The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-09-08
From the Ohio Statesman.
Gross Misrepresentation.

peared in the State Journal last week, to !
the effect that the law increasing the sala-
ries of Judges of the Supreme Court, was
passed at the instance and by the pro-
curement of Chief Justice hartley; and
that if he was not elected, the law was
to be repealed next winter, &c. Now,
this falsehood is the coinage of brain
depraved and perverted by falsehood and
dishonesty. The statement is as ridicu
lous as it is false. To our certain knowl
edge Judge hartley had no more to do
with this salary bill than either of the
other members of the Supreme Court.
But the present Attorney General, a can.
didate on the Republican State ticket, did
take an active part, in the passage of this
bill. This, however, we do not set down
to his dlscredit. This salary bill was not
passed as party measure, and the chief
part of the votes against it, were given
by Democratic members, as the journals
of the two houses will show. For num-
ber of years there has been very general
complaint, that the salaries of the Judges
of the Supreme Court in Ohio, were too
low. There are expenses, personal sacri
fces and responsibilities connected with
the duties of the Bench not appreciated
by the people generally. The Judges of
the Supreme Court of the United States
are paid six thousand dollars year. and
yet none of them get rich; and during last
year, Judge CURTIS resigned his seat on
that Bench, assigning as his reason in a
published letter, that altho rough he had been
as economical as he could, he could not
support himself and family, and attend
to his duties properly on the salary, with
out drawing on his private fortune, which
he was unwilling to do. Even the Judges
of the Court of Claims under the Fed
eral Government are paid each $4,000 a
year. The Judges of the Supreme Court
of Massachusetts are each paid 81, 600 a
year, and the Chief Justice 81 500. The
Judges of the Court of Appeals and Su-
preme Court of New York are paid each
50, 500 a year, besides expenses and other
charges amounting in all to about or near
$4,000. The Judges of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania are paid about the
same. The Judges of the Superior Court
of New York City are paid $1,000. The
Judges of the Court of Appeals in Vir-
ginia are paid $1,000 a year. In South
Carolina So 600. In Georgia and North
Carolina, each $4,000. In Alabama and
Mississippi, each $4,000. In Louisiana
the Judges of the Supreme Court are paid
each $4,000, except the Chief Justice,
who is paid $4,000 year In Texas and
Missouri the salary is. So 5000. In Ten
nessee and Michigan $4,000. In Iowa
and Wisconsin $4,000, and in California
1000, and the Chief Justice $4,000.
And the Judges of the Superior Court OF
Cincinnati are paid each So, 500 year,
: two thousand of which comes out of the
city and county treasury, yet there could
, not, herhaps, be found fifty men in Ham.
J ilton county willing TO reduce the salaries
r of their Judges. They consider it neces-
sary in order to secure the services of COM
petent and suitable men. The Judges ol
the Superior Court of Cincinnati are al
r home all the time and can personally SEE
to their families, property and business
} affairs. The Judges of the Supreme
Court of the State arc absent from home
at an expense, almost the entire year, and
, cannot superintend their private affairs
t And whether 1t he unreasonable to pay
: Judges of the Supreme Court of the
f State $4,000, that is $500 less than is
! paid to the Jud yes of the Superior CourI
! of Cincinnati, we leave it to others to
! say. When a good lawyer can make from
three to six Thousand dollars year in his
practice at the bar, he could not perhaps
in reason be asked to increase his labors
: and responsibilities by going on to the
5 bench, at much less than half he could
: make at the bar.
) We are opposed to high salaries. but
in favor of such salaries as will secure the
services of suitable and competent men al
. all times. And we think that Ohio. the
: third State in the Union, where the labors
; of the Judges of the Supreme Court are
: not less than in other large States, and
} where the expenses have become almos,
as great as in New York, Massachusetts,
/ or Louisiana, should pay its Judges rea.
} sonable amount and sufficient to command
; the best legal ability in the State.
t Now, we call the especial attention ol
the members of the bar, and others, to
: the demagoguery of the Republican Or
gan on this subject. Let honorable bear.
r ing and sincerity be looked to, and dema.
t goguery be condemned.
1t is not the sa'aries paid to public Off
GERS in Ohio which creates the great bur
: dens of taxation. The total expense o
: the Legislative, executive, and judicial de-
partments of the State, including the sal
; aries of all State officers, does not exceed
. two hundred and fifty thousand dollars 9
year. while the aggregate burden of taxa
t tion collected in the State exceeds ter
, millions of dollars.
-O- Il
The Local of the Wheeling In
{ telzsgencer is informed that Mr.. Grim
? who committed suicide few days since
did not live at Round Bottom, q few
miles below that city. but near Round