The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-11-20
Kentucky Constitutional Convention.


TIE judiciary Cormhfee-.9depion Of me affcie on NJ
niriai Offers The Siarery Question in Nep aspect
Religious Ts,lng IN Kentucky The Great Rsrirai in
1scO-T "Etsrcisesn herein CIap Meetings. 4c.-
The W,ofssr.
The grand confederated committee to whom
ferred the several reports in relation TO the judiciary
have not yet reported. The committee holds daily
ions but might BE- expected from its unwieldine.s
a is dsult for u 90 arrive at results and debate Ia
a. proliac as u when the subject being
sidered in the convention itself The mountaa l. Ia
labor. and II is 20 be hoped that Il will bring forth
something more than n for upon the character
Of It's progeny and the spe,dness o. its delivery de.
ponds the extent the duration Of the session Of the
convention as well a. the fate Of the constitution n
may flame
Today. smother article 20 the constitution wa,
got through With after about Eve dsys consiIsEaon
IL Il the In relation TO ministerial and county
offcers synopsis Of ~hich sent you IL. b-iog in
troduced The great points in controversy IN regard TO
this article whether certificates Of qualification
sbsuld be required be procured by candidates for
clerks of courts aud whether shers should be eligible
60 Office for a ,econd term.
The duties OF Circuit Court Clerk are analogous 70
those Of County Cerk in the State Of New YORK. ani
under the present constitution these Offices as well az
the csrhshpa Of the county courts have been in the
gift Of the Jrcu judge Great abuses had grown up
under the system. The Judges were in the habit Of
appointing their sons other relatives. Of selling
TIE Offices outright TO the highest bidder ani Il has
os fled forth much nplsnt ia regard TO 10 alSnr the
people. Instances have been known where a Judge.
having several counties in HE distict would appuint
BIZ son TO vacancy and then another being about to
occur in sDofhe county would allow him to sell DOT
aud re-appOint him 20 the De~ vacancy and on a.
often vscascies would In. article as report.
I'd by the committee gives the election ~ these ocer.
90 the peoPe but requires that every candidate who
presents nself for their suage should have fest
csysd certificate OF his competency to discharge ts
duties from some Of the judges. This provision
stoutly opposed by the more radically democratic
members, on the ground that the people tally
as competent 10 decide upon the qualifications OF
candidate a. they TO re.eect him and that the
the regulation ~ the certificate In effect restrc-
ton upon the right si the people 20 self government
On the other hand u was held that these
Chses, requiring . thorough practical knowledge aud
educstiOD for the proper discharge a these duties aud
that rs would be impossible for mass OF the pepoe
to knov In every instance whether the capdi lates
Offering themselves for Their would possess these qua
DcetioEs not The anti certincate men we're beaten
when the vote was taken.
10 regard TO Sheriff. the provision q the report is
THAI no incumbent of the Office shalt be re.slgbs for
aacord term M I'll term shall nave elapsed fropi
The t.rminshos Il his trst Ihis was held TO be
propsr nom the apprehension that the Sd ria night
prostute the iD power In his hands TO the end
Of securing TO- election gbe friends a. the largest
liberty opposed H. very much the same grosnds a.
they did the restrictions on candidates for cierkt
that the people fully comp tent to decide ~hether
m.n had faithfully discharged the duties Of his ofase
too intelligent aud virtuous % be ssayed by
cry improper Influence he migh, stsm 20 exert upon
ahoo They were beaten also. IN the vote upon thia
oUestius
1hsse two questions were the prominent topics Of
the debate that this Article 10 ramsilng
and dieeuffivs and fuli a yqusnt anecdote, Illus
tsive 81 the gnoranoe ~ oEcIss AID Of tine exstesee
OF dishonesty sHsong them to mosi unprecedented