The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-08
VIRGINIA NEWS.
County Judges.
To the Editors of the DisDotch !.

souf correspondent AlrVlile," replying
! to my communication of oath ultimo sup
plies neither facts nor arguments to refute
my position, nor to sustain his own.
still maintain the ground that, constituting
his language fairly, he did Say more know
ledge Of law is required Of the county than
Of the circuit Judges. IF this be 80, why
not dispense with the circuit judges and
let the county judges do all the business,
as being better qualified and more slearned
in the law" He says, too, that no GOV
eminent "was ever upheld" by low sala-
ries to officers. Has he forgotten that the
members of our Legislature were paid at
one time ten shillings, then two dollars, and
more recently and for long period, four
dollars per diem TINT the members OF
Congress received for q long period eight
dollars per diem and these periods cover
ing the palmiest, the brightest, the most
happy and prosperous days of the repub-
| lic-whcn Virginia was served for small
pay by such men as Jefferson, and Madison,
and Monroe, and Mason, and Henry, and
| Randolph, and Giles, and Tazewell, and
Barbour, and host of others, whose names
have adorned the annals not only of Vir-
ginia, but of the world
He speaks favorably of the old county
courts of Barbour's day, fashioned after
the English system, when the very best
men served without pay; and can he tell us
that the members of the British Parliament
and English justices receive no salaries
These matters are O part of that history
which proves that high salaries in repub-
lie tend to demagoguism and corruption,
and that low salaries have obtained the
| most brilliant and renowned and talented
men of any age or country. The position
| assumed, which he modestly calls cab
surd.'' that high salaries are inconsistent
with and destructive of republics, is fully
sustained by history, which is now repeat
ing itself in these United States. Compare
the old salaries and the character OF our
public men for honor and honesty, for
talents and patriotism, with the present
high salaries $500 to members OF Con-
gress ct id 0n,nc genuS, ct ceteris), and the
small men of low, grovelling instincts, IN
many cases of the present day, the specu-
lation, The bribery, the demageguism. anu
corruption of such men, and you may zee
the decline and fall of this so-called re-
public, which is rapidly following in the
footsteps Of all its illustrious predecessors.
Ny conviction, therefore, is deep and clear
that the only safety for republic is in low
salaries, which will satisfy honest and pa
triotic men. as in the earlier days of the
Commonwealth. The county judges vii!
he literally inferior judges of inferior
courts: and though their jurisdiction may
be made by law concurrent with the circuit
. courts, vet, as in times past, probats OF
Wills, administrations, county police, and
small cases in law. will be the chief bust
ness of the county judges.
The term "learned in the law of the
Stntc =" can he well applied to many gentle
men in all parts of the State-men Of learn
ing and talents. with general knowledge
OF law, or Of the principles Of truth and
Justice, on which al law is founded: many
. non not lawyers by profession, as some oil
the old clerks and old justices; men who
have read law MS part OF liberal educa'
ton men of business. who need and ac-
auire learning sin the law of the State H.
: not new Justices with few honorable ex-
ccptions) not crossroads men, who would
's,lo or dien to be elected foc the sake of
three dollars day occasionally. 1t Il we'll
known that in other States. from whose
Constitutions ours was complied, (by car
: net -haggcrs AMI corn-fcld niygcrS, their
SeitHiicS, and small minority of talented
patriots 10 the manor born, who lcaSene't.
in some instances, the whole luinp,) that
intelligent citizens, not lawyers: are gene
rally the county judges. County judges
are intended 10 be the Ole county courts,-
improved concentrated, and simpliticd,-
and if proper men be selected it will lie a
success. Against high salaries for county
Judges protest in the name Of a tax-rd-
den and greatly impoverished people, who
will assert their rights against all harpies,
whether Of home or foreign origin, who
care for The dear people just enough to
plunlcr and Cypress them AMI consume
their substance. IL the county judge must
hc Il great lawyer with Il big salary, assign
him 10 -four contiguous counties, with 4 week
Tor each court, and dismiss the circuit
judges as useless and Improbable. will
, not. with all due Difference, be so unchari-
: table rs 10 hint that .tiryiie' may be Il
lawyer, and may have an axe to grind.
have none. LOUISA.