THE CHANCELLOR'S CASE. 643

others. We therefore request that such important bills as are
intended to be offered for our consideration by your House, may
be sent to us so early in the session, that a fair opportunity may
be given to us of considering them with that deliberation which
every interesting act of legislation requires."

This message not having produced all the good effects desired,
the Senate, on the 19th of January following, wrote again to the
Delegates as follows: " Gentlemen, Upon reading your bills to
establish permanent salaries for the governor, chancellor, and
judges, we are of opinion the provision proposed to be made for
them is not a sufficient compensation for their services, nor
will it enable them to support with dignity the rank to which
their superior trusts entitle them. The greatest security which a
people can enjoy under any government^ results from a strict and
impartial administration of justice. The independence of the
magistrate invested with this important trust, has been the first
care of the legislator, who wished the government to be perma-
nent and the people happy. By a liberal provision being made
to the chancellor and the judges, they can dedicate their whole
time and abilities to the service of the public. Gentlemen of
merit and knowledge will be thereby induced to engage in this
most important trust, and their personal character and abilities
will give weight to their decisions, and security to the govern-
ment. We are very sensible, that the state of our finances
requires economy, but flatter ourselves you will upon reconsidera-
tion, think with us, that the salaries of the officers referred to
in this message may be enlarged, without incurring a censure
for profusion. As there are no funds particularly provided for
the payment of those salaries, it would be very agreeable to us to
mortgage all t/ie unappropriated revenues of the State for the pay-
ment of them. We have sent you the bills for reconsideration,
in hopes, that you will consent to an enlargement. The following
salaries would meet our perfect approbation: To the Governor
£1200. To the Chancellor £1000. To the Judges of the Gene-
ral Court, each £850. Judges of the Court of Appeals, each
£500. Judge of the Court of Admiralty £500.

" We submit to your consideration the propriety of passing a
law to lessen the number of the Court of Appeals to three, when
circumstances admit. If upon reconsidering the subject, you do
not think it proper to make any further allowance, or to make the
funds more certainly productive of a sufficient sum to pay salaries.