The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-03-07
ShaIIyVe Have County Judge
with Grim iulI .IuI.isd icfiOn?


year the Legislature passed an act es-
tablishing q Criminal Judicial District,
composed of the counties of William
son, Maury, Giles and Marshall. The
Court, as far as we know, has operated
10 The satisfaction of all parties, since its
establishment. But few, if any, Jail
cases have been carried from one term
to another, except at their own option
and on their own petition. We have
heard no complaints on account of the
"delays of the law" All of the delays
that occurred were sought. While
these facts are undeniably true, as we
believe, we are not a little surprised to
Iearn that the Representative of this
county, Mr.. HUGHES, has introduced
bill, in the General Assembly, which
has passed its second reading, which
provides for the abolition of the present
Criminal Court, as to this county, and
also the Quorum Court, and in the stead
thereof to appoint Judge to hold the
County Court and to preside over the
Criminal Court. Two petitions, one tor
and one against the passage of the bill,
are now in circulation, and both are
being numerously signed. As far as
our information extends, larger num-
Der have signed the one praying for a
continuance of the Court just as it is
We have met large number who were
indifferent to the matter, because, as
they said, they were not interested in it.
All taxpayers are interested III it. We
shall favor neither side OF the question
because any particular parties are in
favor OF it or opposed to it, but will be
actuated by consideration for the in
terests OF the whole county. Then the
first question TIA It comes up is, do we
need a change, and is the necessity for
a change commensurate with the at
tendant cost? So tar as the Criminal
Court is concerned, we hear no COM
pIaint, and the most ardent and active
advocates Of the new move do not claim
that q change will be materially bene-
fetal They base their main reasons
upon the iucompetency OF the present
Quorum Court, and that County Judge
IS nov absolutely an essential Our
County Court, like all tho other courts
of the country, IS imperfect: but it is by
no means settled fact that the aboli-
ton OF the Quorum and the appoint
ment of u Judge would better matters;
for, hiIe there are incompetent Quo
sums, there are also MANY incOmDetent
Judges, and il may be better TO endure
she lis We have, than TO fly to those we
STOW Rot Of The g,st of the bill, as
.tated to us by one who claims 10 be the
.Iafter, is to abolish the Quorum Court,
elect a County Judge, and invest him
with criminal jurisdistiOn, the Judge to
receive a salary of eighteen hundred
collars year. lie will be required to
hold the quarterly courts, the monthly
fpurts and open the Criminal Courts
q. .ce every month. In the first place,
lie man cannot do his duty in two
,-aIrts 80 entirely different in the ma
,sEs of the business, the one from the
st.Iey, 1t viii take all of one mans
iiate TO discharge the duties OF Judge OF
rns County Court. He has TO hold
.amentaTY, admit wills TO probate,
gut esLigate every settlement made bv
a.. administrator or guardian, see that
g. Der bonds are given, and renewed
-s.-l the law requires it, to discharge
E-r salne when PROPER settlements are
.,ts. settle all controversies i'll regard
-. vecutorshjps and insOlvencies, is
.-.sss all orders and appropriations made
f.. he court; and, in brief, is the gene
81. financial accounting officer and
ont Tor the county. With all these
u ..V responsibilities upon his mind
.ty~DTdiug TO the provisions of the bill,
H. IS called upon TO sit upon the lives
anal liberties OF the people, as Judge OF
10 Criminal Court. This court, not
4 Ting with finances, but with life, and
8, dear, liberty, ought TO be presided
owe. bv a man whose mind is free and
lufranmeled from any other business
rrrare. Financial mistakes can be cor
ras ed, but loss of lie or character is
remarkable. and hence we are unwilling
ia soc man deal with either, whose !
md is OVerbuidenet with other mat |
f--s. One of theimpOrtant duties of the |
g. t0ruul is to see that officials give /
sufficient bonds. The Quorum, formed !
.- men from different parts Of the Coun- !
Is. would be better judges of the solyen-
e.. OF bOndsmen than any one man |
c,G!d. \ majority Ot the present Quo
g.im, all good and intelligent men, have |
been members OF the County Court for
many years. and one OF them for thirty
two years, and arc better acquainted
with the duties Ofthe Court than a new
man could get to be in three years,
though he might be q tirSt-rate lawyer. /
And lust here we viii call attention to
the fact that any man In the county,
perhaps one of the very men CT the
Quorum, who would be thrown out by
the bill, can become a candidate, and
stands as good a chance TO be elected
County Judge as any lawyer at the Bar.
And by this we at least run risk of
Getting am incOmDeteut man to be Judge
OF the County and Criminal Courts.
What assurance have we that lawyer
will be elected? Right ON the heels OF
LAWYER competent to I'LL the places will
assume the laboTs and responsibilities
Of tho two offices for $500? or what
Tavver, competent to fill the place, will
undertake to be County Attorney for
few hundred dollars? If you find man
s,ompetent TO ill these responsible posi-
lions. YOU find one that is getting too
Good a practice to want the places for
50 small an amount.
Now 10 the actual cost OF the matter.
Under our present regulations, our
Criminal Judge is paid 10y the State.
Our 1,ro rata is not over sixty dollars
wear. The Quorum Court costs the
county "a bout So25, rs nearly as we can
ascertain. Tie Criminal Court holds
about sixty days a year. The thirteen
Grand Jurors for this period VIII cost
8 800; ana one petit jury q 800, making
a grand aggregate OF, say, -, SD. This
Is the amount that the leading items OF
our present system cost. Now look at
the same items OF the proposed court.
The county Will have 20 pay the Judges
salary, 81 SEQ. The court will not be in
session less than ten days in each
sDon1b. or one hundred and twenty days
a wear. This win make the grand jury
cost s.. 100, and the petit jury s., SOO ma
ling grand total Of S7,720. From this