The North-Carolina standard., 1850-07-20

justice, and as the advocate of the ,,.s.,.
representation, We warn our felIow.c;,;,o,. 80
middle and East that their vital interes,. Vie
ardy. They have a right to make themsel yes s.'.
and to act, in sef-dgence. In Col. Reid the neon,
would have Governor whose opinions on all ;n,nr
tant Questions are accurately and fully known--r,
would DO justice, as far forth as possible, to oil
lions OF the State-and who, whether as Gove,no.
as candidate before the people for their suraoa,
"oulo scorn to say or do any thing calculated IN
ray 'he west against the East or to stir up stfs,1
bitterness between citizen and citizen.
ELECTION OF JUDGES BY THE pEon, r
We are in favor Of the election of JUDGES hr ="
people, "e
lst. Because it is in accordance with rennh,;.
principles; and we believe, firmly, in the can,o;,'
OF man for selfgovernment, and that the fear IS
ing the people at large to choose such officers -:
'nates' with many. from doubt Of the prncinls.
which our government is based. "A
2ndly. We believe that the neon,o
make better selections than the Leoislat,,a ' !"
multitude of counsellors there is wisdom ru.', "'
t'ons will be unbiased by any improper Influences
lof II Is obvious to all, that it is far easier 10
l7O men, whether in the Legislature or or, - :.
than all the voters in judicial district. Ineori,v -,
character moral worth, and legal ability, would then
carry the day, and not attery, persuasion hot wb;s
Key punches and oyster suppers. The voters, deem.
impressed with the importance of elecng p,o
per man to Sit in judgment on their lives and prooer
ty, would vote for the man whom thew deemed hos
qualified. The people form far more correc, ss,;
mate OF legal ability and requirements, than is oen
orally supposed-as is shown by the fact tb,,
throughout the State the lawyers of most ability and
learning generally have the largest practice.
3rdly. 1t is contemplated to fill vacancies in orr
present bench as they may occur by an election bv
the people, and that the Judges shall ride every cr
cult in the State, as they do, never riding the
same circuit twice in succession. For exampe suu-
pose that the Governor should be informed of tho
death of Judge, instead of convening the Council
of State, and appointing Judge to preside until the
next Legislature, he would issue his proclamation
ordering an election in the lst Judicial Circuit, for
instance, and the Judge so elected, would h. co,,-
PEELED to reside somewhere in that circuit. There
would be no danger, by this plan, that man, avi,u
cause in Court, would endeavor to secure the elec
ton of particular individual, who nigh, be fayor.
BILE to him, as the person elected might be called up
on to ride the 7th Circuit, and would not get round
to the 1st Circuit in upwards of three years.
4,hly. 1t would prevent our Judges from becoming
too arbitrary, and offer every inducement to them to
discharge their duties in an able and impartial man.
ner; while should be taken that their term o
office should be sufficiently long (say ten years) to
offer no inducements to seek popularity by improper
means.
| We should then never hear the objection RAISED
against Judge, as is now the case, when they art
elected for life, that he has ceased to study and en-
large his legal information.
5thly. 1t would hold out inducements to oyery
lawyer in the State, to qualify himself become
Judge, and by this means greatly elevate the charae
ter OF our bar.
Chilly. 1t would enable US to get rid of incompe.
tent and Objectionable men. We would need no laws
compelling them to leave the bench when they be-
came too old sckly. too intemperate to attend
to business. And in this connection i, is worthy Of
remark, that holding Office for life is anti-repubcan
Thly. The plan has been tried in other States, and
has been found to work well and though i, is new
with US, it is not an untried system.