The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-01

To the Editor of the DispofcA'
In common with your correspondent
Spectator" I have been surprised that
the extraordinary views Of the Attorney
General upon the subject Of Judge Holla-
days salary have been passed over without
dissent or comment. fully concur with
you i'm the opinion that this IL not. and
should not be made, party question. But
as q question of common sense and COM
mon honesty 10 Is the province OF the peo-
pie 10 discuss IL.
Whatever may be the ultimate determi-
nation OF the case, and whatever NAV have
been the reasons prompting the Attorney
General, the grounds upon which he bases
his ''opinion are so astonishing that IL
Is difficult 10 consider them seriously. Re.
spect for the high Office he tries TO fill,
aud that alone. prevents his illegal opin-
ion" from being ranked with those Of Mr..
Justice shallow.
The Acknowledgement SAYS that the stat
utes OF Virginia do not require him to APP
pear in the Chancery Court OF Richmond.
and. therefore. that is not court created
by the Constitution, and the Judge OF that
court cannot be paid out OF the State trea-
Sury, In other words, the august presence
OF this learned Tbeban with the auburn
locks must give grace and dignity to the
Chancery Court, or the judge OF that tribT-
nal must starye. The great Commonwealth
OF Virginia, with its redundant treasury,
(sec Governor Cameron's interview with
the New York Her0M correspondence will
not pay even q Riddlebergor coupon to any
court not adorned by the occasional pre-
scnce OF the Attorney General IL is sad,
tearfully sad, that the estates OF widows
ana orphans must remain unsettled, be-
cause, forso0th, the lazy officer Of the
State is not required to adorn the Court Of
Chancery by even temporary display OF
his handsome proportions.
TO be sure the Commonwealth might
with propriety be clad in the weeds OF
mourning, aud led as bcreaved and friend
less orphan into any tribunal. But no
statute imposes that duty upon the Attor-
ney-Gcneral, and therefore the Chancery
Court must close its doors.
BY all means let the Legislature be con-
vened at once. and LET an act I've passed re-
curing the Attorney-GcncTal to lend the
odor Of his presence to this necessary tri-
bunal. The law might require this officer,
at least once a year, TO appear in the man
tie worn by the long line OF his ilustrioUs
predecessors. Ii the mantle should cover
and bury him. it would he his misfortune.
Justice and law would still survive.
Look where the logic OF the Attorney
Generals reason would lead. He is re-
quired to appear in all cases III which the
Commonwealth is Interested in the Court OF
Appeals and i'm the Circuit Court Of Rich
mOnd, and in no other court. Hence
fifteen OF the sixteen Circuit Courts and
the different Hastings Courts must Ian
guish for want. Of his potent presence.
None Of them can receive dollar from
the Treasury OF the State ! And this. too.
although those courts were created by the
Legislature. and the salary of the iadges
fixed by act of Assembly.
Ii tsere are any reasons to justify the
opinion Of che Attorncy-General, they do
rot appear in the statement Of his views as
published in your paper few days since,
and those views have called forth these
comments.
" this question is to be settled by the
Court Of Appeals, no one can doubt that it
will receive calm, careful, and conscien-
tious adjustment. Those judges have a
professional reputation TO sustain, and will
not willingly be laughed at for publishing
such twaddle rs the "opiniOn" OF the At
We do not know what Judge Holiday
may determine to do pending the decision
as TO his salary, but we feel confident that,
whether "honor will buy breakfast" or
not. he will conscientiously discharge his
duties. and will not be inundated nor
starved into perverting the courts OF JUS
ticc into political clubs fer unScrupllous
partisans. n LAYMAN.
Richmond, March 81, 1888.