Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-02-28
d ktioes Of the Peace.


thc peace lsso as to give them jurisdiction
| ii min5t MlTences--siieil as assaults aiit
batteries. nd such like breaches Of tli'
reaos. II ID Legislature has already ex
tended tn powers beyond amy they have
| Had Heretofore aud 1t Is really to bs
hoped shslshey viii not increase them any
more. II
These ss3icerg were merely made by law
10 settle tfs3 enanll and trfing difference.
| which wiAneceasafiy occur between citi.
zons actiEsly engaged III the afiaifs o.
liFe--butsb was never contemplated ny
those wha,were instrumental III their ere
atiop. tllaSahey should ever do more than
decide upn3 small and nconsiderable mat
te~. So: stlc did they have amy idea OF
this. sl,ns aey have never given them any
power Ia s. 8ecide in questions involving
tf,ofr thas1kne hundred dollars and even
III this. tETr are liable to have their de-
etaions as1esled from to the District
Courts, atzs the trial proceeded in de 'loeo
without AL regard to the opinion Of the
raagis,rate
II has bysn found, too, expediont to al
low them sort of 9eas. jurisdiction IN
criminal q pes. But the power only ex-
Il
tendet, to lc examination Of complaints
made, ah,t:she Judging as to whether or
not suffieisslt was proven against man
TO make iaproper that his acts should be
Judged u3sn iy competent tribunal.
This save# great deal of tin'e and OK.
nenpe to- se parish, and is all iust aud
prorer can do no harln---becsuse
every manshomtntted by them has bis re-
course aglyust the injustice Of masis-
tratcs by tHtabeas corpns--ail appeal, III
short. to d f1eher tribunal, where, il injns-
tiae has BEG done him, he can be righted,
and If teISived of his libeity without
catise, hass4s restored to him. Or he may
give boil afH appear at the time appointed
and stand Eis trial Under this state OF
things, theH present authority is highly
fBut the case is very dtlercnt
when 1t co4 4aes to investing them with the
power of TSssng upon the liberty of per-
sens. 1t l1nteuded to allow them juris.
distion of ssaults and batteries, and to
establish & them a regular jury. The
reason gisl4l for this is the saving Of time
so!the DisIXct Court, aud the expense OF
the juries.s3
It will ~ not he denied that justices
Of the pea55e are not generally placed
in that oIfce onv acconat Of their legal
attainmen,& On the contrary. il is rath.
er universaf agreed that, all they know,
OF care to .Anow about law r., who is to
ray the coaas 7 The codes and rules on
bills of eYf,ange, &c, are books which
they pay s1ust enough attention to, to
make Northumberland very little Of their
'heir maxim is, (as we heard
one Of theH say to counsel who referred
him to one sf these authorties.) never
mind the ls,lv, I'll decide according to the
evidence. II
AS for II expense, so far from decreas-
ng 1t, il VI ala only be -qnaelrupled. Not
a day wong pass without q regular court,
presided of..r by these learned gentlemen,
n all the fHde Of their ignorance and self
sufficiency,l being called to Sit in Judge
nent upoas the alleged bad conduct of
some citira
But thel is another. and stronger
.oason why Athis power should not be given
hem. Al 1he law now is, tho 8,agimx,,,
punishmes& for assault and battery Is, tsgo
years at a'a Imprisonment la6or. II
hey havel the right to pass sentence at
MI iii theMj cases, they have the right to
nilict tho whole Of it. We put this
there man in this, or any
,ther coma Eunity, who would be willing
o have hisf liberty for this length. OF time,
1t the mer, 81 any justice Of the peace :
md we thI,k we can answer without tne
ear of coa,radction, that there is not.
In which| base. the proposition to give
hem the Ever, should be laughed out Of
lie Legislnsure.