The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-02

We confess that We have never hcret,-
sorc placed very high estimate upon r..c
Hon, PERRY BElxoxr, OF New YORK, In
his capacity Of strtesman. We had sup-
posed that he had been elected 10 the
House Of Representatives because he was.
prospcctively ut fcsst, rich man, since IL
is said that New Workers elect no other
class 10 either branch OF Congress. Nor
were we too woli pleased with The young
ycnucman's der,eanor In his tits last year
before congressional ccmmir>ee with the
distinguished Maine statesman, Mr.. BLAINE.
Nor has Mr.. BgLxoST done aught In the
House Of Representatives that we know OF
70 cause his oountrymen to class him
amongst the rising statesmen Of the land.
What then? Nothing except that Mr..
Bsax0Nr has Just proved that he is stu
dent 81 political econonsv, OF the Constitu-
tion Of his country, and OF the polifi-
cal institutions Of other lands. Last week
he made speech At public dinner given
10 him by some Of his constituents. III his
speech on the occasion he set ont with
TOO feryid eulogy al HERBERT SPENCER.
and with a rather oriental richness OF
coloring in ms adjcctivcs and Illustrations.
But he hranched out before he finished
into q line Of remarks which mark him as
n man whose thoughts have been trained
IN the statesmars's study. We say
" trained"; becnlsc otherwise he would
not have found time in ten-minutes'
speech, as he did, to touch upon civil-scr-
Sicc reform, the tariff question, and the
danger which threatens our form OF gov
eminent from the attempts to concentrate
too much power in Washington.
On this last-nsmed subject Mr.. BELMONT
said.
"ARny Of you'who arc here tonight are
lawyers, familiar with the doings OF the
Federal courts. You have seen the pro-
jects that are now before Congress 10
: greatly and immediately enlarge the num-
Der Of the Federal judges in the several
Federal circuits. The project Is looked
mon by many of the ,wisest lawyers III
each political party ms dangerous, not onfr
to the authority, dignity, and welfare Of
the high and Important tribunal at WASH
ingtop. brtyery dangerous to the best IN
tefPst$of the judicial systems OF the sew
raiaStdtes. The existing force OF Federal
Judges may be inadequate for the work
which the eNirencies OF civil war thrust
upon them. ,Bst before there Is legislation
to INCREASE the number OF the Federal
Judges, may il not be well to have candid
and penetrating Inquiry in the next Con-
gress. by Democratic Judiciary Commit
- fn ptofsi IA Ia r
not suchlegislatop. which has so increased
the jurisdiction and work OF the Federal
courts, to tho disparagement Of the courts
OF the several States, cannot be repealed!"
Well said, Mr.. BELMONT. The southern
people are terrorized by these Federal
.csnrts, and their State courts are dwarfed
by fi,em. The members of tile bar in each
State must periorce crowd together in the
cities and towns where the Federal courts
are held, and thus the local bar in each
county Is in danger Of losing It's reputa-
ton for ability. Again: Mr.. BELMONT
said:
"Instead OF Increasing the scope of The
functions Of government, 1t is the duty
andaim, AZ / understand, Of the Democratic
party to bcduce the number of those Supc-
tions which our civil war created and still
keeps up. The .fireslde, town, county, and
State rule Of the voters at large must cease
to be oyerriddcD at Washington or ct Al
bany. M industrial type OF society such
as our OWNS 10 be, and as free Is onrs will
he from foreign enemies II our diplomatic
affairs are wisely and honestly managed,
has little need OF the inteslneddling Of a
central government nj Washington, en-
cepting so far az it may be necessary to
preserve and maintain for each State and
for the people Ct each State the right to
hbor and to enjoy the fruits Of their labor,
so long as they so not interfere with the
similar rights OF the people Of esery other
State Of the Union-''
Southern statesmen have been compelled
by the circumstances Which have sur
rounded them since the war TO learn this
lesson. Air. BEI.M0M has learned'it with
alt being compelled TO do so. 1t h great
Iy TO his credit.