Washington telegraph., 1854-05-10
5onds and LAWYERS were found in that

COUNS .-duu lawyers Hcic iounu III dt1t
State mean enough and contemplate enough
to run for judicial Offices upon that ques-
tion,!, Since the Prosecuting Attorneys
and Judges became elective BY the people
in Kentucky, the ablest lawyers in that
State, are now in retirement, or at the bar
WoLFE is no longer Prosecuting Attorney
at Louisville. c. A. WIcKLIFFE would
have taken a seat on the bench Of the Court
of Appeals, but was defeated by man. as
all admit, greatly his inferior. We are as
tonished that a man of Mr.. WICKLIFFE' s
self-respect and. talents, should ever have
entered the arena to scramble, like hun
cry dog for Judgeship. Such conflicts
are as foolish and disgusting as bull-fghts.
We would be more than glad, if every at
torney in Arkansas, would henceforth re-
solve to run for no judicial station again,
under the present system, and then the lead
ers. or rather the deceiUers Of the masses,
would open their eyes. But we know this
is vain hope.
We have often asked ourselves if KENT,
or STORY, or MARsuALL-those shining or
naments Of the bench-could, under any
circumstances, have been induced to have
submitted the question Of their fitness for
the Office of Judge to popular vote We
think they would not Could Parsons, Of
Massachusetts,, or GIBSON. Of Pennsylvania,
and a host Of others, have been induced to
have played the beggar at the feet Of the
people for .judiciak office? They would
have gone to the stake before they would
have done So Look at the system in Lou
isiana. RosELIus, who is splendid law
yer ranking any in that State, aras
run by his frie,tds for Chief Justice-(for
be did not seek the ofice) e)-and was badly
beaten by man greatly his inferior as a
lawyer. The man who does the most eLec-
tioneering is sure to be elected whether be
is qualified or not. RosELIUs did not cleo
tioneer--he would not leave New Orleans.
the place of his residence, and he was badly
beaten. For what was he beaten? He
was better qualified than his competitor,
SLIDELL, all admit He was defeated be-
cause he felt and maintained the dignity of
his profession, and was dJore electioRecJing
an order to 6e placed IN q judicial station
One Objectionable feature in the system of
electing Judges and Prosecuting Attorneys,
is. those who are raally qualified are gen.
orally unwilling to become candidates for
judicial stations, when their fitness for such
stations Is to be submitted to that most falli-
bic test--a popular rote, and hence the
country will be deprived of the services of
the ablest lawyers. We maintain that our
Judges should be as far from popular infu-
ence as possible and in saying 80 we are
not ignorant of the fact, that we are on ne
aceak side Of the question. Hollow-heart-
ed, brainless demagogues could have much
to say against our views, but let them rail
on till the ''crack Of DOOM for aught We
care
If they are elected by the people, the
Judges and Prosecuting Attorneys ought,
in honesty and good conscience. to carry
out the rietrS and 2rhimS Of the electors !:
for we do contend, that where there is
right to elect, there is corresponding OBJ
legation to represent, SO then Judge ought
always to represent a present fopukar feel
ing, and when occasion requires It, he aeiX
do a. Let the law take care of itself
We have much to say against an elective
judiciary, which we must postpone to ano;h-
er day. We have intimations from various
quarters, that our next Legislature will in
termeddle with our present mode of elect
ing the Supreme Judges. We protest
against it now. henceforth, and forever