Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-10-31
Report Of the Committee on
the Judiciary.

We have attached more importance and
looked with more anxiety for this Report
than any Of the different branches 10 be in
corporstcd into the instrument now being
formed.
With judiciary of ability and lofty
stamp The minor evils Of indiscreet ;egisla.
ton arc enGurable but having Bench con
tcmr.ible from incapacity or corrupt by
lack Of integrity, the community are desti-
tute Of the strongest safeguards Of person
and property. We 60 decidedly against
the principle upon which the Convention
have based their legal superstructure =
Nothing can mo:c completely undermine
the foundations Of an able and independent
Justiciary than holding their offices for Il
short term of years and by the uncertain
tenure Of the popular vote or even a legs.
lative election. The hands that poise the
even scale of Justice should never trem.nie
with the sense Of personal responsibility to
a mixed constituency at the polls. There
should be no such temptation held out to
the stern :mpart.aiity of an expounder OF
the law to swerve from an unawed interprc.
tation OF the statutes. 1t is and should he
above the capricious tampering Of heared
excitement, not prot ccted in the doing Of
wrong or the commission Of crime. but Sc
cure from the heaving instability Of parti.
Fan frenzy. Do the people Of Iowa desire
to see the high functionaries Of the seats OF
Justice iostling about in the dirt and filth Of
popular elections, stepping down from the
dignity Of the henca to the low tactics of
an electioneering campaign, smoking ''long
mines" at dram shops and drinking corn
whskey at notwithstanding at pri vate
houses to com pliment slatternly housewife.
ry-kissing uuwoshcd children and reiaiI
ing stale jests with the whole degrad,n.
maneuvres to secure majority Of vote So
The U. States Supreme Court commands
the respect of the 'aorld Above extraneous
MISUNDERSTANDING their Offices by appoint.
men. and during good behavior, with an ad.
lequatc compensation, tn ey have ever Deer
an example of purity. dignity ara ;mpar.
TALLY to every inferior ccr.rt IN the con
federacy -con'inuing in Office for life. ev.
cry inducement IS held out to become emf.
nent IN TIE science and able in its exposi .
wv until the decisions Of our appellate
COLTS will compare in legal learning and
elegance OF dction with those of any gov
ernmsEt on earth.
Compare the New York Bench. where
Judges are appointed by the executive with
that OF Mississippi. where they take off ces
direct from the people. or Massachusetts,
with Arkansas. The decisions of the north
ern Courts are authority over the whole
Union, while the opinions OF the elective
Judges have no power out OF their own coun.
ty limits. Legal Counsel would as soon
quote the awuro OF ueau
tial or the records Of the rude tribunal of
the Regulators" as to appeal to the reports
ofthese Justice Shadows as authority in u
case.
lfyou wish judges OF even moderate ca.
pacity you must continue them in Office long
| enough to get warm in their seats. and give
them compensation which will prevent
the pangs Of hunger from gnawing at the
coatings of the stomach. No man who
can be trusted to decide the simple law
questions in a case OF debt will take an ap.
pontment upon the Bench for six years
with the pa'try pittance of $3.50 per annum
IL you are determined to have cheap law it
good heed tina. neither our c0attels or our
rights are submitted to the arbitration Of
your addle- pated Dogberrys. with bellies as
full Of beef as their SOULS are empty of
brains.