Washington telegraph., 1854-02-15
The Proposed Convention.

The last number of the Gazette & DEM
ocrat." contains another lengthy article IN
favor OF Convention. and the whole of 1t Is
devoted to the advocacy Of an elective judi
eiary Although the editor has not given
Us his promised comparison between States
which had heretofore had an appointed ju-
dietary, and the same States after they had
adopted an elective one, lie has pursued
course Of reasoning much more in accord
ance with the cause he advocates. He ap-
peals to popular prejudice to attain that
which calm and dispassionate reason never
would effect, or the enlightened Judgment of
the peoplc sanction. In his reference to the
constitution of the United States. to get rid
of the just and well founded veneration
which the people entertain for that instru
ment, and to avoid the force and effect of
more than half century's experience. he
calls the provisions in the Constitution of
the United States. in regard to the judiciary,
vestiges of British aristocracy. Is our con-
temporary Of the opinion that nothing good
can come out of Nazareth? Ifa thing being
of British origin is sufficient to condemn it,
we are rather of the impression that the
Convention. if ever assembled to remodel
the Constitution of our State, will have to
make many and radical changes. The trial
by jury has the same Objectionable origin, as
that urged by the editor against an appoint
ed and Independent judiciary.
As far as We are concerned. we second the
call of our contemporary of the Gazette d
Democrat for Convention. but wc are OPP
posed to the election of supreme judges, ci-
ther by the people or the Legislature-the
one modc is as Objectionable as the other
We are in favor of making the constitution
of our State, as regards the Judiciary, conform
in every particular, (the life tenure except
ed) to the constitution of the United States.
We are in favor of placing in the hands of
the Governor. the appointing power, and
with the Senate the power of confirmation
or rejection But the editor says the peo-
pie might elect a a1um5-SkuH Of Cover
nor, this objection proves too much. Ifthe
united wisdom Of the people of this State
could be SO far led a-stray: if our citizens
could be 50 forgetful Of their own interests
as to elect fool to fll the executive chair
the people, we say, that would 20 so, could
scarcely be trusted with the far more impor-
tant duty Of electing their Judiciary. And,
even if they should elect man of ordinary
the executive chair, which is
done, it is not altogether probable
that the Senate would confirm an objection
able appointment.
We join the editor in his hearty con-
tempt, for those things manufactured of hair
and broad-clo;h, that sometimes appear
amongst US. and we are as sincere in our
hatred Of the scrub arristocracy of which
he speaks rs be is we acknowledge but
one aristocracy in this republic, and that is
Of the intellect; but the vain, empty. and
airs of brainless fops. will never
induce us to abandon principles that were
conceived in wisdom, and have been vind:ca-
ted by experience.
In the future numbers that our contem-
pcrary may devote to this subject, we trust
he will bring to bear the results of experi-
ence and reason and we would remind him
too, that, although by styling thing a YES
tige of British aristocraey, he may excite
the prejudices of some, he will bring to the
minds Of others tie fact, that many of the
most enlightened comprehensive and learn
ed treatises on both law and equity, with
which the world has ever been favored have
emanated from u British Judiciary That
the palladium Of our lives and our liberties
the trial by jury--is Of British origin
that the whole system of common law, with
slight notifications, under which we live
and are protected, is from the same source,
so that his reference to British precedent in
regard TO the Judiciary. is to our mind par
ticularly unfortunate.
1- THE TELEGRAPH has been complet-
ed to Shreveport. La. and is now in sue
cessful operation Our contemporaries of