Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-08-12

|
give tire of them my vote, and those five will b
OF those who were first brought regularly int
| tne held, as see no reason whatever for dron
ping them Tor the support of others.
A SUFFRAGAN.
| hope will be excused Messrs Editors. b.
yourselves, for occupying so much space in YOU
| paper, and by your readers for trespassiug So
long upon their patience. But the issues in
volved III the present canvass are of such dec
and vital importance to the citizens of this ooo1
| Old Commonwealth, that feel it to be the rich
and duty of every good citizen to lay before Ii,
people such information as he may be possesse,
OF, as will enable them to come to calm, c]ea
and satisfactory determination upon the subject
feeling assured that after hearing the argument
as are dictated by sound reason. have alread,
declared, that, for my part, am opposed to the
term tenure of The Judges. Whilst have sut1i
clent confidence in the intelligence of the peo
pleto believe them capable OF electing all officer,
OF this Government, as often as they choose, vel
| have not sufficient confidence in the integrity
OF mankind 10 believe them capable of resisting
all the temptations to act corrupty, that would
be held out to them under the term tenure.
believe better system can be adopted | be.
lieve there is wisdom enough in my country.
men, to enact laws strong enough and wise e.
nough to compel Judge to the honest and faith.
tul performance OF his duty, without resorting 10
the dangerous experiments Of subecting him to
periodical elections. But if the people after
calmly weighing the reasons for and against,
shall determine that the term tenure, is the best
and safest plan, shall cheerfully acquiesce in
their judgment, feeling that my own individual
interest is 80 nearly connected with their own.
that ii they are benefited by the system, can.
not be injured. But, until they shall so deter.
mne feel it my privilege, as well as nv duty.
as far as my feeble abilities will permit, 10 ex-
pose to the people, what conceive to be the
danger of resorting to such a system, and the
fallacy Of the arguments urged by those who
favor the termAenure. Even though may be
classed with those who are unjustly and deri.
sively styled can't Retormers.," aEnemies of
the people," &c.
But to my subject. In my last comm, nj "a
ton, after continuing for a time the argument
commenced in my first, undertook to show
how impossible it would be for the people to OBJ
tain such information, as would enable them to
determine correctly whether Judge had been
actuated by improper motives in the decision
of cause, or had been negligent, or inefficient
in the discharge of his duties f(as l contend J
it would be impossible to furnish every voter in
the district with copy ofthe record, in which
corruption had been charged-if it would be
oppressive to compel by constitutional provision,
every voter in the district to attend the different
sessions of our Courts, and hear and determine
for Reconsideration how, again ask, are they
to obtain such information The answer is
plain. They can obtain it only from the par
ties interested in the cause themselves, and
that party which has the largest family connex-
ion, who stands highest in he point of wealth &
talents would command the greatest influence
over the minds of the people,
What then is to be the inevitable result of
sucha system as this? take it for granted,
that every man who goes into a Court Of law or
JUSTICE believes he has right on his side, (for
hardly suppose any man would subject himself
to the heavy cost OF suit unless he did.) Sup
pose then, that i'll the decision of some large
Chancery suit in which the fortunes of some Of
you are often involved, the Judge should unfor-
tunately offend the party against whom he de-
cides-he Immediately charges him with cor
ruptlon, with being actuated with improper mo-
tives, or some similar charge. 1.-The happens to
be a man Of large family connxions and power
tu influence, the cry has its effect, (tor the PEG
pie are more apt to rely upon information re-
ceived from those who stand high in the worlds
opinion in preference to that received fom a
poor, obscure, unknown individual, and the un-
fortunate Judge is hurled out of office BY an ex-
cited and indignant people, bankrupt in purse &
bankrupt In character No opportunity is offer
ed him of meeting and disproving the foul and
dishonorabe charge-he has no means of lay
ing the records before the people and inviting
their inspection. 1t is of no use to him to deny
the charge, his word cannot be relied on, for he
is a party interested, and though it is a maxim
of law "that every man is to be presumed inno-
cent until his guilt is established" yet we all
presume every man is guilty against whom a
charge is brought until he establishes his inno-
cence by clear and unquestionable proof and
yet you are advised to take away from our Jud-
ges the only means of establishing that limo.
cen Sc. Can it be expected that any man pos
sessing the integrity, the heart and legal ac-
quirements so necessary for the position, would
risk the reputation OF himself and his family up
on so uncertain tenure; where though he may
obtain honor and profit, disgrace is almost inc
vitable.
Now submit the question to you, ireemen OF
Augusta, is this fair? Is this generous? Is it
justice to deny to any citizen of this County,
even though he occupy the exalted station Of
Judge, the privilege which is not denied to
the meanest offender against the laws of our
Commonwealth, that of being confronted with
his accusers, and of being heard in his own de-
fence? Would it not be more in accordance
with the spirit of justice, that such charges
should be tried before an intelligent tribunal, Sc.
lected by yourselves, and acting under the sane
tity of an oath where the accused can have the
privilege OF being heard through his witnesses,
and an opportunity is afforded him of vindca.
ting his character from the foul blot that would
otherwise be thrown upon it? Would it not be
more in accordance with the spirit of freedom
that such plan should be adopted, than that
| you relying upon the statements of interested
and prejudiced parties should take redress in
your own hands! Surely no evil can resul,
from this plan. Even admit that the people can
obtain information of the corruption or ineffi.
cheney of Judge an intelligent jury can OBJ.
tain the same information They have the
same means In tact better means, of obtaining
evidence of corruption than the people, and be-
sides the evidence that is given before them, is
Invested of the embellishments thrown aronnd i,
by personal feeling, because it is given under
the obligation of an oath, and the jury are moi
likely to be BIASED by prejudces or warped by
| aff for III ox Al.