Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-11-06
pGY.YyLyAL.
i&. FOR THE SPECTATOR.
oUR---NEXI--GoYERNvR.
~. No. II.

70 the Feeble Of The state Of Illinois.
Candidates for public palronaseanust
always expect thai the people 70 tur'n a
juGicious choice mus. rigldly Stan 1heir
a, sliiica,iops, and scsulblze their lives,
actions and principles.7-Wtliout this IL
IS Impossible to tellwho hasthe requisite
qualifications for an Office, and who has
superior claims to phbic confidence
To vote with reason the people must
first settle in their minds the shstract and
sole merit OF each candidatc; and then
afsor- comp aring and weighing their re-
spective merllssgaios each otner, de-
ierminc VINO has most capacity and most
integrity; and trose poi,lca! views are
most coasonant wrth tho public vii and
lie, him be hoipred with the peoples
suffrage.
II | am right,we ought, when Judge
offers for pubic Ayoi,t investigate with
the utmosf j,eefom his principles and
career fiolstcal and judicial, TO enable
US 10 determine what claims be has, IL
any, 10 public iafor, and to be clothed
with new and moe exalted honors. 4,
does nor follow tai because man is
Judge that nc is Worthy Of, or qualified
for, that nigh and important staten, and
Of course does notpraciude Us through
the retu.gent and dazzling lasre o; his
title, HIS HONOR, t,pm ,nquirny whether
he BE- mortal; whether The .rnii;les OF
anortaiity occasionally peep cut OF his
words and actions ;Nwhe,hcr his political
career be founded ID justice, anu is pro-
siuctse Of public happiness; whether his
judicial career be abieof feeble; whether
he has administered more wrong clan
right; whether it BIZ dIsintcrestcd Or,
icctioneering, lie. Whether he be homes
or dishonest inhis ofhre- The matters
the people will and ought to look i.,so---
and if they fad Inconsistency, embie.h.y,
duplici,y, or cleclonering partIalis. or
corruption in HIS Hosor, they Will pour
THEN contempt upon 4iu.
But i commence loo carly 10 .antici-
pate such inquired before ! am hall
through the theory. Of this snsJect. !
shall commence MY charges in their orr
der, and / am afraid they will be hard 10
ward ofeor parry.
Butte return. The administration Of
publics Justice ought 10 be .'not only
pure but nnsuspec,cd" There ought at
least to be strong confidence in the
country in the inicsrii, u every Judicial
officer, but especially supcriorJudges,E
and indeed considerable confidence in
their legal understanding. Unless in a
glaring case, we never ought to hear.
the impsrtiality ola Judge impeachod or
even limited al. This is necessary to re-
concile the people with, and make ihcm
acquiesce in,adccisionshai bereayrs them
Of their property, their character, their
!, liberty or theirJifc that is they must be-
heve the sentence under which they suf-
fer is dictated by the laws Of the land,
!. and not by the private feelings of the
Judge. Could tisy believe 4 Judge in
fluenced in his decision by political or
private animositrs or political or private
friendship, wheT by slight Of hand he
could, or barefacadly dare, indulge in it !;
the vanquished party would turn from
the tribunal that had sworn TO do him
impartial justice with q heart pierced
with horror and indignation for the judi
cial violence committed upon his per-
son, property, freedom or characters -
And perhaps with ! little holder and