1825.] 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
OxsErvaTions onthe Orricz of SHERIFF. 
(By a County’ Magistrate.) 
HE Office of Sheriff is perhaps the 
oldest in the country, and appears 
always to have existed, under whatever 
government the nation has fallen, from 
the earliest down to the present times, 
it being possible to trace even the name 
itself, up to the days of our Saxon fore- 
fathers; and it is not a little remark- 
able, that we appear to be the only 
people in Europe, who have had an 
officer of this description, derivable from 
such remote antiquity.* 
During the lapse of years, infinite 
changes have taken place in the busi- 
ness of the office; and still more in 
the power intrusted to the officer, as 
well as in the manner by which he 
obtains his appointment. But he never- 
theless always appears as one intrusted 
with a great public charge, which he 
holds directly from the sovereign ; being, 
at the same time, the most constitu- 
tional, effective, and, which is remark- 
able, independent officer to whom a 
trust has ever been confided. No place 
under government has ever been so 
perfectly free from bribery or corrup- 
tion of any description; and there is 
not any, which has at all times been 
held with more impartiality and honour. 
Perhaps there never was a situation 
known, where the power of exerting an 
undue influence was more difficult, than 
in that of Sheriff of an English county : 
he is chosen from amongst a class of 
men who are least liable to be acted 
upon by the hope or expectation of 
deriving even a temporary benefit, by 
allowing any indirect proceedings to 
take place in the fulfilment of those 
* We hope to be excused for occasional 
abridgments, which the limits of our mis- 
eellany have compelled us to make; espe- 
cially as we have been careful in no respeet 
to alter the sense. If we could have in- 
dulged our wishes, we should haye accom- 
panied this paper with historical notes. 
But, even as it is, the article will extend 
into the ensuing number, and demand 
some pages of our Supplement. The au- 
thor says rightly, that our Saxon ancestors, 
from whom we have this office, were “a 
people, now looked upon, in many respects, 
as semi-barbarians.”’ If, however, he will 
trace the history of this office, backwards, 
to its original state, as indicated in the ear- 
liest records, he will find some evidence in 
it, that if barbarous, they, at least, were 
wise barbarians, Among other matters he 
will find, that the Sheriff was originally 
appointed by ruz Prorte /—EvIt. 
Monxtury Mac. No. 410. 
On the Office of Sheriff: 
409 
duties which are committed to his care: 
moreover, the duties themselves, in 
many instances, go through so’ many 
hands, that corruption would be almost 
impossible; and what he has to per- 
form is, in’ its own nature, such as 
could not be done by any one, except a 
person of high credit and character. 
The king does not appoint any one 
to a public post in so arbitrary and 
despotic a manner, as the one in ques- 
tion; and yet, no situation is held more 
truly independent of the power by which 
he is appointed. The laws are such, 
as in many instances to hold the sove- 
reign, I may almost say, responsible for 
certain parts of their administration ; 
which he, in the case under considera- 
tion, does by adeputy, whom he selects 
from among his subjects, one for each 
county, and upon whom devolves much 
of that business which stands in the 
King’s name. 
I am not aware that the duties of 
the office of Sheriff have been clearly 
defined by any one who has written 
upon the subject ; much has been said 
upon it, or rather many authors have 
alluded to it; but there is no work of 
authority to which a person holding the 
office can apply, to inform himself to 
what he is liable; what are his duties, 
and to whom he is in all circumstances 
accountable. Bacon, Blackstone, and 
others have noticed the office; but to 
no authority can application be made for 
decided and certain information, upon 
its general business. Acts of Parliament 
have been passed which refer to it; but 
none that I have yet met with, which 
relate to the officer himself; at least, 
no acts contemplating the Sheriff’s office 
alone, looking to its security and indem- 
-nification, or defining its duties. 
The very circumstance of his being 
appointed by the king, and acting imme- 
‘diately under him, should of itself, at 
once, take it out of the hands of par- 
liament,+ as far as relates to any power 
in the Upper or Lower House, charg- 
ing the responsibility of the deputy 
upon the party deputing. And, indeed, 
I do not see that either House can 
with justice, or without interfering 
with the king’s prerogative, pretend to 
fix 
+ We beg our readers to remember, that 
this is our correspondent’s argument, not 
ours. The communication is acceptable 
for the information it contains, and the re- 
spectability of the source from which it 
comes :—the opinions are open to discussion. 
Epir. 
3G 
