Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-09-25
NJ | S c f LII A n Y.
PHIL THURMOND's RESURRECTION

IAAA Ii OhUONO MO v 1httEC1 lON
The lowest judicial tribunal in Georgia is the
Justices Court. Limited in its jurisdiction to
sums under thirty dollars it is enacted that par
ties litgant have the right to establish their de
mands and offsets by THEN own oaths.
The policy of this infringement of the rules of
evidence is very questionable. as it gives the
dishonest and unscrupulols decided advan-
tage over the upright and conscientious in set
Ting those minor controversies constantly grow
ing out of the transactions of men.
About forty five or fifty years ago there lived
IN the middle part of Georgia an individual who
was famous for availing himself of the aforesaid
statutory provision.
No man could have been fonder of small law
suits than John Ramsey. A little experience
in early life had prejudicel him greatly against
the higher courts (where he found the conscicn-
ces of witnesses not so plant as his own y so
much so, that he determined so to deal and be
dealt by that all disputes with his neighbors and
the world generally should, to use his own ex-
preston, be "consistant' in the Justices Court
There he could proceed without the expense of
counsel, and be always provided with legal evil
dence.
John became so eminently successful in his
that lie ,vs~,..i, ..,,,..d,I at ~
hams" Court of 656, District of Maliha, Geor-
gia, and carried on there a kind of steam law
practiceto some profit. 1t was curious to wit
ness his prosecution and defense Of suits. Ifhe
could not convince Judge Durham by quotations
from Clayton's Georgia Justice" Princes Di-
gest," or the 7th volume of "Epinassy' (which
latter authority he always left at home he would
deliberately take a swear at the case himself,
and, as the marksmen say, "knock out the
black" lie became quite terror to the young
limbs of the law whose fate brought them in
contact with him-so much so, that they would
rather have met as opposing counsel Chief-Jus-
tice Marshall, then in his judicial prime.
John was always on the lookout for a lawsuit
for himself or some one else. 1t was an invari-
able practice of his, when one of his neighbors
died. to exhibit to the executor or administrator
Of the estate an account just under thirty dol
lars, and demand payment; upon the refusal of
which, suit was brought as soon as the law per-
mitted, and the money recovered as sure as the
Court was holden.
Thus lived John, successfully squabbing with
the living and robbing the dead, until Phil
Thurmond, about the time of which we write,
, moved into his neighborhood, and settled with
in half mile of him. No man, woman, or
child ever lived in that part of the State with
out personally knowing or hearing of Phill.-
His righteousness and love Of fun We're proverb-
ial. And although he has long since been ga
thered to his fathers, and there has been no BIZ
ography of him, yet he still lives in the Legend
airy stories OF the county IN winch he resided,
to all lntents and purposes as II Washington
Irving had chronicled his deeds.
One unacquainted with Phill would, on first
sight, mistake HIM for PLAIN homespun-clad
clergyman. AT the date OF the occurrence to
which we are about to allude, he was fity years
OF age though his appeearancIe, would not indi-
cate more than thlrty-hVe' lie was OF common
size, with slight disposition to corpulency, ex-
hibiting remarkably clear hight complexion,
with small blue eyes. Ills countenancee, upon
theswhole, was prepossesslng, and would have
been striiingly so but for its y!ery' serious and
almost solemn cast of expression. Tie seldom
smiled, and when he did 1t was with motive.
1t was his inyariable practice, whenever he left
home to drink freely, which had no other effect
on his intellect or countenance than to sharpen
the former and render more serious, If possible,
the aspect OF the latter. 1t was really amusing,
as well as curious to witness the consummation
OF one OF his plans ortrlcks. When the strong
est and most iudicrous events drought about
altogether by his contrivance) would occur, and
every one present was convulsed with irrepres-
sibe laughter-eX!;cept the object OF his attack,