Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-12-23
The County Courts.

the Nnglnlus was not entitled to carry the
American flag.
The County Courts.
We have been pleased to see that movements
are on foot in various parts of the State, to
restore the Jurisdiction Of the County Courts.
1t was great mistake, on the part of the Leg
islature, to interfere with it, These Courts
are the Courts of the people. The people of
Virginia have been educated to put faith in
them. They are as old as our free government,
and they have done great deal to nourish and
sustain free institutions. They are not so far
OF, nor so high up, as the Circuit Courts. -
They are on the popular level They have the
popular sympathy, and the people like them.
For near century, the sessions of the Coun-
ty Courts have been important occasions with
the country people. They like to attend them.
They like, once month, to meet their neigh
bours and county-men, and have chance to
talk On the Court house green. Some want to
sell their crops, others to trade horses, and 9th.
ers to buy their family supplies.
This coming together of the people, at stated
LII
develop public intelligence Il leads to useful
inte1changes of opinions on politics and farm
ing and business matters generally. Men who
live in constant seclusion are apt to become
narrow and contracted In their notions. When
they see nobody but their own families they
are in danger of becoming selfish Man is a
social animal. It is we'll that he should occa-
slonally rub up against his fellows and wear off
the rough points of his character Everybody
feels this to be true. Hence people who live in
the country like to come out on court-day and
see what is going on. They want to chat with
their old friends, to hear the news and to gath
er some new ideas. County court-day is sort
of social exchange" The intercourse of the
people on court.d days is the best means not on
ly of forming, but Of giving expression to, a
healthy public sentiment
County Courts are among the best educators
OF the people. Every man who las our Tuck
ahoe friends would express it, 'tends cote'
for single day, is sure to pick up some vaua-
BILE information. Our old people, who have
been accustomed to attend the County Courts,
miss them sadly. They miss the cordial greet
ings and friendly companionship of their old
associates. They want to look again on their
familiar faces, to take them again by the hand
and to enquire about their families. They want
to hear what is going on in Congress and the
Legislature, and to talk about the elections.
past and future. They want to know what
their neighbors thiak about this question and
that. In word, they want to compare opinions
about public men and public measures, and to
talk about their families, their crops and their
farming operations. They like, too, now and
then, to hear political speech on court-day
and to listen to the lawyers discussing pint
OF law And even little gossip about what
is going on in their respective neighborhoods-
such as who bought John Smith farm ?" and
what sort of young fellow is to marry neigh
bour Jones daughter p and the like-are not
deemed amiss, as the young folks at home will
be sure to be enquiring about these things when
the old man gets home and sits down to smoke
his after-supper pipe
Now, the motive to ego to cote is taken
away. The old familiar faces will no longer
be found there, and the old gentleman stays at
home he feels the want of the old accustomed
excitement. He has nobody to talk to, but his
own family. There is no infusion of new ideas
into his mind. There is no collision of oppos-
ing arguments to rouse his mind to activity
There is nothing to stir the sympathies of his
kind heart The consequence is, he is like an
old disused shotgun, corroded By rust, and
becoming every day of less account to himself
and his family. He grows prematurely old,
his health fails, and his temper becomes fret
full and peevish.
The young men feel the want of the stimulus
OF the County court-day quite as much as their
fathers. Of what avail is it to them to ''spurge
out" in their Sunday suits, on their glossy 5000
horses, if there is nobody there to see, to admire
and to envy!
1t was, we repeat, grave error in the Leg
islature to break up or cripple such time
honored institution as the County Court. These
Courts are too intimately associated and inter-
woven with the traditions, thoughts, habits and
affections Of the people of Virginia, to be thus
rudely demolished. We must have them re-
established. Public opinion demands it. The
public interests require it. We want cheap
and speedy justice. We want domestic trbu-
mails. We feel that the County Courts are of
the people and for the people, We need them,
too, in a social and in political point of view
We all venerate the character of old Virgin
ia, and we feel that we ought to cherish every
thing that made her what she was. And we
doubt if there was any instrumentality which
contributed, in larger measure, to form what
may be called the national character of Virgin
ia than her County Courts Let US, then, hold
on to them as one of the few remaining things
that link us to the olden time.
And who can over-estimate the political
benefits of these periodical gatherings of the