The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-04-17
FoR TIE GALAXY.
THE APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.

THE APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICES.
| Mr.. EDITOR: In your remarks upon the pro
posed amendments of the Constitution, in the pa
per of April Sd, you say that, Every officer con
cerned in the administration of Justice should be
in the greatest practicable degree, independent o
popular fear or favor, and unexposed 10 the ieRs
| temptation like that which the Consciousness o
holding an office entirely subject to the control o
those TO whom he sHstnins that official relation
will always in greater OF less degree, present
And again: "For the same reason, oppSst
making the Office of Justice of the Peacc-one o.
much importance and dignity, in every govern
ment-ienable only on condition of securing The
popular favor, and of making ones self agreea
be to every body"
| Now. the question is, how can this desirable OBJ
ject-the independence of the officers of Justice
be attained You assume that the present mode
OF appointing Justices of the Peace, by the Rep
resentatves of the several towns is preferable to
the way proposed by the amendments of the Con-
slitution under consideration while others (and
confess am one of the number) think that the
people are as capable Of appointing the Justices
as OF appointing a Representative to 90 up TO
Montpelier TO appoint them
wish to call your attention to q few facts. In
one town in this County, within few years past,
the Representative set aside every Justice of the
Peace who did not happen to agree with himself
which has of late agitated the public mind. and
appointed others, favoring his own opinions.
In another town also IN This County ReIrc-
sentative added, the first year of his election some
six or eight to the already large number of Jus
tees, which increased the number to a score or
more, and the next year reduced the number TO
six.
In town in IN adjoining County, at a time of
great party strife, n Representative appointed n
LARGO nuu1har of additional
the number one or two it was reported by gem
teman who had lived in the town, who could nci.
Their read or write.
IL VIC chcerfully give place for the foregoing
although our correspondents
views are somewhat dissimilar from those we have
expressed on a former occasion. We desire to
have the whole subject fully and fairly discussed,
and our columns will be open for that purpose.
The dislike which our correspondent expresses to
the present method of appointing Justices of the
Peace, is, We believe, feeling rery generally shared,
throughout the State. For the unsatisfactory op-
Grafton OF the present system, some remedy-as
we before intimated-ought to be provided. The
Council of Censors have proposed plan which.
according to all precedents heretofore, the Con-
vention TO be held in January have only power to
adopt or reject. The people have, perhaps the
abstract right, when so assembled, to amend their
Constitution in whatever way they see fit. But
this right trust, they will never have occasion
to exereise.-When compelled therefore, to choose
between the plan proposed by the Council and
that already in operation, we are hardly conyin-
ccd that change is for the best. If a majority
of the people think differently. their wishes will
of course be carried out by their delegates, whose
views should be well understood before they are
elected