Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-07-31
From the Western Chronicle.
"a CARD-JUDlCIAL."

ced myself q candidate Tor the Bench
of the Supreme Court, il was not
without misgivings (since realized) that
the course of subsequent events would
probably render necessary some suiia-
BILE understanding, or arrangement, in
order to prevent that high political
tribunal from passing into the hands of
aspirants whose oaths of office would
constrain them SO TO determine the va.
rious questions of constitutional policy
which would be carried before them,
as to result not only in reproachful
conflict with the we'll defined political
philosophy Of the State but in conse-
queniial or corresponding delriment
to the great principles which constitute
the basis of that philosophy.
Not doubling but that each candidate
for the station has sufficiently made up
bis opinion respecting the purposes
and the powers of the governments,
whose laws, in congeniaity with those
powers, he aspires to administer; pre-
Stunning that much, and that gentlemen
of their acknowledged intelligence will
concede, that, in many instances, the
rule adopted for interpreting those
powers, controls not only the entire
question before the Court, but that the
opinions thus formed and acted upon,
constitute the only sensible and perma.
nent distinctions between the legiti-
mate parties into which the people of
the States and the Union have ever
been divided, it cannot of course, be
offensive to either of them, that in the
radical or fundamental sense thus all
luded TO, they are regarded as polite,
ians, and the Court TO which they as
pire. political tribunal of last resort.
1t need scarce be added, that TO speak
of political judges in any other sense is
but to excite the unheoding derision
with which sensible men of all parties
regard the reveres of diseased or i'm.
pure minds-so impotent or flagitious
an imputalion upon any respectable cit
izen of any party, not rising 10 the dig
nifty of dispassionate consideration.
i Recurring, however, 10 the more
immediate point or object of this com.
municatioD, if there can be adduced q
single substantial reason why political
as the legitimate foundation for a more
strictly legal test, should be applied, ia
the fundamental sense above denoted
to the selection of an executive, and
not Judicial officer, would fain hear
or read such a reason instead of the
empty and insincere depreciation which
has been kept on foot to prevent mer
from reasoning upon the subject. lr
the meantime, the opinion is very con
fdently suggested, that there is not ar
ingenious mind in the State which will
submit itself to the process ofreflection
and comparison thus indicated, and
rise from it uncoalirmed in the
conviction that there is even more ra.
tional propriety in applying such test
to the candidates for the Bench of last
resort, than there can possibly be fol
applying it 10 a candidate for Gov
ernor.
Whilst such proposition need not
of course, be here elaborated, it may
nevertheless be appropriate enough tc
remark, that in addition to the fna
and controlling effect of Judicial decis
ions upon both the other department,
of the governments, those who have no
seen published from the press and hearC
read from the hustings of official ar
guments or Opinions" of the Judge
| who delivered them, need but refer I,
their elder and more experienced pc
litical friends, in order to estimate it
true value the almost palsying influence
of such opinions, and hence the vita
Importance of having at least reliabl
, ma ori,y of such a tribunal in concur
, renee with them upon the great ques
, tons of institutional Interpretation, il
the conflict of which we alone inte
ligently recognize each other as reput
D licans or Federaists, whether in privat
y life or in public station.
e 1t is in this view of the case that tn
o test of Mr.. Jefferson, although per
verted by his adversaries into III
nonsense with which they al all time
Y pervert the no less emphatic words {
s. the constitution itself, becomes Stron
2 enough to probe an aspirant to the quic,
o and Through and through" To b
Il honest, capable and faithful to III
constitution" meant according to h
= estimate TO Withhold even the commi.
sions of the midnight judges appointe
by his predecessor-not because the
were not as "honest and capable" 9
either of the respectable gentlemen VIII
" aspire TO the bench in August next, bt
s. because however faithful TO the const
10 tuition they have been deemed by thos
. who read it as they did, and who's
= principles of government they wouI
" consequently maintain and advanc