The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-03
OF THE PHILADELPHIA BAR.

n qussted.
This morning an adjourned meeting of the
members Of the Philadelphia bar, ! in
reference to securing better court accommoda-
tons, and an increa,e OF pay and number OF the
judges, was held in the Supreme Court room,
Eli X. Price IN the clau. The meeting was
largely attended. Upon being called to order,
the following was read by tnr Secretary
TO the Members Of tie PAitdde IhiG BGr:-The
COMMITTEE 10 whom vas Ie.eneu tie subjects OF ad-
OIuOla Court accommodations, auuluOnul Judges
ara q more uuC QuaiC COn1pehS.uO OF the judiciary,
resi- &c lu Iy re, ont at they have carefully cOns-
Geit d the subjects Committed to tue'u.
81 Upon The urst named subject there Is Dut one
OpIuiOn in tins community Tue people, me pre-
the medica, profess ON, aud the oar, all speak
unanimous voice at the evils long endured IN want
OF IIOpr Ourt LccOmmC dat ons should find q
speedy and ctual T, medy. not the JUDGES
memLers Inc Tar alone who are Interested, but
Jurors, parties, witnesses. In every class tins
commnii,y has mad TO de lore the loss of yaiu1bie
citizens from their attendance at Court IN confined
and impure atmosphere; end now our PROCESSION
and he whole community freshly mourn she ,oss Of
the President Judge OF ihe Court OF Common fleas,
stricken down, as they beievo, b. prOtracGed abors
in the unhealthy air OF the Court Oi Quarter
SESSIONS.
lhe City Councils are well disposed 10 remedy
this evil, and the emedy would no doubt nave
been applied before tins, but Tor me nec2Slty OF
the neavy expenditures made bY the CITY Tor pur'
poses nnUCeu win no iate war; Counclls nave
mRGo appropriation ana provided plans Tor the
extension OF the Crmral CouTt-rCom on Ska
street ana we cannot doubt they will speedily oxe-
cute their purpose, with proper ven ilatlon.
The Committee legard this as a necessary, yet as
but temporary arrangement, TO last only until the
finances of the city will justify the construction of
aaeuuate public build ngs so tuat the city may have
suC upon a scale and in style commIn n3urate with
the credit of great CITY, the largest che c0nti
nent, and soon 10 reach mlhon OF Inhabitants; OF
capacity to accommodate uhe Council Chambers,
and those required for the Mayor Departments and
o,her city offices, and also the Courts, Prothono.
tary g, ana CLERKS Offices Library, and records,
besides rooms for jurors aud Witnesses.
2, lhe subject of additional Judges, youc Com.
mittee have considered mainly with view 20 meet
the requirement the puulic business, without
sacrifice OF lhe health of the Judges. We are well
aware OF the laudable ambition of the judges
TO- discharge the greatest practicable amount
that it is owing to that cause that
nearly all the Judges of our county have in different
degrees, allowed their health to be impaired, and
that we now moun the sacrifice OF the invaluable
life of one of them. We woud not only have the
pub &c business despatched with competent cal and
skill, but would protect the judges themselves from
their own wiling self sacrifice, and srve them TO
theiramiles and for prolonged service to the public
W 9 have, therefore, with great nIry, come to
the conclusion that there should be tYI additional
Judges in the Court OF Common Pleas of this county,
$50 that the live can, without oppression and with
Justice TO the pubic, attend to ne varied jurisdc-
tons OF the Court Of Oyer and Termner, Quarter
Sessions OF the Peace and o. the CommOl Pleas,
Mt comm On law and in equity, aud in the Orphans
and eglstcrs Court.
8. Upon the subject of the Judges salaries we are
all OF ore OPINION, and tnat Is, that they are sntr-
ing injustice at the hands of tho PUBLICAN injustice
tnat the pubic can have desire 10 continue Cou-
6lderlnG the magnitude OF the business transactedI
anO its vast pecuniary amount, and the talent,
learning, and integrity demanded for Its taith-
tul ana sklful tufment; and that We have,
Oh all cur benches, judges of eminent learn
ing and tried character and ability, we
may safely say that no persons IN our State
are SO lnadequaely compensated as the Judges.
While the prices of all the necessaries of lle have
become greatly enhanced, and tine compensations of
ali oCher officers in whatsoever emp poyment, have
been Commtnsuru ely IL Gre ased, no pIoportonate
increase has been made in respect the salaries of
the judges. " it'll the rapid Increase of population
and Oh business, much Of no and peculiar chaIac
ter, there is q corresponding increase of legal ques-
tons 10 be tried and decided
We EXPECT the Judges to meet and dispose of this
increase OF business promptly, with skill aud ability,
and are rot disappointed. They do us iu justice,
ard we should not do them less than justice; aud
we thus speak not only as members OF me Bar, but
as citizens in behalf of our fellO V.ctIzens. We
name no sum OF increase, out in beha OF our DeO-
pie we apt cal to the wisdom and justies of the
Legislature OF the Commonwealth or Pennsylvania
to make liberal increase 10 the salaries OF ali of
our JUDGES, including those sitting in the supreme
We recommend the adoption of the following
resolutions
l. ReSoiUed, That Councils he earnestly requested
to commence ana complete without delay the prO-
po'ed improvement OF the court mouse on Sixth
street; and whenever the city Lnauces will permit,
to construct public buildings for a. the purposes eX.
pressed in the report of the commte.
g. ReSOiUed, That the foregoing report and these
IesolutlOIs together with the proceedings OF the
meeting of the Judges and the Bar on the OCCASION
OF the death of Judge Oswald Thompson, be lur-
nlshed in pamphlet form the State and City Exc
cutves, and to each member of the Legislature and
OF the City Councils, our memorial to them upon
the subjects of said report.
3. ResOtUed That committee of five be appointed
to print and present sald memorial and proceed tC
Harrisburg to further the objects thereof; and thai
the members of the Bar do cooperate III such ways
as may be IN their power, to promote the said OBJ
jects.
A. Resolved That a committee of five be appointed
to confer with the Committee of Councils upon thu
proposed extension of the Court House
lSIgned) EDWARD SHIPPEN.
ELL X. PRICE,
JOSEPH A. CLAY,
GUsTAvUs REMAK,
HENRY s. HAGERT.
Mr.. William B. Bull, Esq, said there woulC
be no difficulty in securing all that was wanted
if the bar and bench would go to Harrisburg
united He had conversed with several mem
beTs of the Legislature, among Others, thu
Hon. William A, Wallace, of Clearfeld county
and the acknowledged leader OF the Democratic
party in that body, who had expressed himself il
favor of increasing the number of Judges. Tht
speaker, however, learned that the Judge
differed as TO the increase of their number
He thought that the proposed change shoul,
not go into effect until the next election.
After remarks from Messrs. William r. WistaI
Amos Briggs, George Junken, and GustaVu
Remak, the report was adopted.
The Chairman and Secretary were added t
the committee.
The same committee we're continued under tn
third resolution.
Under the last resolution Messrs. Phillips, Jur
ken, H. G. Townsend, Thorn, and John G. MitehS
were appointed. Adjourned.
CoNTRIBUTIoNs.-We must acknowledg
the receipt, in answer to an appeal for
'Dying Soldier" of the following sums:-
Edgewater, N j.. 50