Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-20

sons, or of widows and orphans whose nterex,
are inyolyed2 Will any man be willing to Ieay.
his estate under the control of a Court thus
ganized and from whose decisions there is no
appeal but to the Court of Appeals in Washu,
ton2 Iapprebend there are none.
3d. 1t takes away the benefit of speedy :,
covery of all debts between twenty and IF,
dollars, which you have enjoyed for ten yesr
mast. by law, and from which the people hau
derived more real good than any other law Of
Congress, by reducing the jurisdiction of Ju.
tces of the Peace from fifty to twenty dollar
and il establishes a Court to be composed n
fifteen Magistrates, to be divided into thrs
classes of five EACH each class to hold Cour
once a month for four months in succession b
gives to the Justices six dollars day while sl. I
ting in Court, or about seventy-two dollars /
wear. as compensation for their services, and
compels them to do all the outdoor duties Of
Magistrate without any compensation whatever
4th. That Magistrates will attend this Cour
npnctualy for their six dollars day, there is no
doubt;-but will they do the outdoor businsu
of Magistrate without compensation?-wD
they nav fifty dollars year Tor an office, and
find their own blanks and other stationary and
devote their time 10 the public for nothing7-Or
will they, to save the expenses OF an office have
their dwelling houses or places OF business filled
with civil suitors. or drunkards, Migrants, and
criminals, who may be brought before them |
he tried and have their furniture spoiled brok
on or stolen, for the good Of others7 They viii |
mt. and il will not be expected OF them BY |
those who have seen, or who know, any thing n
the duties of Justice Of Peace in populous con-
mercial cities The consequence, then, will b. |
that your debts under twenty dollars will SCI
dom he collected by suit, and the nconveniene
of such a state of things, with the losses that
must inevitably occur in consequence Oft, wi
be severely felt by the trading portion Of ii,
community.
5th. 1t takes from the Justices OF the Peace Ii.
rioht TO issue execution upon their own judg.
ments. and gives it 10 the Clerk OF the Court
The Inconvenience of this provision is vel
known to you all, and many Of you will recOl
lect how often your debtor would have ESCAPED
after Judgment, if you could not have obtained
an execution on the spot when the judgment
was rendered.
9Th. 1t makes the Clerk Of the Superior Court
the Clerk of the Magistrates Court-thus Gre
ating a Court, and at the same time declaring
them incompetent TO appoint their our conhden
tial official similar provision, presums
does not exist in the whole world.
9TH. 1t takes from you the right of appealh
the Supreme Court of the United States ina
cases under two thousand dollars: thus subst
tuting the Court of Appeals. composed Of The |
present Judges of the Circuit Court, in the place
of the Supreme Court, as Court OF hni
resort in all cases between one and two thOus
and dollars; which, it must be admitted, will b
most serious grievance.
8. 1t gives to witnesses, for their attendara
before Justices OF the Peace, one dollar twenty
five cents day, which makes the costs In SINAI
cases most oppressive to the poor, and mud
more under the code than they are under k |
law at present in force, as will be seen by a
following statements:
If suit is brought before Justice of The
Peace in disputed account for one dollar |
which is often done, and there are two witness |
es, and two are allowed by law to each fact {
and the suit is prosecuted 10 judgment, the cost \
will be as follows