Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-02-23
Letter frsm Nashville.


NASHVILLE, February 16, 1871.
The engrossing feature at the Capitol
at present is the immense transactions in
the Judiciary department of the Common
wealth. The Federal Court is overbur-
thened by infractions under the inforce-
ment acts and internal revenue laws, and
the innumerable suits in the Supreme
Court from all sections on all points of law
decided on a thousand times before, is being
briefed by a flood of lawyers while a half
dozen inferior courts,-as chancery. Cir
cult, law, criminal, &C., are continually
in session throughout the year grinding
out justice and the peoples substance.
Under present organization the expense
of Judicial salaries, jurors and other in
cidentals in the principal towns must be
an unusually heavy burthen en- the tax
payers. OF the six members of which the
Supreme Court is composed, Hon. A. o.
P. Nicholson is Chief Justice. On his
right sit Messrs. Deaderick and Torney, on
the left Messrs. Sneed, Nelson and Tur-
ner. Were it not the master mind that
controlled and directed the troubled wa
tiers in the late constitutional Convention,
one would believe hat the Chief Justice
was a plain old farmer deacon of a rustic
church good only for attenuated prayers.
The inferior courts are crowded with
suits against delinquent rail roads, per-
plexities growing out ofthe war, and con-
fusion of the Statutes.
Judge Frazier, celebrated for impeach-
ment and restoration by constitutional and
legislative enactments, presides over the
criminal court of Nashville--an old man
of mild manners apparently overlooking
with the milk of human kindness, he sits
serene in the midst of all the odds and
ends, shades and conditions of the genus
homo who appear to be brought to this
bar TO show how mean the lower end of the
creature looks.
Among the lawyers Ex-Governor Neil
S-Brown, bent with approaching decrep-
itude, every where is to be seen pleading
his cases with as much earnestness, as
though he were a young man building a
reputation. In he pacifcation of riots and
excitements he is tacitly regarded the To-
cal pdtcr patria. Ex-Gov. Fote on the
contrary has returned to a country villa
near by and spends his time reading Lat
in and Greek authors for amusement. The
countless limbs of young American law are
mostly of small stature, not giants like
Tom Benton, Sam Houston, Andrew Jack
son or Bale Peyton of the ancient regime,
but nevertheless may be like Alexander
the Great, in the marble unchiseled.
Davidson and perhaps Shelby counties
appear to a long way ahead of others in the
the advancement..of public schools. Being
densely populated with a large element
tributary to capital and mechanical pnr-
suits. in the midst of wealthy sections
which furnish comparatively a large school
fund without materially feeling the pres
sure, the controlling authority appears to
wisely act with a view of encouraging an
influx of more skilled labor and capital (;
and therefore have organized the schools
after the name of the approved systems.
Nashville and Edgefeld are now cheerful
lyfeeling the benefits of systematic teach
ing in elegant and comfortable school hous-
es: while other handsome buildings are
going up to meet the demand.
Moreover, prejudice against the color
ed schools under the healthy action is dy-
ing away, and departments for their in
struction at the common expense, are al
SO springing up in every direction. 1t is
astonishing how rapidly these freedmen's
children learn, apparently under the in
stinctive influence that it has much to do
with the perpetuity of their freedom. In
fact with habits of toll, as they acquire a
knowledge of systematic management in
stances they are outstripping the indolent
whites. MOUNTAIN Boy.