The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-12-15
E ENQUIRE Err.
RICHMOND
SATURDAY, DECEMBER IS, 1904.
IMPEACHMENT OF FUDGE CHASE.

I IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGE CHASE.
It is one of the principal advantages of re
publican government, where MI authority flow
either mediately OF Immediately from the pco
pie, that the exercife of this power is never pla
ced beyond their fuprcme iuperntendance, anc
that every abufe of it, whether it contits in neg
ect or ufurpation, is liable to its appropriate
| punilhment. In Offices which are filed by peri.
odical elections, an obvious penalty is areead y
provided for the iiightett crime, miftlcmcanor OF
derelittion of political principles. From mem
Der of the fate Legislatures up to the PRECEDENT
of the United States, the long ferries of legiils-
tive and executive officers is at one time or other
iubjeetcd to the control of the American peo-
| pie. The privilege of the elective franchife be-
comes in their hands the facred guardian OF their
rights and the dreaded puniihu,ent of every OF
ficer VINE attempts to abufe them. Bat in the
Judiciary departments, wherein vacancies do
not regularly recur and the elections are not pc
rodical i'm that department, where the coniti-
tuition protects the officer in his feat 70 long rs
he deferves it by his " good-behaviour :" the re-
rnedy of the people agaii;t violated power ap-
pears more precarious and remote. Crimes and
miidrmeauors might fscm in vain 10 accumulate
around the character of the Judge in vain
might the fufpicions of the people ailaii him ::
As they cannot diimi1s him from his Office, the
means of redrefs might appear to be placed be-
| yond the reach of their power. Yet even with
this immunity, a republican government has
| provided the means Of fuperintendance and pu-
niihmcnt. The contribution has placed the
power of io1beacbmeaf in particular depart
| ment and when this power is exerciicd with
! uuceaiing vigilance, the Judge may in vain look
! for compe.at immunity for his offences in the
duration of his office. He may Humber at his
pof, or he may fretch his constitutional pow
CT beyond the pale of juhice and the law but
| if he does 10, the pcpalty will be on his own
head. A Turkiih Cadi may go on for months
or for years ahufug his powers and dfgracing
| his office. SO long as he prefervees the favor OF
| the Sultan OF his Pacha, the people may COM
plain they may writhe under the rigour of his
diipeniation they may ponefs the mot unde-
niable proofs OF the unbiuihing corruption, the
partiaty and the cruelty of the Cadi: but to
them the means ola regular relief are unknown /;
and if their irritated feelings demand redrefs,
they mutt feel it in public infurrection, or by
the dagger.
| Hitherto the power OF impeachment has
fcarcely been uied among us with fgnal effect,
or upon very obnoxious offender. We have
| teen II indeed employed upon Blount, a Senator
J of the United States. who was acquitted from =
want of formality, and of Mr.. Pickering, an az
fociate Judge, who was convicted, not becaufe
he had sccn the author OF Any pa.itical perlecu-
ton, but becauie lie had disqualified himfelf for
| his functions by dcbauchery and intoxication.
On the prefent location, the power of impeach-
ment is employed Oh more formidable accuia-
ton than the lat, and with leis probability OF
interruption than the firft. 1t is perhaps aggra-
waiting too highly the offences OF Judge Chafc,
10 compare him, as fomc have done, to the iufa-
nous Ieffries of England. But ifthe articles of inn
! impeachment which ale laidagainit him be really
I founded in truth, bis offences arenotcahIy to DC
INDICATED, foon to be forgotten. If he re-
ally the political peTiecutor which thee articles
preient him to be, do not hetate to fay, that
Judge Chafe is no longer worthy of being the
organ of z limited contribution, or the Judge OF
a free people.
1t might be indecorou, and perhaps impro-
per at the prcfent ciiiis to anticipate the judg.
nlent of the Senate, or attempt 10 accumulate
new approaches upon the Judge who is now ta-
ken from the judgment feat and put to the bar
himielf to vindicate the propriety fhis own de-
crces. feel no fuch deiire. / have no fuch OBJ
ject to accomplish by the following obferyati-
ons. Thefe are fmply intended to preient the
reader with general fcheme OF the principal
charges agaGil Judge Chaic, distributed not ac-
cording TO times, places and perions, but &C.
| cordidg to the common nature OF the charges
themicves. In this one afpeGt therefore the
following iketch is completely contradiltin-
guilhed from the articles of the impeachment
| 'Theie articles have been arranged by time and
| place, rather than any common feature which
was to be found IN the various infances of mai
yetlation. The firt article arragns bis conduct
on the trial of Fries. The I'd, Srd, 9TH, 5th and
9Th. develope his conduct on the trial of Calleu-
der. The 18th traces his judicial proceedings al
Delaware & the lalt in Maryland. When 1ia
attempt to reduce all the malyeriit;ons Of the
two irft periods TO at leaft a few general char
ges. His proceedings Oh the Ian appear NOR,
ditinGt and iniulatcd from the Others, and lief:
fuiceptible of a general arrangement. have
tated one of the firf principal charges which
has been exhibited againit judge Chaie, iha
take that opportunity of introducing new and
very remarkable fact, which occurred on the tri
al of Calender, and ghich feems to have altoge
ther cfcaped the refearches or the memory o.
the respectable Committee Of Enquiry.
(To be s,aAsysAJ