The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-24
JUDGES OF THE COUNTY CoURT

JUDGES OF THE COUNTY COURT.
We cannot agree with the Poullney
journal in the low estimate it places on
the importance of the office of assistant
judge OF the county court. 1t is true that
we all have been too much in the habit of
making the Office a but for ridlcule. 1t has
been termed a "farce," the title OF Judge a
'misnomer, and the occupants of the office
have been designated as Eastwood Judges. u
1t must be confessed, too, that the action
OF the non mating conventions has given us
too much reason for placing this low esti-
nate OIL the Office. Too many judges have
been made out Of "basswood," the title has
)een in too many cases "misnomer," the
dea OF certain indiv dlas being 'judges"
las seemed too much like farce" to
give the people any adequate idea of the
Importance of the office. In many coun-
les, the flee has become ridiculous. not
)y reason Of the insignifi ance of, or want
Il importance to, the office, but because of
he utterly unfit and ridiculous nomipa-
lons made, of the want of fitness and the
'n'ire absence OF all qualifications in the
ccupants-and the recent Rull md repub-
can county convention, by the nomination
made from the eastern and southern part
# the county has, if possible, rendered the
flee even more ridiculous than it was be-
fure.
The flee of assistant judge of the coun-
t C III, one of responsibility and of i'm
port c.. The du les these Judges are
c. ed upol to d scharge are many and
varied. 10 one who watches the course
of bus ness ia our several county courts,
I is II ust be obvious. By far the larger
n jorIiy of dlspulable cases are tried by
h; ju lges wi bout the intervention of a
jury. In these cases each of the assistant
judges has an equal voice with the chief
Juige-who is a Judge of the supreme
c 'u't-in the determination of all matters
II law AS well as OF fact. In the absence
the chief judge they can hold a term of
@ 'urt, preside al jury trials, instruct the
Jury on questions Ut law, and hear and de-
rimine all cases other than those tried by
J ny. When the chief justice is present,
hey can, il they agree, even override him,
nd determine questions of law and fact in
opp 's''ion to his opinions-and, in many
is'ances' this has been done. From this
b lef statement, it will be seen that the
office Is anything but l." tarce,' and that
besides - bass wood is required
in tue % cupant. An assistant judge of the
county court should be man Of unblem-
ished oh ,rscter, of the strictest integrity,
fair judge of human nature, of, at least,
ordinary ability, possessed of sound COM
mo sense, and of sufficient understanding
and judgment to be enabled to determine
VI h an approximation to correctness die
puted Questions of fact.
But these are not all of their duties. To
: hem is committed the appointment of the
county clerk and county treasurer, and ALSO
of the states attorney when vacancy &C.
ours in that flee. The sufficiency of the
4heriifs bonds is determined by them-and
lpon the manner in which this duty is dis
charged may depend tho security of
many litigant. The bailing of prisoners
confined in jail is committed to them. They
ave the care of the county property, and
iltect the repairing of the county buildings
n their owe motion and at the expense of
he couny. These and many other duties
hey are required to perform, all of which
rtqnires the possession of clear heads.
sound common sense, and excellent judg-
nent. We do not always have such Judges,
md our recent republican county conven-
ion ddn't intend we should have such an
one. from this part of the county for the
'eH two years but the people may have
som thing to say about that.
people must determine whether the
mp 'rtance, responsibility and dignity of
ne office shall be recognized, or whether it
shall be made ''farce" through the char
acter' of the men selected to fiji it. A
glance at the names of the men, who have,
years past, been judges of the Rutland
county court, shows that the importance
If tue office has been generally recognized
and thai, with few exceptions, it has been
veil and wortbiy filled. Notwithstanding
his, too many look upon it as u farce--a
popular idea of the Office which recent
." MS have done much 10 confirm. We
ileve that the people of Vermont are too
intelligent to knowingly degrade an i'm
'or'aht flee. They have too much at
wake to Willingly intrust their characters
'no proper to be "tooled away" by an
'n'r nt' incompetent, "basswood" court
hey are taxed over four thonsa d dollars
year On account of the ella les of these
dtges. If the ollie 1, a "fsrce." the