Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-12-16

presence, for She had long passed the
period which by reason of strength is
sometimes allotted to man, still the
breaking of a tie 80 cherished, and the
passing away of one whose place no
other fills, has bowed the head of the
chief ma gjstrate of this great nation
in probable the deepest sorrow he has
ever known, and the heads of the peo-
pie likewise bend in deep and unfrign-
ed syspathy with him.
About New Court House
To the SPECTATOR:
Some discussion is now prevalent
about new court house for this coun-
ty, and with your permission we will
embark in SO vital an issue. Our pres
ent court house, it is true has not
shown up in all of it's hideousness un--
til recently, but it has never been or
namental and was built when our city
had not more than two thousand PEG
pie, and when.the county was scarcely
half SO rich and populous as now. The
court room in the present structure
IuCdb uTc6 Odly OUACO lCCU III lldS Ouly
three windows, is black dingy and prob
county as any room of the same size in
Staunton The gallery is usually filed
with loafing idle negroes: who frequent
ly spit down on the heads of those be-
low. To say that the negroes could
not be elected would be to tell what
is not true, and SO the fellow below
could have been, and then his head
would not been spat upon. There could
be no body allowed in the room but
the counsel the parties and the judge,
and they might under some circum-
stances be ordered out. But we are
not talking about what might be we
are talking of what ought to be, and
why such a co urt-house as we have
should he torn away and a decent and
suitable one built. South River last
week said, Pull it down? No, indeed,
but rather strike down the hand that
would dare be upliftedito commit such
a sacrilege."
This is gush. No body unless it be
South RiUer venerates a single brick or
splinter, or nail in the old deformed
pile. In fact when one sees the ashes
and lime constantly scattered about it's
foundations, and outside walls and on
it's walks, to make it accessible or habit
able, or hide from view polluting filth
it becomes apparent that even the
brute of creation holds it in contempt.
1t is no monument to a past age that
any body feels like cherishing. 1t has
no history save that great men for the
want of better have been forced to
speak in it, a barn. or circus tent, or
a skating rink have all been as useful
in this respect, and never became sacr
ed. a pig pen of sufficient size might
have answered even as good a purpose
1t will preserve no useful history that
would lot be preserved as we'll with it
RACED to the ground, as standing, it has
no claim to antiquity, no architectural
beauty, no singular fitness for what
has been delegated to it. None Of our
ancestors are buried we hope within
its walls though no one can tell how
many if has sent to graves elsewhere,
Some eight years ago a Governor of a
Western State who was born in this
county was on visit here. He desired
| to visit the court room and clerks of
fees, and the then jldge of the county
court to whom the Governor accom-
panied by his wife applied for admis-
sion, evaded taking him in to it because
he, the judge, said to the writer that as
q IdGAcI lODS I'LL 4dO just cuUcus anu
| whilst the place was bad enough at
| best it was simply then unfit for lady
| to enter. South River might reply
that governors and their wives have
| no business in our courthouse, it was
not built for their inspection. But in
seriousness is there a pig sty in the
county which is more obnoxious to the
Olfactory nerves than this courthouse
i'll the midst OF any interesting trial
| How does the clerk go from his Office
! TO the court room, or from the court
ROOM to his Office during crowded
term He goes out of a side door intO
| the back yard and crawls through
| window. How does a sheriff go to the
front to call witness. He begins b,
crying stand back gentlemen stand
back gentlemen" and being small of
stature manages with some trouble to
squeeze through. How does he get his
jury out of the box? he clears the
court room. Now we may some time
admit that nobody oughtto be allowed
in the courthouse, that it has been IL
mistake for the public to be interested
IN what the court is doing. and mis-
take to put an end to star chamber
proceedings, and under certain condi
lions we might agree to what South
large enough for the Judge. clerk aud
criminal, lawyers to be excluded as
pestiferous and useless. but we are
not quite prepared for this yet.
But let's go to the other reasons or
causes for change. the clerks Offices
L. is here that South River would ap
ply the torch. There is more than the
vaults will hold in both, there is in
fact double as much as the vaults
will hold il every inch of their space
were packed. What does South River
suggest as to this2 Have this useless
and valueless stuff carted out ard
burned" "Sha.es of Aladdin What
is this useless stuff? The marriage
licenses of our ancestors for one huu
dred and fifty years, the wills Of our
ancestors for the same period signed
with their own hands and seals. The
deeds that they have written and
signed. and which passed title to the
lands which make up the surface OF
this county, ali the papers which go to
show every act civil or religious of |
which any record Was required, or court
Formally necessary. These are in a few
instances recorded ia the books which |
the vaults hold, but the great mass are
outside. those have none of the sigma |
eNASO "a Jul 1AOCSOOio WuCA
in the books. those are copies ia the |
vaults, but the originals signed by our
fathers are not in the vaults and can |
not be there, for the vaults will not
hold them. These are q few of the !
papers South River wants burned |
About as well burn the family Bible !
When the bonfire takes place those
who applied the torch should vanis,, |
with the smoke for the confines of the
State will not be large enough t.,
hold them. THESE papers have Il va, !
ue impossible to estimate ia money |
and they are at the mercy of any ill., t
cendiary. But when one looks into the /
vault of the county court clerks office !
what does one find there? ONLY
the deed books. the will books q few