The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-04-14

The Judiciary HllI-.-senator Ben-
metf's Expoeare Of It's Enormfties-
This measure Is an outrage on the Peo-
pie Of the State. 1t seems to have Nbeen
proposed not to secure the proper admin
istration of the laws and to subserve the
ends Of justice, but to provide places and
pelf for hungry partisans.
A striking characteristic of the scheme
Is, that it constructs fifteen districts out
of the ten now existing in the
State and correspondingly dimin-
ishes the labor of the Judges and Dis
Irict Attorneys, while If increases the pay
of the former from $500 to So, 800; and
OF the latter from l 800 to $1,000 per an
mum.
Another odious feature of the bill is
that it authorizes the Governor to 90 out
side of the districts in making selections
of persons to fill those offices.
Mr.. Bennett, of Rankin, uttered a
strong protest against the measure in the
Senate, and dealt with especial force
against these features; the latter he de-
monstrated to be "fraught with mischief "
And the enormities of the former he ex-
posed by the irresistible logic of figures in
the following extract which we will record
in THE CLARION for future reference:
Besides the foregoing objections TO the
fifteen District system, / ain opposed 10 il
on the grounds of economy. There are very
grave objections on this score. Mr. PreSi-
dent. Now, sir, TO show the difference In
the cost of'the two systems. | have made a
rough calculation, which beg leave 10 SUBJ
nit for the consideration of the Senate. The
figures show for themselves. They are as
follows:
THE OLD SYSTEM.
TIE Judges at salary of $500
each ......- .-----....-- S91.OOO 90
Ten District Attorneys at a sal
AIRY of s15OO each -. ......- 1000 90
Twenty Grand Jurors per each
term Ofthe court in each coun-
ty at 50 per day. and say that
the courts average twenty
days i'm each county per an
mum. and say that there are
siXty-one counties, and we
have the sum of ........... $500 90
Making total for salary of
Judges. District Attorneys
and Grand Jurors OF No.. SIS, 800 90
From this calculation it will be seen that
under the old system Of courts in this State
there was drawn from the public treasury.
the sum of SSS.SO0 90 to paw the salary of
Judges and District Attorneys and the per
diem pay of Grand Jurors, to say nothing
of the mileage paid the Jurors, and the
amount paid the different Sherffs and their
fhs4f-
the courts. But let us see how the new sys-
TEN will operate; what il viii cost of the
peoples money To sustain it,.
Fifteen Judges at a salary of
$500 each ,..............- $4,000 90
Fifteen District Attorneys ut a
salary of $500 each -. $500 90
Add to the cost of the old avs
TEN for Grand Jurors. one
third more expense, and we
have the sum OF. Gj.0G6 90
Making a total Off,. Sl55,0GG 90
Deduct from the above the eX-
penses OF the old system $500 90
Showing "A balance of increase
OF expense of .....-.... SG6 2GG 90
Now. Mr.. President. am opposed to this
IL ! thought it would advance the interest
of the country ] would sustain IL. But do
not. ] believe il will advance the interest
of none but those who may get the offices.
| make the cost of Judges under the old
system the sum OF $4,000: District Attor-
neys $4,000. making $4,000 Under the
new system the same officers for fifteen dis
tricts cost the State the sum of 100000. Ma
king an increase of expense 10 the State of
$4,000 for Judges and District Attorney
alone.
In like manner the increase of cost for
Grand Jurors is $l62GG, and If the change
creating the Chancery Courts and abolish
ing the clliee of Judge OF Probate IL to be
taken into the calculation. we have an adj
ditiOnal cost 10 the State i'm this item of
$l5 100 90 making grand total of increase
of expenditure by the new system ot $751;
}GG 90.
These are facts. Mr.. President. that we
should well consider and if we should
choose TO 60 on saddlng the people with
needless expenses. we may be well assured
that they will held us in strict accountable 1
ity for it. | look ut this matter not i'm its
bearing on the interests of n few officials |
but rs a citizen of Mississippi, and knowing
the intimate relations that subsists between
the people. and how closely i'm all that per-
tains to the good of the Commonwealth, we
are identified with one another.
CONE TO GRIEF The closing up of
the account Of Gen. Howard, the head