The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-10

(From the Blackstone Couricr)
Editor Courier:
sir-It is Inferred, from an article re-
Gently appearing in your paper, that you
hold the measure recognizing the judi
clal system and abollshing the County
Courts. to be wise one
On the principle of adaptation to
new order OF things 1t may be SO. but
IL the time has come when these grand
old courts could no longer be preserved
In existence. 1t ought never to come when
they will not be preserved and honorcd y
our memories. While they were nor
adopted by many OF the newer states;
they were by nearly all OF the or!glEa'
thirteen. and have been preserves ar 'n st st
ginla longer than almost any othcr state.
While other courts held larger Jur!s-
dIct,on In litigation and matters OF that
character growing out OF pecuniary
transactions, no others were comparap!s
TO them in the influence they exerted
the people. When Invasion began N 1871
no other single instrumentality was SO
effective In providing and equlpplng men
to so forward promptly for the delense
OF our northern and eastern irohtlers
During the invasion no othcr Single !, y, "
strumentality was 50 etfcctlye IN proN'ue
Ing for the safety and maintenance loI
tho men, women and children VINO were
ioft nj home. And in 1866. when invasion
was followed by a dreadlul pe!loa o. !
anarchy. no other single instrumentallty
was 80 efficient In restoring law ana OF
dor. :, i ,o.s
In addition to their serv!ceableness.
there was an udaptcdness III the county
Courts to the views and feelings OF the
people OF Virginia. who have always nelu
10 the doctrine OF state Rights ana On 81,
the same principle must sogithh en- roa n snn
to that OF county rights t9r me r,,usGr -,
that there Is the same philosoIphy, IN IN
nreservinE tho rights Of counties n thelr
relations to the State government INA
thArc ia In preserving the rights Of States
in their relations to the tederal soYerns
ment, and no other judicial system was a
practically so clearly cxempll!lea .th.s
nreed as tho good old system OF county
Courts. ,,,t,,,
1870 and was administered by isencl
of Magistrates. each and every su.,' ,as
In tho State was under the !uF'sulCti''p
q, twelve u2) honored men,. all OF whom
wer. residents OF the county and resided:
soveralIy. In the different districts OF
the county over which they presided.
Under the system, as In operation from
1870 to 1904 every county ~ w, e 1,o,,e
Ipxcept Il few OF very small popu!"t,,o'p
las been under the jurisdiction OF u
Judge, VINO sTcSAueu ~ w. fIf}
the courts OF which he presided.
While 1t is In no wise the purpose v,
THIS article to criticize the learned ann
,mtrIotIc body Of men who lately relofmea
our judiciary system, yet ~ 1Mst men aa
must honor these grand old ihsutut'"n ~,
md The officers connected with them tnr
The great good they did during az ~ ny
long period Of their existence m ~
noble old magistrates who first presla,s ,a
d ies great credit but the judges VINO
Succeeded them are likewise greatly We
strvlnR
OF the magistrates there were twers sn
10, in each county, who could CONFER
NTH each other and share tne'r ,.ps
experience, while OF the judges mere
VAS only one, In most cases YOU'VE
man. who had to stand single hanqea
md alone at a most critical period y
rn,r history, when conflict on the helu
az hattie had been TRANSFORMED "a Inv
indcinl forum, where the Federal 14ages
Ware rs much stronger that our STATE
judges MS the Federal armies mao peen
| lhan our Southern armies. As q natltnl
sequence Of this great brunt OF this patue
feli on our County and Hastings couFt
'uTsESs u Constitution Of 1870 tgenerallly
1snown az the Underwood Constltuuon'il
lad been adroit|y and expressly france
J Win ) Wow to make virginia 'nterm'T