Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-03-07
State Organization.
APPOINTMENT on JUDGES.

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APPOINTMENT or JUDGES.
There are three modes Of making judges.
LIST. By appointment of the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Senate.
Cd. by election by joint ballot of the House
OF Representatives and Senate.
Sd. By direct vote Of the people a, the bal
10, box.
In favor Of the first mode; l. e. appointment
by the Governor, II is urged, that the Chief
Magistrate Of Tho State, would necessarily be
well acquainted with the most prominent tai
enis in the Staie and peculiarly well qualified
TO select judges Of eminent abilities. To this
il will be objected, tina, Governors are often
demagogues, ard generally have friends and
pariizans 10 reward. Ii will be asked whether
the Presiden, Of the United States, elevated
ms he is, does no. daily appoin. to Offices Of
trnsi, the bases, Of party hacks. who deliber-
ately plunder and unblushingly rob and sieali
i, will be said that a necessary result OF cloth.
ing the execlive with such patronage, is 10
surround him when elected, with party hacks.
10 whom as The necessary instruments Of his
promotion, all Offices within his gift have been
already pledged before the meeting Of the par.
~ caucus by which he was nominated.
In favor Of eesiing by joint ballo. of the
Legislature, II is urged, tina. that body will EN-
brace the select talent and wisdom Of the
State, fully represented from every quarter
that this mode of appointment, will deprive
the Executive Of patronage dangerous TO BIO
exercised by one man; and .ha. this mode Of
appointing Judges has been favorably tested
In tie State OF Vermont, where Judges are
,hus chosen for term Of hveyears
On the other hand /, will be urged that leg.
islaiors, being generally ambitious men, are
ready to log roll and mansge, TO promote one
man or 10 pu, down another, no, so much with
reference 10 his merits, as with view to their
own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the accomplishment Of
some cherished scheme Of legislation.
Against the las. mode mentioned. |. o.: the
election Of Judges for a term Of, say five
years. by direct vote Of the people, /. is
argued that the people are not suitable judges
OF judicial quaifcaions--that the Judges
would lack Independence DO mere
creatures Of the popular willard that their
decisions would be Influenced by the prejudi-
ces and opinions Of the multitude. In reply
10 such objections, /. may be said, tina, II is an
old federal axiom that the people are no, to DO
trusted. II this axiom be true. we canno, too
soon change our form Of government. Those
savsns who assume to BIO invested with extra.
ordinary. wisdom, and TO be themselves the
peculiar guardians of conservatism, ought to
ask for letters pa,en, OF nobility. No; the
people must govern and no DISCUSSES abou,
IL. As power with Us has but one source, 10,
II be simple and direct in its application. We
say ie, our Judges Be elected directly By he peo.
pie. We shall then have a simple, eiiectua
power OF correcting abuses "a power lodged
where II ought TO be--in the hands Of those
who suffer by abuses;--and, who. depend up.
on il, know when reform is needed as well as
any body can tell them.
Such, in btief. are some Of the arguments
for and against these several modes Of appoinl-
ing lodges.