The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-04-24
LYNCHBURG. APRIL 81, 1890.
~, Goepin's Le,.er.-The following j.

,be letter of Col. Goggin, to which he had
reference in his communication inserted last
Thursday, and which would have been ap.
psnded 10 that, bat for unavoidable cir.
rnnstances. As, however, its publication
was not intended to have any effect upon
the Bedford election, but rather to vndi-
cate the writer from the aspersions which
Judge Brown and his friends had thought
rroper to level at him, the omission to pub
l;.h il last week cannot have been produc-
tive of any injury. While on this subject,
we will make one or two remarks which
.be motion of Mr., Goggin relative to Judge
Brown suggested last winter, but which
we're at that time overlooked. The consti-
,ution of all the states, as well az that of
she United States, divides the functions
of the "practicat governments" into
three great heads, and assigns their
performance to three great and dis.
tnct departments, Executive, Lpgisla-
tive and Judicial. Guided by the lights of
reason and'experience, the trainers of hese
constitutions made the two former depart
uents responsible to the people, for their
official conduct, by aftixing limits to their
official character, and instituting periodical
elections. But il is strange to tell, the
same reason and the same experience
the reason which teaches that men, "cloth-
ed with a little brief authority and anne
pable to no earthly tribunal but their owp
consciences, will frequently /" feel power
and forget ght"-and the experience that
warns US that the ermine is not always un-
sullied-t that it is not always significant of
pure hearts and clean hands-wc say, it is
strange to tell, that the same reas n g. ex-
perience which induced our forefathers to
throw around the rights Of the people the
great safeguard of official responsibility, IN
relation to the Executive and Legislative
departments of the government, did not
also suggest to them the propriety of not
leaving the Judiciary lohoEty irrssponsibte-
placed as they are by the tenure of their
Office, and the character of their electors
beyond the ambition of popular applause,
and beyond the fear of popular indignation,
Here W. may be met by the old answer,
elf Judge do wrong, imperch him -
Impeach him, indeed! Do not the very
men who.meet US with, this reply, know
a. r. E-.--..' Aas tS"rots tor a
Judge? Do they not know that except
for the commission Of crimes of a most Ia
grant character, it utterly impossible TO
reach him by this process? We refer to
the trial of Judge Chase and ask, where is
the probability, that in this country, at
beast in its present. uncorrnpt state, we
shall ever have Judge arraigned, for the
commission. OF more fragrant outrages ?
And yet he was triumphantIy acquitted
But there are a thousand petty acts of ty-
ranny, a thousand arbitrary and unjust
k'NS'SnoAN9b Ahohohbh acts VI LdSi ait
though not outrageous despotisn, which
no freeman would submit to'from a mem
Der Of any branch Of the legislature or ex-
executive, because these officers have no
power given them over his property and
person, while judge hsy commit them
with impunty because the law of con
tempts is underlined, and he untes in HIM
Self, when he chooses to punish an indyi
dual tor.any fancied insult he may recei, c
tbe character of accuser, jury and judge |!
Strange oversight, in our estimation, that
should thus entrust the personal rights Of
rhe citizen to the arbtrament of an indivi.
DUAL, whose passions in such cases will
necessarily blind him to the dictates
reason aud justice: and the only cause we
can assign for its non-abnse, hitherto, is, in
IN The dread that the 9 - would be
. awakened 10 a conviction that il opened a
wide door for the entrance of the most o.
dlous oppression, aud lead them to an in
Ves'Igation, and consequent suppression of
The cause. Indeed, the responsibility Of
'he Judiciary has already left its impress
on the character and manners of the peo-
pie. The members of bur state and ma
uonal lcgislatufes-our highest executive
officers, our Governor, our President, even
when IN the exercise of their official duties,
are approached with fearessness, though
sney are treated with respect, by the free
"en who made them what they are, and
sao again unmake them. But how djffer-
e0t IS tile case with judge. He feels that
Ae owes nothing to the people for his cleo
tnn and IL .----- l. -. Z L.. .I----L