The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-19

10 your county in single case by establishing one
wrong pncple, than all the money which YOU are
saving by your false economy II has beer truly said by
an eminent ufst that the most peous spectacle that
can be exhibited is an imbecile Judge surrounded by
o5lllan. par There can De nothing more huniliailng
Why should We not extend the benefits which are pro-
posed to The district judges Let give example
10 epow the eminent proprlely OF The agree
with my friend from Wisconsin, in great deal that he mas
SAID. anu VIII propose, before sit down, scale OF
rates OF compensation.
Mr. BUTLER You cannot carry it,
MI CHARLION. Yes, we can carry II, il we are not
90 much AFRAID oil what the people will say have great
alth IN the people OF this country. believe they
Intelligent enough, and when the matter is explained 10
Them they will be liberal enough 10 sustain in any
wholesome legislation. 1 am wiling, for one TO take
The responsibility, and So hope, every senator 10 willing
TO take the responsibility OF aclng in this matter
but was gong to give you one instance to show me
eminent pTopney OF raising these salaries. Take the
case OF Georgia do not believe il is singular. have
no doubt there other States where the Judges en-
titled 10 increased salary Ten years ago. when pro-
visions were low and living cheap, comparatively, you
declared that the salary OF the Judge oil the district coufl
In Georgia should be 81 500 per annun He had TO hold
but four courts, and had no travel TO make at all Now
you have added another district to his jurisdiction you
have given him district IN The upper part OF the State
aud you require him 10 attend that court at the exlre
point OF the Stale from Savannah and you pay none OF
the travelling expense although the amount OF travel is
not less than thirteen hundred miles annually You have
not given him single cent in addition 10 what he for
merly received You do not deal in that way with your
shoemaker your carpenter. II you contract with
man 10 build house with four rooms IN II Tor certain
price, and afterwards change your plan and make him
build II with eight rooms, will you not upon principles
| OF Justice, expect 10 increase his compensation
| We cut down the salary OF Judges by miserable
economy, and at last shall have Inclined tIead-nlls
and put the Judges the top, and make them administer
justice and grnd oul the corn OF the State at the
time. No doubt you can get meA TO serve you Tor
small amount but their service may be fruitful in dis
astes to the best interests OF the country Let adopt
different system of economy, and give 10 The judges in
all the States the salaries to which they entitled
Let them be well paid. and you can have competent
men, Let US try the experiment There are some on the
bench probably, who do not deserve what they gel
We have tried TO starve them and they will not DIE II
is said that eyerses of fortune sometimes kill people
Let then, try 10 fill and feel them properly, and
haps they will die, aad then supply tnelr places
But there are great many Judges OF the district courts
who would be credit 10 the Supreme Court, and think
the Stale of Georgia furnish instance. ] think
other States do the same.
But this is what was going to say TO the Senate;
think we ought to commence now a general increase
OF compensation, and suggest to the friends OF this
measure propose amendment il il is IN order 10 make
it, 10 add $500 the salary OF each district Judge in the
United STATES believe there is not who is not enti-
tied 10 it, II that can be sustained will propose
that But whether it can cannot be sustained, trust
that will not be alarmed because gentlemen may
think that this will give rise TO debate There IS no
wholesome legislation that does moi give rise TO debate
You have not question before you on this appropfia
uon bill that will not give rise 10 debate Let stand
firm. We cannot devote our hours better IN egislaing
than by creating SQUAD, wholesome, and intelligent u
dietary. am willing 10 waste, If il may be called so,
every moment OF the session for the purpose Of carrying
ment which will be wholesome, proper, correct
any that can be brought before YOU s.'
Ir. BUTLER One word OF explanation. | believe
oughto agree to this proposition, bat il proper now
that, OF The committee should reply to the
aor from Wisconsin He has ntIna,ed in his remarks
that there is marked discrimination with regard to the
rate OF the salaries will say 10 the senator, that the
Judges who bold the courts at Boston, New York. Phila
delpha, Baltimore, Charleston Savannah, Key West,
New Orleans, and San Francisco, have five times the
business OF those the interior And if you will look
al the matter, you will find that those the seaboard
have entirely different jurisdiction, different, kind OF
business from the others. Therefore, it would mol be
proper TO give the addition OF $500 in all my
friend from Georgia proposes say with regard those
Judges that hey ought 10 have their salaries increased
agree with him nl0 in that but This is not the time DOR
the occasion 10 do 1t cannot enlarge these general
IopIcs but the amendment has been prepared far
CARDS the different sections, without any reference 10
either North South, East West Il has looked TO
the amount OF business which the Judge has TO do We
that Judge in the interior OF the country has not
half as much to do upon the ssaboard. We en-
deayored TO regulate the salaries 50 that the amount
should depend upon he amount OF business and The ma
Of the business to be done and the expense Of living
which the judges must necessarily incur.
Mr.. BRADBURY. ! will delaln the Senate but mo
ment There seems 10 be some misapprehensioD the
part OF some senators with regard to the amendment as
The committee had undertaken 10 regulate the salaries
OF all The district judges throughout the United States
The committee took such evidence as they had before
them. The subject had been referred 10 them They
examined as carefully as they could the OF bus
ness which devolved upon the judges. They then
sdeed the salaries paid the highest judicial officers in
the States themselves They had regard TO the expense
OF living, and they then endeavored TO uaze and
tabish the salaries OF these lew pressing which
seemed 10 demand II; and beyond that they did
dei,ke to 60 One word is due in the remarks
oil the senator from Wisconsin, Mr.. WALKER,l who
eued TO the increase of The salary of the district Judge in
Louisiana We had some reference the salaries ia I'd
TO the chief justice IN the highest court in the State In
Louisiana the chief justice has salary OF 50 $780, and
that is regarded by the State fair equivalent Tor bis
services. The district Judge OF the United States court
in that district has an immense amount OF business to
perform. He is constantly employed, and he resides in
city where the price OF living is very expensive. We
did not put the salary OF the Judge OF the district
TO that OF the chief justice OF the State court lett
II al $4,000 ess-at $4,000.
Mr.. BORLAND. | would inquire IL we did not. few
years ago, OF the increased business in Louisiana
give two Judges 10 that court instead OF one
MIR. BRADBURY. new district established !;
bat STILL nearly all the business devolves upon the Judge
OF the southern district 10 the Stale OF Wisconsin the
salary OF the chief justice OF the State 81 $780, and
that OF the Judge o the district court of The United States
ia the There extraordinary duties devolving
upon the Judge OF the district court in that State and
did not disturb his salary.
Mr.. WALKER. We do not want you to do it.
Mr. BRADBURY The senator from Georgia init
that 1t would be expedent TO increase the salaries
OF all the judges by adding $500 them SO far the
salary OF the Judge OF the district OF Maine concerned
will say that he wrote letter to the senators in Con-
gres protesting against any increase OF his salary He
says he receives fair compensation, and willing de-
vote bimself-as he does most faithfully and ably-to
the duties OF hIs office for the compensation which he
receives. think IT is perfectly obvloas that il GO
into these amendments, the amendment, OF the committee
will have to be Withdrawn. II the inequalities. we
can amend them afterwards | was instructed by the
Committee on the Judiciary offer these OF CON
pensation certainly do not desire to epbauass the
preparation bill by it but hope the Senate will act on