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 The Supreme Court of Vermont.

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act was introduced with a magniloquent preamble stating, "Whereas it is important The judges were originally paid as follows : to the due administration of justice that the the Chief Judge while on circuit was entitled judges of the Supreme Court of this State to eighteen shillings per day; an assistant, should receive adequate and honorable com fifteen shillings. They were paid in addi pensation, etc., therefore, be it enacted, etc., tion to the per diem eighteen shillings for that the chief judge receive a stated salary each action tried, and ten shillings for each of $1000, and each assistant $900." The default or confession. The fees were di effect of this ostentatious legislation was to

vided equally among reduce the compen the judges in attend sation two to three ance. In 1783, the hundreds of dollars. fees for each action A .violent attack tried were made fif was made upon the teen shillings, and for judges during the each default or con session, and they fession six shillings. were threatened with In 1787, four shil impeachment for tak lings were allowed ing illegal fees. The a judge for taking discussion of the a recognizance, and subject lengthened eight shillings for the session, which signing a writ of began the first part error, audita querela, of October, far into and certiorari. In November, and October, 1789, it was the Legislature ad enacted that fees journed without pass paid the judges in ing a resolution af lieu of those thereto firming that fees were fore allowed, should taken in accordance .1 with the fee bill, and be to the Chief Judge £l 7s. per day, while those favoring the CHARLES A. PROl'TY, on circuit, and to each impeachment carried Reporter of Decisions. assistant £1 2s., and the law giving the on each motion in arrest o. judgment, four judges salaries. The Chief was sick at home, shillings. In 1798 the fees were first al but Judge Tyler was at Rutland, and the lowed in the currency of the country, the Chief wrote him : " I hope you will not leave, Chief Judge on circuit was paid $4.50 per and shall cheerfully make allowance in your day, each assistant $3.60; and there was expenses to -watch and pray for us. Send paid to the clerk for the benefit of the for Brother Harrington; he can do as much judges, certain sums for the hearing of mo as any one in the present storm." tions in arrest, for new trial, for signing ju The following year, at the session in Dan dicial writs, and taking recognizances and ville, it was resolved, by a vote of one hun for each trial, non-suit, default, or confes dred to eighty-two, after several days of sion. The amount of fees which each judge acrimonious debate, that it was the sense of received in 1804 were substantially $1 200; the House that the fees taken by the judges when the Legislature met at Rutland, an were taken with upright views, and that no COMPENSATION.