Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-03

| Claret, lne quart bottle, ......... 90 o ~
l. JAMES MADISON Cl Cluria."
The court, after arranging such bill of fare
as the foregoing, could but be lenent on occa-
SION to such as were unwarily led into tempta-
ton, aud we lind the following entry Ia point:
May 18th, 1753.-Ordered that ye present.
ut ag st Patrick Shirley fer being drunk be
dlsullssed-the court being of opinion that it
was inadvertently done, ho being an honest
fellow"
Whatever else might be said of this county
court. it cannot be alleged they were anywiss
wanting in the virtue OF loyalty, as the follow
Ing and other like entries On their records will
show:
"Feby: 10Th, l746 The court being inform
ed that James McCuue hath spoken treasona-
b!e words. 1t is ordered that the sheriff bring
him before the court to answer for the same"
May 18th, 749.-Jacob Castle being accused
by the oath OF Adam Harman for threatening
to a0e over to and be aiding aud assisting
the French against his majesty's forces, as ap-
pears by prccept under the hand of John Buch-
anan and George Robinson, gentlemen, it's or
dered that the sheriff take the said Castle into
custody
NOV. 9th, 175l-The Grand Jury present
Owen Crawford for drinking health to King
James. (the Pretendery and refusing to drink
health to King George"
Owen found it good for his own Health" to
leave tie county before the trial could be held,
and the presentment was dismissed subsequent
ly ''on motion Of the Kings Attorney"
March 18th, 1756.-Francis Farguson be.
ing brought before the Court by warrant under
the hand of Robert McClsnahan, gent, for
damning Robert Dinviddie, ESQ.," (then Gov
ernor Of the Colony FOR Scotch peddling
puppy" was found guilty, but ''excused on
! apologiaing and giving security to keep the
peace.
The Court, moreover, seem to have had as
loyal appreciation of Its own dignity, Is would
appear from more than one order akin to the
following concerning one Of its "female SUBJ
jects," who must herself have been a iineal
descendant of the famous Janet Geddes, of
Gray FIiar' memory:
May 1Tth, 1854 4-Ann, wife Of -, hav.
ing come into court, and abused William VIII
sou, Gent, one Of the Justices for this County,
by calling him rogue, and that on bis coming
off the bench she would give it to him with
the Devil Its ordered that the sheriff take
her to the ducking stool.
This imposing court bad jurisdiotion over a
territory comprising all the counties Of Wes-
tera Virginia, Except Frederick, and also
what now constitutes adj 1iniug States its jail
was filled with offenders from as fsr as the city
OF Plttsburg, now in Pennsylvan The court
usually met at O'Clock In the morning and sat
TIL night. As curiosity may well exist TO know
something OF the state in which these dignita-
Iits VI iNS O.UNn were accustomed 10
sit, 1t may fortunately be graiiEed by the fol-
loving extract from oae Of its Grand Jury
pTeseatnlenfS
''At CONT oon'd and held for Augusta
county, May 2lst, HAS,"
''Ehe grand jury made the following pre-
| sentiment:
1--WE have viewed and Examined this Court
house and prison, and find the courthouse to
be thirty eight feet three iuches long, and eigh-
| toop ~ fba al h,,ii
with logs hewed on both sides, not laid close,
some OF the cracks between the logs quite open,
, | four or i've Inches wide aud four CT five feet
, long, aud some stopped with chunks aud clay,
but not one quite close two small holes cut
for windows, but no glass oor shutters to them;
, the inside not hulshed nor fitting for his Maj
esty's JGdicature to sit. The Jury Rooms too
small aud net furnished With tables, benches,
&c, fitting for grand and petty jury to sit;
, and no part of it finished as it ought to be, ex
: eepting the root, which was lately repaired.
y ''Tha prison TO be twenty-five feet three
inches long, end seventeen feet three inches
wide, from outside to outside, built with square
logs near one foot thick holes at the corners
: aod elsewhere two or three inches wide, and SO
4 poorly doye-taied at the corners, that it would
: be very easy matter 10 pull it all down. The
chymDey that was formerly built in very poor
. manner, now part of 1t is down, so that there
! / Is an open way to the roof which g. man might
! easily break with his foot or hands.
+ For which reasons we present them"
''WM. CHRISTIAN, foreman"
. Although George Wythe, the Pendletons and
9 Others qualified aud took their places at the
= bar" as lawyers, some as early as 1747 they do
: not appear to have been regular practitioners !;
= and the people seem to have been at more in
= convenience for lawyers then than is now the
= = case at the StauntOn bar as would appear from
- - the following order of court:
g august 2S;h, 1751.- On petition of Andrew
- Bird, &C., that James Porteus In his lifetime
brought suit for him against Peter Scholl, and
IS that said ScholI hath employed Gabriel Jones
+ and John Harvie, Gents, the only attornies
that attend this bar, and praying that one of
said attornies be assigned him. Ordered that
John Harvie Gent, be assigned, Il &c.
An order Of court was entered as early as
u February 18th, 1746, which does not appear
from the records to have ever been rescinded,
- and the court at the present day might find it
= profitable, as source OF revenue at least, and
- of CONSERVATION to the bar, to enforce. Il is
i, to be hoped the necessity for such an order is
: no greater now than it should have been then
. with their only two attorneys.
February 18th, 1746.-Ordered that any
}. attorney interruptlng another at the bar, or
: speaking when be Is not employed, forfeit five
shillings."
4 Gabriel Jones was the first, and for years the
. only lawyer residing In the county. de lived
~ near the present town of Port Republic, lin
y Rockingham county, aud the road be trav-
elled to court was opened. in 1746, by an order
y for 'aying off road from the clerk office -
u (long kept at Port Republie) Ito the court
10 house" and is still known as ''the lawyer 8
d, road His influence with the court was nat
N urally great, and he was justly regarded as in
-. dispeusabie. 1t is current tradition that the
y late Judge Holmes, when a young man, mis-
u cbievous and witty, once as opposing counsel
provoked Mr.. Jones into such furious passion
'g that he became very profane. The court con-
~ suited long as to what should be done; to pun.
as ish Squire Jones' was out of the question,
re but the dignity of the bench and the majesty
aS Of the law had to be preserved, and finally the
x presiding justice pronounced as the decision Of
, the court, That if Mr. Holmes did not quit
! worrying Mr.. Jones, and making him swear SO
= profanely, then hlr. Holmes should be sent SO
s . Jail.
y, To be Continued]