1825.) 
A person thus appointed is often very 
unfit for the situation, both as regards 
“his personal and pecuniary qualifica- 
tions. It -is generally the lot of a 
young man coming of age, or of a per- 
son who has just come into possession 
of his fortune, to be first on the list for 
the office. The former should be dis- 
qualified on aecount of his youth and 
inexperience; the latter should be ex- 
empt, from the state in which a man so 
situated generally finds his finances. 
. An estate rarely comes unencumbered, 
-or without many charges to liquidate, 
which make other advances and expen- 
ses extremely inconvenient. Is it not a 
- fact, that a certain Sheriff of an inland 
county is now obliged to expend his 
~ whole year’s income in the shrievalty ; 
while such are the incumbrances upon 
his small estate, that he will, in a pecu- 
niary sense, be crippled for life? Of 
course, there are Sheriffs of other coun- 
ties more wealthy ; but should an in- 
stance, in any case, occur ? If a prisoner 
confined for a considerable debt hap- 
“pen to escape during his shrievalty, 
‘what then becomes of him and his 
-family 2? He must hold his office in 
fear and trembling, lest any unforeseen 
- accident, to him unavoidable, should 
* ruin them for ever. 
Much superfluous expense is incurred 
in this office, from what is expected of 
~ the Sheriff by the county ; and it is not 
a little amusing, sometimes, to hear the 
merits of the case discussed, whether 
‘he has done his duty becomingly. 
generally considered as the Sheriff’s 
duty (with how much reason, let those 
decide whose purses feel the costs), that 
he should make as handsome an ap- 
pearance as possible, in attendants, 
servants, equipage, &c., on all public 
occasions. And, as all have a delibera- 
tive voice in descanting upon obliga- 
tions from which themselves are free, 
every sparing of expense is considered 
little less than a neglect of duty—as a 
slight to the county ; and is resented as 
such. The law has limited the number 
of his retainers, and so far has put a 
check upon useless extravagance; but 
the remaining expenses are without 
measure: and the methods of enlarg- 
ing them are as numerous as the 
viz., Magistrates, and the principal people 
in counties.—So says our correspondent. 
We, however, have our doubts of the com- 
Juryman,—Eprr. : 
On the Office of Sheriff: 
It is - 
” patibility of the offices of magtstrate and - 
499 
notions of the individuals who have 
annually the satisfaction of discharging 
them. 
The parade of the King’s deputies, 
providing them proper escorts from 
town to town, and lodgings on their 
arrival, all fall upon the Sheriff. Thus, 
the expense of the administration of 
public justice through the realm, is fur- 
nished from the private purses of indi- 
viduals. The Judges, as King’s officers, 
have aright to be conducted through 
their circuits, and lodged, at his private 
expense. It is true, that the Judges 
have their own carriage and horses ; 
but what Sheriff would not be glad to 
compound with all other expenses, for 
that, alone, of conveying the Judge 
safely through his county ?~ There are 
in many counties lodgings provided for 
the Judges, which have been bought and 
paid for out of the county rates. The 
Sheriff, however, is obliged to repay 
the county for the use of them. The 
county lets the lodgings, and he hires 
them; and the county generally lets 
them on good interest ; and, at the price 
fixed, the Sheriff is bound to take them. 
The cost of clothing, &c. &c. of the 
javelin-men lies very heavily upon him. 
But to enumerate all the burthens 
under which he labours, would be 
foreign to the present purpose :—suf 
fice, that he is charged with numerous 
and. heavy expenses on the king’s 
aecount, from which he derives no 
personal benefit; while he is subject 
to severe fines, provided any derelic- 
tion from what are considered the 
duties of his office can be alleged 
against him. 
. As Judges must keep up the dig- 
nity of their situation, to uphold the 
respect due to their high authority, it 
is unfortunate, that, unless where a 
very young man is pleased with the 
show and parade of his office, or a 
tradesman grown rich does not know 
how to spend: money enough upon it, 
the Judge’s ideas and the Sheriff’s sel- 
dom coincide upon the subject. He 
who’ pays is not always of the same 
opinion, on matters of expense, with 
the person who reaps the benefit. In- 
stances occur, though not frequently, 
where a man, whose family name is to 
be seen in the list of Sheriffs for many 
generations, is anxious to outdo his 
ancestors. 
[ To be concluded in the Supplement. | 
382 
