Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-06-15
COUNTIES TO LOAN ON SHORT TIME.

partisanism and deep hatred of everything
in the remotest way pertaining to Repub-
licanism. East Tennessee, because of its
thorough devotion to the Government du-
ring the war, and of the sympathies of it's
people with Republican principles since
the war, is made to especially feel the Bit
terness of its partisan malice. In nothing
is this so strikingly developed as in its re-
cent legislation, the purpose of which is to
fasten upon the people partisan Judiciary.
We believe that, as the election of Judges
is left to the people, it is but fair and hon
orable that the people over whom the
Judge has jurisdiction should choose him.
The Third Judicial Circuit as it has been
organized for the past five years embraced
the counties of Knox, Blount, Monroe and
Roane. The present Assembly, soon after
it first met repealed the law organizing the
18th Judicial Circuit, which placed the
counties of Morgan and Anderson back
into the Third Circuit, where they origi-
nally belonged. This extended the Circuit
beyond reasonable limits, for, since the
war, Knoxville, by its growth, alone af-
fords large increase of business, as has
each and every one of the counties compri-
sing the Circuit But, by an act now UNI
der consideration, and reported by the
Committee appointed to redistrict the
State, the counties of Fentress and CLIMBER
land are attached to this Circuit making
the Circuit larger than it has been at any
time in the past twenty years. In view of
the large amount of business now pending
in this county alone, and of the increase of
business in every other county of the Cir
cult, we do not feel that we are hasty or
unjust in characterizing this contemplate
piece of gerrymandering on the part of this
| Assembly as base outrage on the rights
of the people of this Judicial Circuit. We
believe, and charge, that this change in
this Circuit has been made for the express
| purpose of electing a Judge in sympathy
with the dominant party. Let us examine
| this question for Il moment, to show the
partisanism and meanness of the Act to
which we refer. Knox equity has to-day
population exceeding 10000. The bust
ness pending in our Courts is worry heavy,
and constantly accommodating. The pre-
sent Judge has been unable to dispose of
the business any faster than it accumu-
lates. We have during the year but
| three sessions, of three weeks each, of
| our Circuit Court. Owing to the bum
Cling legislation of the present Assembly,
these sessions are now cut down to one
aUeek. Even with but the four counties of
| Knox, Blount, Monroe and Roane-all
| large and wealthy counties-the present
incumbent, Judge Hall, though IA faithful
and persistent worker, has been unable TO
| do all the business brought before him.
| Justice long deferred is as bad in most
cases as justice refused. Litigation should
be promptly disposed of, as in that way
only can satisfaction or justice be dispensed.
But Notwithstanding the importance of
the very heavy business pending in the
| four large counties named, the two addi-
tional counties of Morgan and Anderson
were added. This was done for partisan
purposes, and was bad enough. But now it
is proposed to increase the Circuit still
more, by adding two other counties-Fen-
tress and Cumberand-about seventy-five
miles distant. 1t is well known that the
Assembly never intended that these coun-
| ties should remain in the Circuit after the
| election. 1t would be an actual fraud upon
the people of the eight counties embracing
this Circuit, to enlarge it permanently to
| that extent. There are now two hundred
and fifty causes pending in the Circuit
Court for Knox county alone. OF these,
seventy-six have been pending for two
years, and very many of them have been
pending four and five years and some ten.
There are fifty-one cases on the return
docket for the coming June term. There
are now thirty t1DO prisoners in Jail await
ing trial. BY the neglect of the present
Assembly, we had but one week of the
Circuit Court here last February, so that
most of the thirty-two criminals now in
Jail, have been confined for eight months
awaiting their hearing. These thirty-two
prisoners cost this county over Sir hamdred
dollars per month or more than enough
in one year to pay the salary of tho Judges.
i The Legislature, by their partisanism in
extending this Circuit beyond reasonable
bounds, are delaying the legitimate bust
ness of the Courts, both civil and criminal,
to the inconvenience and expense of the
people of every county embraced in the
Circuit. When we consider that this is
done now for the express purpose of elect