Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-03-22


he thought, had much to do with the
unfavorable comment passed on the
action of the Supreme Court on the
salary question. As to the constltu-
tionality of the act fixing the eompen-
sation of members of the Legislature,
there was a great diversity of opinion,
some of the finest legal minds main
tanning that there is conflict between
the Constitution and the law, and
others equally well calculated to judge
entertaining different opinion.
EqEoING THE PUBLIC VIEW.
Judge Agnew IL 4nreserved IN
his disapproval of the action CT TIE
Supreme Court in changing the several
districts so as to have nearly all the
counties in the State thrown into the
eastern district. He considered it a
violation of the spirit of the law which
empowered the Supreme Court to form
new districts, although the act might
be stretched to include the power which
the Court exercised. Under tho law
of 1886 dividing the State into four
districts, many abuses arose which
gave the Supreme Court great annoy
ance, Counties which were dissatls-
fed With tbair assignment frequently
had themselves transferred by special
legislation to districts which suited
them better. The effect Of this was
that the business in the eastern dis
trict was ogercrowded, making it al
| most impossible to dispose of it in the
time allotted for sitting in Philadelphia.
To cure this defect the Supreme Court
had the Legislature pass an act giving
exclusive control over the several dis
tricts. Judge Agnew, who was then
| Chief Justice, undertook the arrange
| ment of the districts under this law,
and, with view of properly assigning
the counties of the State, wrote to all
the Prothonotarics for and received
| from them reports showing the number
of wTits of error issued in their coun-
ties the three preceding years, in order
that he might strike general average.
| The matter of convenience ebtered
largely into the arrangement of the dis
trict5 which were formed as they stood
before the recent action of the Supreme
Court, after the most careful considera-
| ton of the claims Of the several coun-
ties. The evident intention OF the
Legislature was to have the districts
as conveniently arranged for all the
counties as possible. Judge Agnew
expressed his surprise that the Supreme
Court should almost entirely blot out
two districts and concentrate nearly
all the business in Philadelphia. The
undertaking was certainly courageous,
in view of the inevitable condemna-
ton which it would bring down Oh
the heads Of the Judges He thought
the proceeding was particularly gross
injustice to the junior legal profession
in Central and Western Pennsylvania.
who could not oomWant fees to proper
Iy compensate them, because Of their
inexperience, for the expenses incident
to trips TO Philadelphia 10 argue cases
in the Supreme Court. Judge Agnew
says, reports to the contrary notwith-
standing, the lawyers of Western
Pennsylvania are generally dissatisfied
with the arrangement OF the districts,
by which nearly all the counties are
thrown into the Eastern district He
informed Judge Green of this fact re-
Gently, and that gentlemen appeared
surprised that this sentiment should
prevail, as he supposed it was in favor
of the action which the Supreme Court
had taken.
At this point Of this interview Judge
Agnew left for his home ia Eeayer
county. Judge Green, of the Justices
Of the Supreme Court, was the most
active in exertng his influence with the
Legislature last year in favor of the
act providing that all the sessions of
the Supreme Court should be held in
Philadelphia. Chief Justice Shars-
wood and Judge Paxson were con-
trolled in their partiality for Philadel-
phia as the permanent sitting place of
the court by local considerations, and
Judge Mercur by the hospitable treat
ment extended to the judges in Phila-
delphia. IL is also stated that Judge
Sterrett, of Allegheny, was not much
shocked by the order Of the court trans
ferring nearly all the business from the