Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-04-26

run through tho country. Tho American
visitor to England, usually n sojourncr in
large cities. or rushing TO and fro on rail
roads, has little opportunity OF becoming
acquainted with such life. least OF all in
London, the realm of King Cockayne,
whose subjects are for the most part as
ignorant of it as might be the average
Now YORKER or BoStonian with that of
YOUR own backwoods, and possibly more
So. Familiar with this life from having
lone lived it, l will, yonr permission,
Law before the readers of the Tribune such
of its scenes, customs and characteristics
us conceive may be new or of interest to
them, and for their better comprehension
oft | would ask indulgence while giving
some rather dry details relating to its po-
ltical organization which comes under the
heading of the county.
In England the county is term of
important significance, much nero so than
on your side; and the name of each county
or ''shire" as it is indiiIerently called, is as
familiar to EnGlishmen as tho names of
your states arc to Americans. Politically,
all matters OF administration relating
specially to the shires are in the hands of
county magistrates, otherwise called JUS
tices Of the peace. with the lord liouten-
ant rs their head; he appointing, or what
is virtually the same thing, nominating
them for appointment by the lord chan
celor of England; from which source comes
his own commission. Thus it will be seen
that the pcople have neither act nor part
in county administration, no elective
voice, nor even whisper of it, Such cx-
cepted matters as are controlled by their
votes are confined to the local government
uf towns and vilages-aflairs municipal
and parochial-but even over most OF these
the county magistrate, CO ohcto weds an
influence.
The English justices of the peace, the
lord lieutenant also, hold officer for life,
none Of them receiving any pay. As the
service entails a considerable amount of
labor, with loss Of time, it may be thought
strange their thus giving it gratuitously.
1t has its compensations, however, in the
honor which the office conlcrs, and the
p0Ccr; though patriotism and a sense Of
duty may he doubtfully added rs inilu-
cnclnC motives. Whatever tho true mo.
tivcs, it is an olice greatly coveted and
eagerly sought after. especially by men of
the middle classes who have acquired
wealth. and are aiming TO enter tho ranks
of the gentry into which it gains them
admission. Indeed, so much is it regard
cd by these, that somc would even prefer
being on the " commission Of the peace "
to having a scat in parliament; since tho
latter is often duo TO mere caprice of
popularity, and may not be permanent,
while the former lasts for life. Besides,
tho one honor comes from above, and has
= spice OF royal flavor about it, whilo the
other is bestowed by the people. Now, as
the lord lieutenant himself, the grand fig
urchcad of shire administration, is always
q titled noblcman OF other county mag
nate, and rs rulo other a rank :" tory y
or "whig" with conservative inclinings,
it need hardly DO said that the magistrates
50 appointed arc rarely of middle-class
belonging. Cases do occur, and moro
frequently now than in times past; or even
the social preiudice9 of lords lieutenant
give way before wealth. But the truly
oigibo are the large landowners of the
sontry class, not excluding some Of their
poorer relatives who may not own an
acre; the clergy (Episcopalian alone
with naval and military officers retired
from service, and settled down in the
shlres. Lawyers are disentited on ac
count Of thoir profession; while doctors,
though eligible, are rarely Justices Of the
peace, save in remote out-of tho-way dis
trcts where other eligible persons nre not
TO be mad. \ INC chant--eyon u wealthy
one--ln the commission of the peace were
rGlG dUiS; whilo the holding of it by IL
farmer or Nonconformist minister is
thing quite unknown.
Of these non-elected and irresponsible
layers down of the law, each county has
more or fewer according TO its slAe, popu-
1,t,o thor how, IA ~, ; k,3
there Is no exact symmetry of proportion,
many receiving the appointment as much
through favor and for dstinction's sake
as for any duties they may be called upon
to discharge. The average county will
have two hundred Of them, of course scat
tered all over it. They meet four times a
year Mt quarter sessions" in the shire.
half of the county town, where they spend
part Of week in deliberations both ad-
minisirative and judicial. But their chief
functions are at home in their respective
districts, on the petty sessions" bench,
where some CT them sit once a week ad.
Indicate in ordinary cases of dispute; ut
least two being necessary to give decis-
ions, unless in matters OF very minor i'm
pOrtance, The county is divided into a
numtGr Of petty sessions districts, each
those resident within it; though some oc-
casionlly do duty in more than ono district
voluntarily and by way of relieving one
another. The places of meeting are in the
towns and villages, but not unfrequently
in thinly inhabited agricultural neghbor-
hoods petty sessions bench will hold its
sittings in q country or roadside inn CEN
trally situated As thero is often II long
Journey to the place Of sitting, with several
hours spent there, it will be seen that the
Office of an English justice Of the peace is
no sinccurc.
As regards their dispensing of justice, it
is generally fair and honorable. Most OF
them arc above petty spites, and when
any case comes before them in which one
of themselves has personal concern, he re-
tires from the bench while it is under con-
sideration. Still instances of Justice S
Justice do occur, and where there is la-
grant vioatian or miscarriage of Justice
tho magistrate guilty of it runs tho risk OF
government inquiry into his conduct
and removal from the commission Of tho
peace. On the part Of the people at such
times, there is an out.cry against the
great unpaid. as the county Justices arc
sarcustically called, and clamor for "stip.
endares"s salaried magistrates who hold
Office under the general governmont-the
people having an idea that these admins
ter the law in a fairer and better manner
This is an erroneous assumption, however,
since stipondary magistrates arc as liable
to give unfair or mistaken judgments as
the others. Besides. wero one such ap-
pointed to every poity sessions district
with the usual salary of 81 900 or Gl,500
per annum, the rates would bo SO raised
rs to soon put au end to the unreasonlng
out CRY, with repentance to follow. The
people Of England are too poor and toe
heavily taxed for the theory of Justice tc
pay so high for its practice in the dispen
sation. Parties in dispute pay enough as
it is, but with stipendaries they woulC
have surfeit Of it. So the great un
paid u have their uses, and as things arc
hardly know how they could bc dispensed
with