Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-10-19

port,-shoud not be composed Of holding office at
the will OF the multitude upon other than their
go ocns''ou' And YET, At was urged; tho Sc
mats never would divest itself OF these high pow
| ers or fo'ego their exercise; and in other way,
but by Convention, could this desired reform ever
DO secured That Convention was accordingly held;
and ocrs for adoption Judiciary System, upon
every branch o which has been engracd the very feature
which made tho Court Of Errors Justly odious, and in
which oil the Judges OF all the Courts from the highest TO
the lowest To be elected BY the people, and 10 hold
their seats, not during good behaviour, but for stated
'em at end OF which they may present themselves rs
candidates tor reelection. Instead o removing
knowedeed evil from Court the evil has been
grated upon all the Courts. Instead Of having political
tribunal Ct justice, hitherto, Courts be oil
political. Instead Of having the Judges in Court
posed 10 corrupng influences. every Judge upon every
bench from the highest tribunal the lowest in all
both civil and criminal become the creature OF
political intrigue the scrc dependant upon popular favor
the trucking sycophant TO those upon whom justice de-
mands that he should pronounce Judgment but whose
NAV be essential 10 his re. elecion.
Is this an amendment Of existing Constitution Is
this really rcftr of existing evils Il this actual
gress towards better government towards and
impartial administration OF Justice What Kind Of judges
are we likely TO have under this extraordinary Con-
suinton We do not distrust either the intelligence
the virtue OF the of the people their ability pro-
vide for just and safe supervision OF their affairs.
But IN so important matter the administration OF Jus.
tee, greater securities for wisdom aud integrity should
be PROVIDED than can be relied upon in popular
Who believes that in this city, for example, the soundes
the most learned, and the upright would be
formly chosen Judges OF our highest Courts Who
would permit the EHpire Cizb tho deniEens Of the
FIRE POH's TO select the Judges Courts Of Law
And yet, who does not know that these the
are decided And >,itbsn, ,rnn,i ;,bt c,,,non ~,
unusual ignorance BILE portion OF those who
have votes tn cast, is 1t not notorious that
which rcnds, man nnblc S,vo,i,. . e,,,,ini, n,
those which qualify him interpret the Jaw with profound
wisdom, or To administer justice with inRexiblo
preudcss and 10 Weld 10 p.puar imou,es hearty con-
panonshp with all classes an extended acquaintance and
favor of the malu,ude-thess ar, the oual,es hcs on
sure success in popular canvass and What room do ,hev
leave for that proraeed study thai lifelong devotion 10
codes OF law which is absolutely in one 10 whom
Is committed il. nterpr,laton But every onc mus, e
that our Judges will be elected by poeal maebinev and
party drill that the whole system will becom, political
game and that every consideration will be made a, Weld
To the predomninee of party and upnppoy of IN, spos
Of office Who believes that under the new system such
lawyers as KENT and Ospss and KKrcHuM would be-
Judges, when such men IS hyHdsTs aud Nike
IYaish and the gamblers of Park row become the an
pointing poverT
Jus, impossible is it, that when elected the conduct
OF Judges should entirely free from political and
cUuuptng influences. They hold their office TOR brief
years and at its expiration they will of course
become candidates re-elecuon Will not this iuevi,a
bly, Affect their bearing while the bench They
hold their seats during good behaviour and are made
dependant entirely upon popular favor Suppose some
popular man. wide and comm nding influence or whose
eIcites general tympathy or whose money controls
hundreds and thousands Of friends aud dependents is
brought before ct these popularity seeking Judges
is ps ole, and still less probable will purge
his miud all bias which such state things tends
create, and administer justice and pur
~ l-Suppusc prominent and influential member Of
the parry which placed him upon Bench be- charged
with having pracsed abeited corruption ballot
box; could perfect reliance be placed upon the impartial
and justice OF his decisions As certain
that thousand channels will be opened, by this
tem Tor unjust and partial deci-Ions-for unsouGd and
hasty interpretations and tor general these
high and responsible positions And how IL possible
that anything like uniformity in the decisions u Courts
I..kH.
reversed or overturned by appeal 10 the people,
1t said by th0sc favor this novel aud
binary that coed Judges will be elected BY the
people, appointed by he Governor and Senate
THIS IA special cases, and general proposition
may be true though consider 1t by certain
But under the present Constitution, when a Judge Is ap