The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-03-28

wsask the careful attention Of our read.
~, 70 The following able article from the
Eennebec Journal, on the proposed removal
IF Judge DAVIS, by the legislature. We
,opy from the Tri-weckly Journal, Of tho
list inst. Our paper Of Last week contain.
d the resolutions Of tho Senate, setting
forth the reasons for this hish-handed meas
IRE. unqusstionably the consummation Of
the deed has been agreed on and the hearing
% be had this day Is mere mockery.
:" Border Rufianism" fully Developed.
AJuays q ~ renewed for Expressingan
tLNIll ~ OpIsIsa. ENlyI
On Wednesday last, the Senate Of Maine
inangunted u new era In the political his
tory Of the State, and set an example whose
,normity and wickcdness no man can exag.
scrats; whose evil consequences to the pence
and well-being Of socicty no man may
measure! They resolved, In short, 10 ar
mign Judge Of the Supreme Judicial Court
before them upon no other Substantial ground
than that he has expressed m opinion nd.
verse TO the interests Of the spoils-seckers
and wire pullers Of the dominant party.
The leaders Ia this movement have been
engaged for weeks past In drilling and pre-
pairing the rank and file of the (" Coalition"
Tor the desperate deed. No less than Jfre
distinct caucusscs have been held with re-
gard to Il, during the past ten days. With
barred and bolted doors and darkcned win.
dows, these conspintos have met and plot
ted the foul act They have counted noses
md have their forces sworn "fo put The
thing through" no matter what may be said
in defence by Judge Davis. With them,
the whole cas-, Is prcjudged, and the "ad-
mission of Judge Davis TO a hearing" Is a
mere form, which, rs II Is required by the
Constitution, they cannot, In decency, re-
fuse. Loud and plausible objections have
becn raised against the existence OF secret
political societies, but in the history Of such
organizations, we venture 10 ass.rt, that no
such monstrous scheme as this was ever
dreamed Of. II the tenure OF our judicial
officers is to DO settled by vote In secret,
tfedlihy, party caucus, what guaranty, we
ask, has the community that "justice will
he impariiaYy administered" or that tho
rights Of property, or even of'liie, will be
respected
The charges brought against Judge Davis
will be found under our report Of Wedncs-
days Senate proceedings. They are pccul.
lar in many respects, and will be recognized
at once Us the product Of the heart, the
head, and the pen Of pniSEnAs BARSis.-
They abound in style Of reasoning, which,
for want Of better name, may b. called
BLrnes-idn logic, whose chief Characteristic
IL Is, TO assume O premise, repeat II frios,
and then infer conclusion. The public
was treated with an elabonte spccim, OF
this magnificent system Of dialectics in re-
cent report on the Maine Liquor Law, eman-
,ting from the same sclfsuffcicnt source
We have said the charges against Judge
Davis are peculiar. They certainly arc.
lie Is, in effect. arraigncd on charges num-
Der /, . and 3, for not deciding certain
question rs Gov. Wells and the party 1.-THE
party, rcmcmber,) would have had him de-
eide it, Notwithstanding the fact that his
decision has not been passed upon by full
bench Of the Supreme Court, who may or
may not sustain il. The legislature step in
and declare that they will administer
punishment to Judge Davis for not viewing
tho question as they view Il. In other
words, Judge Davis has no right To an
opinion different from that which the "Col-
lition" party allow him to hold and act
upon.
The gravest charge brought against Judge
Davis is that contained in numbsr4, which,
Us wc wish to call special attention 10 1t, We
insert here entire:
" Because, the continuance Of such acts,
proceedings and assumptions OF the said
Woodbury. Davis, tends Ia produce insubJr-
dination, confusion and violence is Of dan
gcrous and pernicious example; coniOunds
the distribution Of the powers ofg)yernmcnt,
and tends to the subyersion Of the actual,
constituted and lawful authority Of the
State"
Now, If this be irue.-if Judge Davis has
done any thing which tends to produce
naturalization, confusion and violence, -
if his conduct Is "of dangerous and PERM.
cious example, "-if II " tends to the sub
version OF the actual, constituted and law
| full authority ,f the State. then, we say,
II Is the duty, the unqualified duty Of the
legislature to ippeach him, and the att mpt
to remove him '' by address" Is n snoaLiny,
skuiking. ooirdrdiy shrinking from the true
and lawful issue. IL Is clear peryer ion Of
the intent and meaning of the Constitution,
To remove an officer by address, after the
charges brought against him amount to a
/" nisdsnWdnor." Removal Shy address
was never designed or intended to apply to
cases where the specific allegations, II sus-
tlined, afford ground for Impeachment
Why then is not Judge Davis inpcdehed!
Simply because certain members Of the Leg
islature do not wish to he pat on their
~ oaths" 10 give this case n just and impair
tial trial, rs they would BE- compelled u, If
tbs process Of Impeachment was attempted.
The constitution has made Impeachment Of
an officer serious matter, and has surround
cd IL with ceremonies of solemn character,
calculated to inspire the Senatorial Jurors
with deep sense Of their responsibility
This Is wise and bcnc6crnt provision oi the
Constitution, especially intended to shield
and protect tho character Of public officers
from tho malice and injury Of partizan Leg
islaturcs. But tho " Coalition" disregard
the spirit Of the Constitution, and after Ia
boring TO fix upon Judge Davis charges
which afford reason for his impeachment,
they dodge the responsibility Of an oath"
and effect the removal by the more eSpcdi-
tious mode Of " address, They thus place
themselves somewhat IN the attitude oi that
honest witness who didn't mind nHiIga
lie, but was exceedingly reluctant to ''sear
10 It."
One OF the most palpable and grievous
outrages connected with this remarkable
procedure, is the hot haste with which IL is
Ia he despatched. Notice Of the charges
was served on Judge Davis only yesterday,
and he h rcrcnptorily required 10 apTea In
his defene at o o'clock A. n. on the 18th
inst. This allows him but SIR secular days
In which to prepare Tor trial involving all
that Is sacrea 10 him. trial In which shall
b. brought In issue his personal and official
reputation, and by which his standing
among men Is to he al cited for life. SIR
days allowed high judicial ofhccr to pre-
pare himself for such trial, when the law
IL 10 jealous and watchful Of Personal right,
that Il will not allow q man u BE- sued for
the paltry sum of hreniy dollars, except upon