The Shasta courier., 1858-05-22
The Supreme Judgeship.

We observe that quite number of the indie
pendent, neutral and nondescript opposition
presses are earnestly arguing in favor of nomi-
mating for the Supreme Judgeship who are
not now and never have been politicians. This
is all simply the very quintessence of nonsense.
All lawyers of eminence, everywhere in the
United States, are have been more or less
prominently identified with party movements.
4 large majority of those who are leading men
in their profession, have been or are now party
leaders and political expounders, both in the
legislative hall and before the people The
proposition that man who is or has been in
politics is thereby rendered unfit to sit upon the
Benefit that because he has once supported the
Senatorial toga, he is unfit to wear the judicial
ermn is to our mind supremely preposterous.
Such a rule, if acted upon by conventions,
would not only deprive the Bench of the first
legal talent in the land, but have tendency to
keep out of our legislative halls many distin-
guished citizens who are pre-eminently quail
fed to sit therein. We heartily coincide with
those who oppose the elevation to the Supreme
not agree with those who seek to ignore the
claims and fitness of such asprants as may
have, In a marked degree, identified themselves
with political parties. We deem it an impossi-
Bile thing, In this country where all men are to
some extent politicians, to find leading lawyer
who is not a prominent member of some politi-
cal party. We therefore trust that the coming
Democratic State Convention will ignore this
singular and most absurd test of the qualifca-
tions of a candidate for Supreme Judge.
In this connection we are pleased to be per-
mitted to state that the name of distinguished
citizen of Shasta county will be presented to
the Convention candidate for the nomina-
tion for this exalted position. We allude to the
Hon. Royal T. Sprague. His eminent qualfca-
tions for the station well known to the peo-
pie of the State at large-his claims upon the
party are equally familiar to the Democracy. 1t
can be said of him with truth that he is sound
lawyer, q man of stern and unbending integrity
his private public life being unstained by a
single blot-and true Democrat. His nominal
tion is due to this portion of the +" great North,h
Wnlch mas never Deen nOnOreu Dy the Demo-
cratic party with a candidate upon the State
Ticket. That his nomination would be hailed
with pleasure by the people of this portion of
the State, will readily be inferred from the
following articles from Trinity and Siskiyou pa
pers:
We notice that the name of the Hon Royal
T. Sprague, of Shasta, is becoming extensively
spoken of in connection with the Supreme
Judgeship. We glad to see it. as we con-
slider him a man in every sense qualified for the
position. The Trinity Journal remarks as fol-
lows: Trekd Union.
We hope that Sprague, of Shasta, may be
nominated for the Supreme Judgeshp which
will be equivalent to election. Such men are
wanted there. The Supreme Bench has al
ready one of the first men of the common
wealth. Field has scarcely an equal for pro-
fessional capacity aud fitness for the place to
which he has added dignity. Sprague, we
think, is eminenty suited for place in the FILL
ing of which all partisan considerations should
be lost sight of.