Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-06-20
For the Advertiser.
AUGUSTA, Ga, j dne l6, 10

hOHoo1AJ oo'3 y uhS ~, ASoo'
Augusia--The City Hall--Georgia Supreme
Court-The Judges-Thc Appeal Of Reener--
Hon. A. II. Stephens--Old Bachelors, &c.
My DEAR CoL.:I have been in this beautiful
town for nearly week, occupied with law, politics.
and the ladies', and have become suddenly seized
with aeaeoethes seribendi," which ] can scarcely
restrain. am more than half tempted to send yon
q rough: sketch Of some things l have seen and
hearu. Dur scarceTy KNOW giiu.-Bo-y ysu
want facts or sentiment love or palitcs7 / feel
very strongly inclined to th. trivial and the dreamy
By my life, believe am becoming very much Of a
sentimentalist. BE not surprised ai this; for you
can well imagine, how one, possessing slightly tho
poetic temperament, surrounded by music and the
"lovey fair" and imbibing occasional draughts at
those cool, delicious founts that tempt one along
Broad-street;; might have the poetry Of his nature
stirred within him, and be urged to indulge in those
wild vagaries Of thought and sentiment, that over
step little the bounds Of nurtured prudence. Be
nosalarmed, however; 1 am not going to inHict up
on you any Of my sen.im entail rhapsodies.
Do you wish to have o peep into Georgia Court
of Justice7 Follow me, then, TO that beautiful
grove on Greene-sreet in which situated the City
Hall. You have been there, Of conrsc-in it and
all about.it. Is it not charming spot2 With i,s
graveled walks, its green sward and deep refres sh-
ing shade, You might, with great stretch Of the
fancy, deem it very grotto, which, amid the vary
ing shadows Of mellow moonlight, might have
charmed the wanton nqrnphs Of Calypso herself.
f&6o e
would say in South. Carolina, the Court of Appeals.
has been in session this week.. This Court, as you
aware, consists Of three Judges elected by the
Georgia Legislature every six years, with salary
each Of 50 5OO. sits at nine places in the State,
and occupies the Judges in nearly every month Of
the year, either in the active duties Of their Office,
in writing their opinions. Considering thcsterm
and the salary, how nadequately are they Paid The
abe men who now adorn the Georgia Supreme
Bench, deserve, in my humble judgment, twice the
pay they get; and were they elected" during good
BEHAVIOR" Georgia would derive from her Judici-.
ary Iater all, the great bulwark Of the rightsand
liberties of her eitizens) more real glory and pros-
perity, thar from the efforts of all her most brilliant
politicians put,together. Besides, where there are
great Judges, there will, in tme to be great Statss-
men. -. :.
The Supreme Bench is at present filled by Judg-
cs LuMrKIN, SrAasEs and BEsNrNo. The former,
who has been upon tho Bench since twas establish
ed, is imposing in his Psssonal appearanceAofm me-
dunn stature; somewhat massive-:with fine head
and face, and charming voice. His manner II
bland and agreeable his oratory easy, eopious and
persuasive. He might, without injustice, be dean.
ed the Judge O'NEALL of Georgia--he is Judge,
IN orator, reformer, and very essimahe man.: In
his administration Of juitice, he seems inclined to
abatc from the rgdity Of the technical rules Of law,
and to Strike in the most direct mnnner at tic sub.
santia justice Of the case before him. This Is
good precept, il practised with dactimination-
though highly dangerous when loosely adopted
Judge srAasss, who, as am informed, has re-
lieved the se,erer duties of the LAWYER and the
Judge by study Of the liberal arts, fills his post
with ability, learning and great diligence Appeals
it Is said, were seldom taken from his decisions,
while ho was Circuit Judge, and when taken rare,
ly reversed on the Supreme Bench, he evidently
considers with: care and searching .analyai, Ae.
points brought before him. In delivering his opip,
iOns ore tenas, his style is correct, eoneise and
sententious ;-hs is not fluent, but forcible.
Judge BEsslse, is only about forty.ons year, Of
nge tall, youthful in his appearance, fbsneyolent
aspect, very modest and ulshnmiug. He ha, not
been a great whleo the Supreme Bench, but long
enough to estuhl,ha character for ability and. Ell
cheney as Judge. He has q strong, aatse iatei-
lect, and is'a bold, iidependsntp pihinker. In the
case Of Pdasasord and others 'repqrted inl4Geor.
Rep, he hasshown himself possessed pfsa dluduo.
to be tfamme'led BY authority, and capable Of dis
cusstng greatiesal and political question with Chief
iAssHA N hu.seis The strong state:fieht.