they
misbS safely be entrusted with an extension of
Jurisdiction and poser, as in Baltimore; and if all