Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-27
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES SALARY
OUGHT NOT TO BE REDUCED.

To the Editors Of the Union and American:
Believing that it is time to turn, for the
present, from our small interest in federal
politics to the consideration of our moment
Gus interests in the State affairs, | take
the liberty to address to you this communi-
cation in regard to one of those interests,
which in my opinion is the most moment
GUS of all. 1t seems to be fOregOne con-
clusion that our judiciary system will be
recast and in part also remoddled. But
before even the convention is called, by
which the latter portion of this work can
be performed, bill has been introduced
which Of it shall become a law, will radi-
cally effect the health of our Judiciary sys-
TEN, however. it may be reflled, and how
ever it may be remoddeld refer to the
bill introduced by Mr. Singletary, to lower
the salaries of the Supreme and other
Judges of this State.
The arguments against the poverty
stricken spirit of that policy, (by which
Tennessee has ever been cursed are so
plain and manifest that l think they may
be expressed in single sentence: 1t Is
the economy that would furnish soldiers
with damp powder because it is cheap Let
us take for example the salary of a circuit
judge, which is now 81, 500 year in de-
preciated currency, but which would per-
haps by the bill i'll question be reduced to
50, 600 He is the judge who is brought
nearest to the people, and into whose hands
the State has, In the presence of the people,
placed the scales Of justice, and who, rep
resenting the State in preserving the integ-
rity of the law, certainly represents as great
an interest In any cause tried before HIM as
can be represented by the counsel on either
side Again, properly to fill his high Office
he should be a lawyer whose practice at the
bar has proved his fitness to be q judge.
The statute indeed requires that he shall be
not less than 80 years of age, thereby show
ing that in theory at least the State consid-
ers him as the States lawyer, and selects
him as other lawyers are selected for GER
tain supposed experience and discretion,
the results of study and practice alone.
Now, is it wise, is it right, can any one
suppose it to be the will of the people, that
the Judge shall receive for his yearly salary
a sum no larger than the counsel at the bar
often get in a single case?
1t is no answer to this to say that lawyers
are paid too much. They are paid what
their services are valued at, and we submit
that the best lawyer is worth as much to
the State as he is to any client. The COM
pensation to lawyers may be too high, and
so may the market price of good powder be
too high, but in both instances it is none
the less the better policy to buy the best.
1t is no answer to this to refer to the emil
nent judges we have had in times past and
who generally found it to their interest to
resign. The present salaries paid in green
back currency are hardly worth 50 much as
the former pay in money, while at the same
time the scale of necessary expenses is
much increased And finally it is neither
wise nor creditable that any part of ajudge's
compensation shall consist in the honor Of
the office. Judges enough might by posi-
bility be found who would accept five hun-
dred year and the honor; but the State
now needs lawyers on the bench more than
at any time in her history, and lawyers
need money. They like not such grinning
honor rs Sir Walter hath. Y.