Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-28
WARRINGTON NEWS AID GOSSIP

An lmpeachmeut.-We hear that charges
are again to be preferred before the House
Committee against Judge Wartrous, the u
s. District Judge for Texas, against whom. it
will be recollected, similar action took place
few years since; on which occasion sort of
acompromise was effected. We are persuaded
that his case requires the attention Of Con.
gress. so general are the complaints against
his alleged maladministration of his trust,
and SO long have they continued without ma
terial abatement. 1t strikes US as utterly i'm
possible that cases could be continually arising
wherein his acts on the bench have occasioned
loud remonstrances in the public press Of all
parties in all sections of his district, SO forcible
as to induce the legislature of his State for
nally to petition Congress for his removal, un-
less his conduct had been such as at least to 70
quire grave and solicitOus investigation on the
part Of the only authority that can possibly
reach the INSTRUMENTATION of the United
States Judiciary. Among the charges formerly
and again alleged against him, is that of ma
king illegal and unjust rulings in cases wherein
he was himself pecuniarily interested, and the
Perpetration of many gross and palpsbly I'M
judicial official acts to favor his immediate
personal friends whose cases were before him.
These are not times wherein the National
Legislature should shrink from the thorough
investigation of the conduct of judicial officers
In whose lands rests the tenure of the proper.
ty, and, indeed, Of the life of any community
Experience has proved, clearly proved the
almost utter.impOssibility of securing Justice
through impeachment to a community cursed
with the authority Of judge whose ignorance,
unbalanced temper, prejudices, corruption or
imbecility render him a tool in the hands of
designing lien, confederate with spoilers
under the pretence Of the law, a tyrant i'm.
agining that the dignity Of his Office is Of more
importance to society than the rights that of.
fcs was created to protect, or sympsthizer
with men who setting all law at defiance for
the qualification Of their brutal and maIignan,
passions, reduce, with judicial assistance, the
safety Of life and limb in this era, to condi.
tion paralleled only by that of the middle
ages, when the brute of whatever personal
character, held at will, the estate and life O,
those less strong or less intiuentialIy connect
cd than himself
The difficulties of procuring relief by i'm
psachment from the terrible evils inflicted or
society by the exercise of the authority O
those judges who are unfit from any cause fO
their positions, have caused, We believe, ever,
State in this Union, that has had occasion O
late years to amend its fundamental law, t
abolish the life-tenure of the judiciary-pre
fering the risk Of the election of demagogue
and incompetent persons, who can be dis
placed, as installed, If found unequal to al
the just responsibilities of the sacred trus
committed to their charge, to the risks of tn
ffe-tenure Of any one, however elected. I'm
der such circumstance, it is clearly the dut,
of the House of Representatives of the Unite,
States to lend patient ear to the COMPLAINT
of any community alleging that, through tb
condition of their judiciary, their rights O
property or personal safety are at the mere,
Of spoilers or Tufians