The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-10-28
LIE sQuIRE

The institution of justice Of the
peace was imported into this country
from England along with the common
law; and it has had an honorable his
tory on both sides of the Atlantic.
So completely did it justify itself in
England that Lord Coke was led to
say Of it; ''The whole Christian world
hath not the like office as justice Of
the peace if duly executed" But
frankness demands that it be said
that its contemplation caused Lord
CoWper to make this comment: "Men
sometimes illiterate and frequently
bigoted and prejudiced" are invested
with its authority.
English justices of the peace are
appointed by a special commission
under an officer Of the crown; and it
is said that they perform without
any other reward than the conse-
quence they acquire from their office
a large amount of work indispen-
sible to the administration of the law,
and for the most part they discharge
their duties with becoming good sense
and impartiality" Their commission
requires them to keep and cause to
be kept Fall ordinances and statutes
for the good of the peace and for
preservation Of the same, and tor the
quiet rule and government of the peo-
pie" The words Of the commission
have an archaic sound about them:
sero INQUIRE the truth more fully by
the oath Of GOOD and lawful men Of
the county Of all and all manner of
felonies, poisonings, entertainments,
sorceries, arts, magic, trespasses,
forestallings. regratings, engrossings
and extortions whatever"
But, after all is said, the squiracy
of England has proud record Of
outstanding good citizenship. Upon
the whole, the title Squire" is a
badge Of honor in that ancient king
dom. And in America it has been
scarcely less 50. In earlier days those
who were in fact the best men were
clothed with this dignity. Differing
from the English custom. justices OIL
the peace are elected by the people
in America. thus becoming in fact the
peoples court. Some of our readers
ARE old enough to remember the dig
nified demeanor of the squire of
other days. He was truly a conserv-
ator of the peace, whose children were
proud to own descent from him.
The evolution of the law has added
to the duties Of justices of the peace;
the assembled justices Of the county
forming the county court now pos
sessing large authority in the matter
of taxation. And if this court was
composed of men Of the type Of those
whom they succeeded. it would form a
valuable arm Of protection for the
county against the agressions Of stare
But unfortunately
this is not true. For the most part,
the justices of the peace in a modern
populous county are men with small /
stake in the country, and in too many
instances a sense of responsibility
which does not reach beyond the politi-
cal boss to whom they owe allegiance.
himself often a man without either
or character.
Shelby county, even in recent years,
has had men Of the nobler type in the
office of justice Of the peace. Squire
Allen. the Senior for so long mem
Der Of the county court, was such
man. The justice Of the peace IS
stilla.a valuable instgumensf
tality for rural counties; but it has
Outlived its usefulness in larger cent
tiers. Would it not be wise, therefore
to set about devising some method
for limiting its functions to the COM
munities in which it IS needed. Mem
phis Commercial Appeal.