Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-06-30
0FWe cannot perceive why the 81


arguments which will hold against the E.
lection ofjudges will not hold against all
elections. 1t the people are not the best
Edeposltors Of power, and the Governor is
better, why not have our representatives
and all officers selected by the best source,
instead ofreferrng TO the inferior tribunal
of the people. Indeed let US carry the az
gument clear through Ii results in the po-
sltion that some sort, we suppose heredt.
airy, dictatorship, is the best mode of gov
eminent. 1t can lead to no other conclu-
sion, figure as you may. Either the people
are the best depostors fall power, or they
are not. If they are let them have all pow
err, if they are not, let them have none, bu;
keep it in the best hands.
1t does seem to us preposterous TO argue
that the people mag not be entrusted with a
power which their representatives may. Is
the Governor less OF a partizan, or is the
legislature less parizan in its character, than
the people who elected them, Would the
Governor, as clamorous as the promineni
men Of all parties are, for office, be likely
TO overlook the claims Of political friend
fer station of the kind, to hunt merit in an
opponent. On the contrary would not the
Apo ntment be much more apt to be made,
on the score alone Of party zeal. We put il
to the coumop sense of every man, if less
is TO be feared; aye, fthereis not more TO
be ieared,from partizanship in appointing MS
than in elections. Men do not want arpu.
ment TO convince them Of this; they know
it now. We might here refer to the cleo
ton of justices which Of late years has been
entrusted to the people. Is any apprehen-
sion ever felt that their decisions in any
wise depend upon partzan feelings We
apprehend not. Indeed, beside the con
scientousness which any man must posse IS
who has attained that station, it is not once
in ten cases that he is called upon to decide
between political friends and opponents
The litigants aye quite as likely to be both
wings, or both democrats as otherwise. Blu;
for the citizens of our town, there IS vet a
more marked case of the feelings Of the
people in the selection of judicial officer.
In our last election for justices, whilst the
Democratic ticket was mainly elected by a
handsome majority, one of the Wing can
didates for justice got votear heavier than
any of them. Why did Democrats vote
for ham. because said they, he is a good OF
/ hcer and understands his business; showing
conclusvely that party feeling in his Sc
/ lection, was but secondary. And so il will
be in all selection. Of officers whose duty is
solely 10 administer the laws. Worth and
ability will of necessity rule.
! We are satisfied there is no power of gov
eminent, but that can he better exercised
by the people, thar by any secondary au-
lhority. 1t wants but that the responsible
ty shall be thrown upon them, and they will
show themselves equal 10 it. We are in
no degree apprehensive that the bench will
suffer from entrusting the selection of judg-
es TO the people, and 10 that end we mean
/ to strive as long as TO strive is necessary.
These remarks were Suggested since wri-
ting the Article which appears in another CO.
lumn, BY an article in The last American on
the subject