Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-02-24

the people Tor ttefH 10 ueCiae WHctHel Hc
has faithfully and honestly performed bis
duty, whether he is worthy Of re-e.ecton,
would keep a man of ordinary intellect and
judgement: pure, ard much more, such
man as the people will be likely 10 elevate
to that responsible Office. As 10 the shor,
terms, it is we'll known. what difficulty has
been encountered in getting rid OF bad judg
great doub, whether short terms, especially
under The elective system where the quail
fcations Of that officer are frequently
brought before the people. will not prove
doubly advantageous in enabling them 10
drop the bad and reia n The iai hlul officer
Mr.. President, do not yield to my col,
| league in respect for the wisdom AID ex.
| perience Of the past, but s.r, | do not feel
| quite compelled, Ivy that veneratiou, TO
navel the same route and TO tie same end
which they did while better road is open.
/ ed before me. 1t is said we have 10 ex-
! rerience (save Mississippi TO support Il g
elective system. Is this sol Have we not,
| from the foundation OF our government,
continually made offices elective which
were not so belorel And have 10, the OBJ
jectons now raised and various like ca
sons been urged against The changes here
tofove made only to be shown iulIacous by
The Trial! Power is most safe in tie hands
! of those Nest interested in its just exer-
else. 1t is the theory Of cur iEsiiu ions
! that the people not only can, tut will gov
ern themselves; and every a'gnmeni, and
all experience which proves the Truth OF
The theory shows the beauty Of is practice
Let us '.lay down true prime Piles and
adhere to them iuhex bly," And if an e
lectire Jud ciary is more cons stem, with
democracy as believe it isl let us adopt
il at once, and solve the LIST problem of
popular government by eniiusling this last
great safeguard OF berty directly to The
people. The elective principle has been
| ried FOR several years in Mississippi and
the testimony Of her emjnen mt citizens, G
Judges Qulman and Sharkey and Clan
cellor Buckner, is conclusive that it has
wo ,ked well there; that he selection of
judges has been judicious; that party con.
sidelaiions have had but little weight in the
selection; and hal the judges have con
Quoted creduabIy 10 themselves and
the peop!e-And SIR, there is not one
word of counter testimony. 1t is said, to
depreciale the weigh! of Judge Quitman's
evidence, tina, be is engaged in the Next
Can war. Ought such a consideration IL
have force herea Ought il not rather to
add 10 h S weight that lie Las answered The
call Of his country in the day of her need ?
| Vicksburg is also called intoth field? Are
not Massachusetts and Pennsylvania even
more vulnerable? In VicksLurgh the out.
RACES pcrpelrated by Q gang of outlaws ex
ted the Indignation of vlrluous ropula-
lion, and they were violently expelled In
Boston bigoted mob wreaked its ven
gearce upon Il few week, unproec,ed wo-
men and burned their homes over their
heads In Phi ladeIphia the same bigotry.
inA med by partizan zeal, enacted he mos;
! appalling outr ges. taking lie, burn ug
| Churches end turning every III ng 10 anar
chy. Which OF these states has The adyan
tage by lie COMPARISON? Would i! be !e,
gtimae argument 10 urge these ouirages
as prCofof the detec:s Of The Judiciary sys
TENS of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania?
| One Of The a5,es; members Of the
| Convention ia speech in opposing
sina the election of Judges, TO which my
colleague has alluded, admitted that ;he
present system Of appointments is liable 10
serious objections, and he sought 10 leme
| dy them by more complicated system
which | thought was far less likely 10 over
come those oil jecIions than the simple meth
cd o! elections. While there are
objections TO The old system, the man
| ner of selection under our const
tuition will make tie Judge independent o.
lie Executive and Legislature Judges
not only decide controversies between in
dividuals, but they interp Ell Odd consTue
the constitution and The laws, which is in
one sense mixing them. Their decisions
as piece ndens become tie law Of he land
The constitution looked upon by an ar.s,o
cratic and democratic eye preson,s a
very different view. And S r, there is nc
SO certain way If protecting the const tn
lion from the entertainments Cf the execn
tive and the Legislature as mlkirg tic
Judges entirely independent Of those pow
ers Of tie government.
The gentleman from Dane Mr.. Col.
Inns considers the mode of amending the
| O0HN'ho'io'' % PSNutiii'y O'JCIlioiI"Oic,
that 1t may be too easily reached; that il
savors Of Instability; and that the proyis.
ion for amendments was placed in the Con
st.tuion under tie influence of q conyic
Ion thai the instrument would be SO imrei
fec; as 10 require immediate amendment:
so obnoX Gus that without il, It would moi
be accepted by the people. Now sir, nei
tier The fact or the conclusions are Gu lie
correct. The Article pIescr b. g TIE mode
Of amendment was adop'ed at an early day
OF The Convention, by an almost unanimuu:
vote, and is nearly tie same as conia ne
in The Constitution of Ma ne adopted il
| 1910 aid of Mississippi aIoped in 1892
In neither of Ihese states has any amend
ment ever been adopted, while in states ha.
wing less perfect constitutions, changes
Lave been frequently made under pro1is
ions much more difficult IL is principle
OF our nature. lhat the des re aud exc rliou
10 overcome any surmounlabe obstacle is
intense, just 10 proportion to tie difficulty
Interposed. Another principle e9ullIy
deep seated and powerful is aversily ,o
cEabge. These Two principles are at once
the foundation of our stability and progress
principles which seze AID improve the
certain and reject the doubtful good-and