57 Pa. 452 | Pa. | 1868
The opinion of the court was delivered, by
By the Act of Assembly of May 22d 1722,
§§ 11, 13, 1 Sm. L. 139, 140, entitled “ An Act for establishing courts of judicature in this province,” the Supreme Court was invested with a general jurisdiction to revise the proceedings of all inferior tribunals, “ to examine and correct all and all manner of errors of the justices and magistrates in their judgments, process and proceedings,” “as fully and amply to all intents [and purposes whatsoever as the King’s Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer at Westminster or any of them can do.” This grant of power was confirmed by the 24th section of the second chapter of the Constitution of this Commonwealth of 1776, and by the 6th section of the fifth article of both the Constitution of 1790 and the amended Constitution of 1838 : Commonwealth v. Beaumont, 4 Rawle 366. The Act of June 16th 1836, Pamph. L. 785, entitled “An Act relating to the jurisdictions and powers of courts,” also provides that the Supreme Court shall have power “ to examine and correct all and all manner of errors of the justices, magistrates and courts of this Commonwealth in the process, proceedings, judgments and decrees, as well in criminal as in civil pleas or proceedings, as the law doth or shall direct; and generally to minister justice to all persons, in all matters whatsoever, as fully and amply, to all intents and purposes, as the said court has heretofore had power to do, under the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth.” It is beyond all question that under these extensive powers, this court is authorized to examine and review the proceedings of the Court of Quarter Sessions in any matter specially committed to it by statute, so far as to inquire and determine the extent and limits of its power and the regularity of its exercise. It is equally clear that the proper mode of asserting this jurisdiction is by bringing the record of its proceedings before us for inspection by writ of certiorari. The general rule is, that where a new jurisdiction is created by statute, and the court or judge exercising it, proceeds in a summary method,
By an Act of the Provincial Assembly, passed February 22d 1718, 1 Smith’s L. 101, entitled “ An Act for erecting of houses of correction and workhouses in the respective counties of this province,” power was given to the justices of the peace of the several counties assembled at any Quarter Sessions of the peace, or the major part of them, “ to set down and make orders for building, erecting or causing to be built and erected or provided, one or more houses of correction and workhouses, with convenient back sides or yards thereunto adjoining, in some convenient places within their several counties or town corporate” : and it was further provided that within three years a house of correction or workhouse should be built in the city of Philadelphia, at the charge of the city and county of Philadelphia, one in Chester, at the charge of the county of Chester, and one in Bristol, at the charge of the county of Bucks. It then proceeded to direct that they should be under the government of a president, treasurer and assistants, chosen by the major part of the justices in their respective Quarter Sessions assembled. The whole of the provisions of this act, however, related to the three counties named, then the only counties organized in the province. By an Act of March 20th 1724-5, 1 Dali. L. 209, entitled “An Act for raising county rates and levies,” the commissioners and assessors of each county were directed to adjust and settle the sum or sums of money which ought of necessity to be raised yearly, among other things “ to defray the charges of building and repairing of courthouses, prisons, workhouses, bridges and causeways at the ends of bridges.” Whether this act was virtually repealed by the Act of April 11th 1799, 3 Smith 392, also entitled' “An Act to raise and collect county rates and levies,” is questioned, but not decided, in The Commissioners of Allegheny v. Lecky, 6 S. & R.
The law remained in this condition until the Act of April 15th 1834, Pamph. L. 537, by the 10th section of which it is provided that “ it shall be lawful for the commissioners of any county, having fi2’st obtained the approbation of two successive grand juries and of the Court of Quarter Sessions of such county, to cause to be erected at the seat of justice thereof, when occasion shall require, such building or buildings as may be necessary and proper for the purposes of a county jail and workhouse, and if need be to purchase ground for the erection of such buildings.” In pursuance of the provisions of this act, at the November court of Northampton, in the year 1866, the grand jury made a report “ recommending that a new jail should be built so as to accommodate the wants of the county and employ the prisoners.” This report was read, approved by the court, directed to be filed, a copy of the same given to the commissioners of the county and published. At the next succeeding term in January 1867, the grand jury made a similar report and recommendation, which was in like manner approved, directed to be filed and published. The authority was thus completely vested in the commissioners, pursuant to the Act of Assembly, to purchase a site and erect a new jail, if indeed it was not their duty to do so. The law had wisely provided that the concurrence — not of any two, but — of two successive grand juries should be obtained. - Thus, when one grand jury has recommended the measure, it is notice to the citizens of the county, in order that if they see fit they may appear and remonstrate at the next term of the court, or by public meetings, through the press or otherwise, agitate and discuss the policy of
On the whole we are of opinion that the Court of Quarter
Order of February 11th 1868 reversed, and the record remitted.