The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-11
Shall County Judges Receive High
Salaries?
To he Editors Of the Dispatch:

To the Editors Of the DiSp0tch:
1t is not my intention to enter upon war
of words with my old friend Louisa, who
so persistently insists upon misconstiuing
little plain English. The "opening" is
rather too wide for y young man like my
self. lacking the enterprise. Therefore,
after few words more, will let Louisa
alone. | confess TO knowledge of the
facts cited by him. But if he will compare
the time when ten shillings, then two dol
lars, and more recently and for Il long pc
rod four dollars, was the per diem of mem-
bers of the Legislature, with the present
time, think he will find that six dollars
per diem now is, probably, less than either
of the smaller amounts as OF tho times
when they were paid. The time was when
members of the Legislature could obtain
very gool accommodations for about St
per week. Now they cannot dO so for less
than FROM 4l2 to SIS, and al other ex-
penses are in about the same ratio. l am
ut Il loss to conceive how the SHfciY Of this
republic at any time depended upon fact
Tor any number Of factS) 50 insignificant as
whether IL member of the Legislature was
paid & lille over ten shillings or not. If
there is any reasoning from Louisa'a facts
they sustain me in the position have taken,
He speaks of the bright and palmy days
when Virginia was served for small pay by
such men as Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
and many others, whose like we never cX-
pect to see again. Does he not know that
most Of those distinguished men were pos
scased OF large estates, anu that moat OF
them, whilst they served and sustained the
Government, impoverished themselves and
their families by SO doing! Does lie think
it was good policy in the Government, even
ut that time, to pay such men (hcr chief
support and main stay. anu 10 whom she is
now indebted for the worldwide reputation
she bcars,) so poorly that, as consequence,
almost every one Of them who served his
country faithfully land in doing so, almost as
of necessity, neglected his own aifairs) suf-
fered great pecuniary loss: But grant that
it was the right policy theH, would Louisa
have the same policy carried out now az
the only SAFETY to this State! Does he not
know we have, not long since, passed through
a most disastrous war, and that almost every
one, and especially such as would compare
with the distinguished gentleman already
mentioned Gf there be any. has lost to
such an extent as would prevent his accept
inr an Office unless he were to be paid Il
fair equivalent for his services, 'chich is
oil have contendcd for. Whilst, Oh the one
hand, ain opposed to what would be con
sidercd L" niggardlv," OH the other, am
opposed to ertraragancc. Of the two, how
ever, shall prefer little of the latter.
1t looks more respectable.
| really do not see what the fact tbat
members Of the British Parliament get no
per diem has to do with tue matter in hand
and l shall not lake time to discuss Il qucs-
tion in which, it seems to me, the people OF
England are alone interested.
Of course, speaking of "axes." have
several "to grind" and if DO not get a
good edge on them all it will not be for g
lack of effort on my part. 1t never occurred
to me that Louisa bad an axe of his O,cn to
grind. II he had, lie would no doubt have
put out the job. 1t occurred to me he lad
picked up some dull, old axe which had
been "laying around loose =" for a long time,
and which, by-thc-bye, he will never bring
to an ledge" unless he changes his way
of working on it. Nor did it occur to me
that he was a lawyer. From his first arti-
Gle concluded he WAS young man, but
from the second, with all respect, | have
come to the conclusion that he is either an
i" old fogy" or an "oll maid i" most pro-
bably the latter, as after certain age they
becomed welded to old things, and take
especial pleasure in speaking OF what
occurred in their young days with such an air
of triumph as admits of no gainsayilng,
which is very much the style OF Louisa,
and to whom, as Miss Louisa, now BID a
respectful adieu. AIRVILLE.