Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-04-04

49, WASHINGTON NKWs- AND GOSSIP
Judicial Reform in the District Of Colum
bia,-Ne understand that the House Judiciary
Committee may soon be expected to take up
this subject, in which our home readers are,
after all, more Immediately interested, than
in any other likely to be treated by the present
Congress. Legislation of that class, it win be
recollected, in permanent in its effects on the
rights and interests of society, affecting all
classes, too.
We are satisfied that public opinion in the
District of Columbia is more unanimous for
Judicial reform among US, than for anything
else that Congress may possibly be. able to do
for us. We are not, however, inclined to
believe that it is the wish of the people
of the District to have sweeping changes
made in our system of laws. or legal expert
ments tried upon them. Nor have they any
desire to have the kinks, prejudices, grievances,
or fancies of individuals, made the basis of
general legal legislation for the District of
Columbia The truth is, our present system
of laws may rightfully be styled the remnant
of the original system of Maryland, which,
though working well enough there fifty years
ago, has been subsequently essentially modi-
fed there, from time to t;ne, to suit the altering
condition and legal requirements of society.
With US, the system has stood still, almost all
the alterations which Congress has made, hav-
ing been worked through" by interested par
ties to suit the requirements of their own cases
or personal condition, Thus, these amend
ments may fairly be termed little more than a
series Of exemptions, until, in civil suits, law
in the District of Columbia, is little more than
exemption, and that little-mere delay. Spe-
cial privilege, too, where it was incident to the
old Maryland system which prevailed here
fifty years ago, still holds its own, gloriously
1t has stood the test of time with US, and the
radicalism of ultra democratic rule most won.
derfully we'll. Our democratic reformers have
never yet prescribed for the ailings of that
sort, by which they are absolutely surrounded
when in Washington. As John Randolph
said, they have not seen the "Greeks at their
very DOORS
A single example will suffice The Clerk Of
the District Court is, also, by law, or prescrip,
ton, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Clerk of the
Criminal Court, and Register of Deeds He
thus holds four fat Offices, the aggregate per,
quisites of which no man (outside) knoweth
As Clerk of the Courts, his compensation has
a legal fixed maximum. But we hear in the
Executive Offices, that he contends that he is
not required to render an account of his fee;
and perquisites as Clerk of the Criminal Court
so that they may be estimated in the work Of
charging him with all he collects out of the
people Of the District over and above the max.
imum allowed by law. We apprehend that
different Secretaries of the Interior Depart
ment, and different Attcrnies General, have
decided that he must make the required re.
turn of his emolumehts as Clerk of the Crimi
nal Court; yet, we are greatly mistaken if such
return has yet been made, and we know not
in the existing condition of the laws of the
District of Columbia, by what process the Elk.
ecutive branch of the Government can compel
the settlement of the Clerks accounts on the
basis they rule to be the correct one
1t seems to be generally thought in Washing
ton, that these four Offices, concentrated in the
hands of one functionary here, pay, clear of al
membranes, full Sl5, 600. They are held by
him for life, on the appointment of the Judge
Of the Circuit Court; or, at least, until Con
gress may remodel the existing system in THU
| respect. We are for dividing them, and fol
the election or appointment of some one com
petent individual, at fair compensation fo
a specified term, not exceeding four years, t,
each one Of these said Clerkships and Register
ship. There are many most estimable men
who have served from five to perhaps thirty
years as under Clerks in those concentrated Of
fees. They have labored long and hard for com
paratively little compensation. They are emf
nently competent and deserving, and we shoulG
like much to see their turn come round. Thu
public of the District of Columbia will, doubt
less, approve Of this, our suggestion, in favo
Of dividing these Offices, and giving the faith
full under-public-servants an opportunity t.
take turn at the paying end of the mill
Rivers and Harbors.-The House Committed
on Commerce, have nearly completed theil
now annual River and Harbor improvement
bill. We have reason to believe that it will
embrace nearly all the unfinished works here
tofore appropriated for, or in favor of which a
majority of the House have ever voted at any
stage of their proceedings on such bills Thus
/. will be perceived that it will hardly be such
a measure as those who stand very closely up
to the Presidents Congressional record will
feel at liberty to sustain. Nevertheless, we
are inclined to believe that nothing can pre-
vent its enactment more or less western Demo
cratic members lit is judged by well-informed
persons) who might otherwise act with (" the
Party on this bill, will not feel at liberty to
do so, having been disappointed in their little
railroad-land- donatiOn matters. They greatly
dislike the idea of going home empty handed
as it were, to their constituents. 1t. may not
be known by our readers generally, that the
residents Of news, ate Congressional districts
have always more favors to ask from the Gov
eminent, than those of the old States Indeed,
heretofore, they have rarely failed to get much
the most in the way Of appropriations, taking
all things into consideration.
This year, however, their usual duck" seems
to have deserted item. We apprehend that a
members popularity, in portions of the West,
depends materially upon the showing he can