The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-10-30
What

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be settled by neighborhood compro~
nlisos and thus largo sum would
be saved annually to the taxpayers.
Let that correspondent examine tho
books of trial Justices, and no may
be surprised to 500 tho amount tho
county has to pay directly evory yoar
for this justice rendered. Then lot
him add also tho largo amount that
has to be paid by individuals, and
he will conceive the burdens entailed
by tho present system.
A trial justice with a sharp eyo to
his own interest can indirectly have
many q case brought before him,
that would nevor have boon heard of
otherwise. Thon oh if that COR
respondent could only attend all the
trial Justices courts, and hear many
Of tho cases there triod, the con-
structions put upon the statutes,
the straw bonds accepted, tho timo
allowed to tho party convicted to
hunt up funds to pay costs or go to
Jail, tho sentences passed, the n,i,au
tie of the workings in court that
has jurisdiction to send man to
Jail for thirty days, and decide a
civil suit involving tho pay
ment Of hundred dollars; q
court in which the fee bill
for trial justice is construed to
read "you shaU charge SO much"
whereas, in reality, it should be con-
strued to read "you shaNnot charge
moro, bit less IF you pish."
Where the law allows twenty-five
cents for administering IN oath, and
two dollars for writing down testi-
mony, tho justice nabs ono dollar
and fifty cents costs for each jury,
twenty-five cents for the oath of
each witness, and two dollars for
taking down the testimony of each
witness in such a manner that q
Philadelphia lawyer could not under>
stand it. The excuse is given that
the law makes tho charges conaD,ll-
sorry, not optional. Then, as the
costs will be greater if many oaths
are administered and still moro if
tho testimony is taken down, why
the moro witnesses tho better,for the
Justice. Where preliminary exami-
nations, only, should be had, the
case is tried, and not sent up to the
higher court, because more money
comes in this way. Cases involving
real estate are often tried. Now, this
is done frequently through ignor-
ance, and not from intentional
wrong. But, ifignorance is pleaded,
does it not make out stronger case
against the present system Again,
we have heard of Il mans being sent
to jail by a trial justice, for debt
Now, establish county court,
with four OF six terms year. Have
no fees, but salaries. Let tho Judge
get q salary Of from $500 to 81 600
per annum, a solicitor with u salary
of from $500 to 5000 year, the
judge to be elected by the Legisla,
ture, the solicitor to be appointed
by the board of county commissions
ers or the solicitor of tho circuit.
Tho term of service not to be less
than one year, nor longer than two
years. The jurisdiction in civil cases
to be increased to 5000, and in
criminal cases to fines of not over
three hundred dollars, nor over six
months Imprisonment. Let it have
exclusive Jurisdiction in all petit
larceny cases, Of all assaults and
batteries whore there is no intent to
kill, and in other specified cases.
AS the duties of this court will not
interfere with tho practice in tho
higher courts, except as to appeals
from the county court, ablo and
competent young lawyers can be
found at tho bar of each county, who
will discharge tho duties etfi~
GENTLY, fairly and willingly for those
salaries, and schools will be estab-
lished to furnish material from
which to select justices, circuit
Judges and solicitors. The law
will bo better understood and adj
ministercd, justice will bo moro
equally dispensed, and rs there will
be no fees, litigation will not be en-
couraged, expenses will thereby be
curtailod, and county taxes will be