My dear Sir: Dec 18. 1857.
Coming home from Bloomington last night I found your letter of the 15th.
I know of no express statute or decisions as to what a J. P. upon the expiration of his term shall do with his docket books, papers, unfinished business &c. but so far as I know, the practice has been to hand over to the successor, and to cease to do anything further whatever, in perfect analoge to Sec's 110 & 112---and I have supposed & do suppose this is the law. I think the successor may forthwith do, whatever the retiring J.P. might have done. As to the proviso to Sec. 114 I think it was put in to cover possible cases, by way of caution, and not to authorize the J.P. to go forward and finish up whatever might have been begun by him.
The view I take I believe is the common law principle, as to retiring officers and their successors, to which I remember but one exception, which is the case of Sheriffs and ministerial officers of that class.