Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1857-01-28
Election of Judges by the People.

Election of Judges by the People. |
AT the request of friend-a member of the Leg
islature-we publish the following extracts from a
letter addressed to him. dated Marion, Mississippi,
December 90, 1856: -..
81 have seen no paper but the Observer, and of
course very meagre sketches Of your proceedings |
but notice among them proposal to introduce the
election of Judges Of the Superior Courts by the
people, and for a term of years. I have doubt
but the plan has advocates. The Democratic party
of North Carolina, l think, stands committed for
some years past to :" Free Suffrage" and think it
likely, perhaps advisable, at any rate polite, to do
away with the property qualification required in
judiciary from the lowest to the highest by the peo
ple and it Is said to acork soeM casual observer
might think SO, but let man Of conservative senti-
mcnts, who has been accustomed to associate ideas
OF justice with the title Of judge to look the man
the independent expnunder of the law spotless
erminc, become acquainted with the way in which
they obtain the Office, the system of cectioneering
for it, the intrigues stumping and begging for IT.,
armng about Of litiganS. and often criminals, to Sc
cure their votes, exhibitions of piety and the deep
eXhOrtationS by some in churches to sinners 10
reform, the masonic aHability AMI zeal in the cause
of virtue and morality, in fact all the arts of the
willy politician made of 10 secure the place; and
l think but few indeed would favor the system. Our
benches filed almost exclusively by known poll
ticans the managers of the party. have seen three
art Used to votes The voting masses always
&c for the good of the party, and the management
generally secures the vote for some pet, be their
habits and requirements good or bad. Alabama
followed our example in eecting her Circuit and
Probate Judges by the people. Those now in office
in Mobile the parents OF X. N. ism there; they,
It is said, swore in nearly every member of the order
there, and have doubt if the voice Of the people
of either of these States could be heard fairly
expressed, it would do away with the system. Our
judges are not independent 1t is of common oc-
currence to hear disappointed litigants some row.
dy who has been fined for fight swearing they
will not vote for the judge next election. The pre-
sent judge of this district is intimate friend of
mine, aud one have known since the day ofmy set
tlement here He often tells me how he is approach
ed and though striving for independence, yet often
finds himself in rather inconsistent positions. Bad
as the appointment system, or the Legislative cleo.
tive system for and during good behavior may be,
and cogent mHny objections to them may be, they
are not so bad numerous by the people, because
they cannot be so public.
1t is possible that by prohibiting the judges from
holding the Courts in the district which elects them
making them draw by lot for their district after
election, might make them more independent, and
would doubtless be good proviso. l look on the
system of the two Caro- mas of selecting their law
ministers the best the United States; it is true
they smack Of ancient times, perhaps of arstocracy,
but they independent.
There seems to be a inania for railroads and banks
in your State. Some of these days your State may
get like this. (belind with her debts and whenever
question of payment is submitted to a vote of the
people, payment will stop, for the masses will not
vote to be taxed directly. l have seen that tried