Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-07-24
COM N1CATIoNs.

!
.liessrs iors:-n my first number endeavored Il
prove that the people are capable Of making law
stronu enough and wise enough TO control Judges ant
compel them TO periurm their duty, when they wen
elected during good behavior hope no brother Democra
will deny this doctrine have confidence in those who d
deny it, 1t lays at the foundation of the Democratic faith
as have learned it, Could believe that any one, eithe
Judge Governor General could be great strong
10 be controlled and kept in perfect subecon by the laws
of free and enlightened people, would to be dem
ocra and seek other Government where the weak
could be protected against the strong. In Courts Of
nstce especially want to the poorest most obscure
and most poweress hold up his head and claim his jus
rights with confidence, though the most popular Pesiden
that ever occupied the "Whe House, should be his adj
versary This is what Liberty and equal rghs-the
liberty that our fathers fought and bed for Democrats
poor men of Virginia! this know is the liberty you love
Never consent then to have Judge pun yon fol
an hour who could by possibility be operated in the de-
csoo Of your by anything bu, the law and The evil
dence
Elec, you Judge for five fen years and make him re-
eeibe at the end Of his tem-suppose him then within
two months Of the end OF his first term, holding his Court
in this County, and poor unknown man, poor dest-
tute widow, Of your own orphan children has con-
troversy with one of the large and powerful families of this
County, pending in his Court. The case is called and
tried lust before the reelection Of the Judge-he widow
all or the orphans ALL is at stakeusce is on their side
but they have voe-the big family, have hundred
FIVE or six friends. The Judge has lost his practice The
bar while he has been sitting the BENCH his salary is
his whole dependence for himself and his family. Now
what chance do you suppose the widow, the orphan
the obscure man would have before such Court The Judge
might do his duty and decide the right at the risk Of
his living. But will YOU Freemen Guardians of the poor
and weak and humble of your andwil you compel these
helpless ones to risk their cause their all before such fri
bunal-where Tie strongest temptation is held do
wrong and where injustice will surely be DONE unless the
officer is endowed with almost superhuman virtue? You
who feel strong and safe yourselves is il generous for you
drive the weak and helpless befre such Court? feel
sure you will not. trust ip your magnannity defend
the poor and the needy whose cry heard before the God
of Heaven and will not be unheard by you-l trust conf
IDENTIFY in you freemen TO condemn this nearous plot
ganst their rights and its authors.
The wheel Of fortune is always turning; youmay become
poor your wives happy in your strong If protec
ton, may become destitute widows your children now
sporting happily around you may become epess orphans
leave them when you 90 hence pure and incompatible
sanctuary of defence and protection Let not your Courts
of Justice have TO count what it will cost to give them JUS
ce and preserve them the fruits of fathers hard
ngs, or even life itself Give them independent Judge
who (whe he is responsible every moment to the laws
while if nc negec!s his duty acts coruptly will be hur
ed from his high Office by The strong of the law after
fair trial, such every citizen is entitled to, even the
hunlbl ST. shall while performing his duty and Judging
ghteously, have nothing to alarm tempt him awayno
the humble and destitute, in the halls Of justice Judge
is not permitted to sit in cause where he has the smallest
pecunary interest every would object at TO have
his cause decided by such Judge. Why? Because he
would decide corupty? No The Judge might have in
tegrty and fairness enough TO decide right yethc might
not and therefore he is not permitted to sit because free
will risk with their rights So in the of
Judge looking ont for election. He would certain
y sacrifice the weak to the strong-ie might or he might
not but because he might he should not he tolerated. for
freemen will not suffer the poor and humble 10 risk
of their rights
But Nh Hugh W. Shelley, in an Address to the people
Of This District, has laboed hard to prove that the Judge
would never be tempted to the powerful al the
pense of the humble He says, such Judge at the end
Of his term, if he dared forward again for reelection
would be spurned with indignant scorn by the people"
have confidence enough in the people believe that such
Gas Mr. Shelley pedcts) would be the fate of such Judge
if the people only had the of finding out his corup
ton but have also confidence ennugh in Mr. Shefeys
intelligence 10 believe that he knew, (when he penDed the
above quotation from his Addess that in the nature Of
things the people could not have the means of finding out
VIII that gentleman please tell u.s. how they would 20 q
bout ascerauing II every in any decided ghethcT
the Judge had acted corrupy or not. In our Judicial dis
trict there probably 5000 votes would he have re
cor made ont for each voter would he require by Con-
stiuODal provision that all the voters in each judicial DIS
tric should attend in person the sngs Of the Courts to
hear and for ,hemseyes If the former, the expense
suitos would be very great the latter the Court had
better he dispensed with and el the people decide the cause
at MIR. Shefley would insist neither Of these alb
surdes, suppose, and the plain English of his argument
thsthat the G000 voters in the District listen to
what some twenty five thirty, who had been present at
Court have say about the Judges decision land make up
their verdict this evidence. If this his meaning how
easy wonld be for large and influential family talk
louder, and have witnesses present. than their humble
adversary fhe Judge decided please them, their for
ces would drown all complaint especially it, would prob.
ably be the no happened to be ofhe blood If
he decided against hem in favor of justice the dis
tric would be filled with canor against his corruption.
peciay if Gas might occasionally happen) Of The blood
might want his slippers2 Having means ofgong to the
fountain Of information the record and forming an opinion
for themselves if they believed nothing, they might suffer
corrupt Judge to remain in olice they believed either
party, they might he deceived, and do injustice. it not
plain then tina: the oay safe is to have such matters
legally investigated where evidence can be heard
on both sdeS-where the accused can be confronted with
his accuser and where honest jury decide in
codance with truh2 Under such system, while the peo-
pie remain pure and capable of selgoverment UNJUST
Judge could ever escape punishment and removal from Of
flee No just would be afraid TO do right but on
the contrary would be mpeed 10 do right by the strongest
silmu'aniS that operate the human mind-the hope
Of reward and the fear Of punishment.
A DEMOCRAT.