Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-04-23
From the National 1ntelligencer.
An unworthv Act.

The Boston papers bring us intelligence
OF an unworthy act Of political intolerance
and injustice which reflects deep reproach
on the elevated character Of the venera.
BILE Commonwealth by by which it
has been committed. That upright and
independent magistrate. Judge Loring.
has been removed from Office by the Gov
ernor Of Massachusetts, in accordance
with an address to that effect by a consti-
tutional ma ority of the Two Houses of
the Legislature. His offence was firm
and faithful perform Of his duty as U.
S. Commissioner in the restoration Of q
fugitive slave some years ago, at Boston
"A Case which caused much excitement
at the time, and which doubtless our rea-
ders remainder. This blow al the inde-
pendence of the Judiciary, in cashiering
Judge for iDfexibly following his eon>
science, even in the face Of popular pas
sion and intimidation, has been struck
where we should least have looked for it.
Ills moral courage and honesty under tue
circumstances. should have commanded
the respect Of even those who condemned
his judgment, and his conduct deserved a
statue rather than disgrace. We are hap
Ply. however. to find enlightened presses
Of the North of all parties. censuring this
unwise act Of political prescription. The
Boston Traveller, the Journal and other
papers of the free soil party condemn
it in unqualified terms. The last named
paper boldly says:
"The Legislature did an unwise and
arbitrary act in passing this address at
the instance Of few misguided fanatics,
supported by women aud boys who have
been csjoled into signing petitions for re-
moval. 1t is an act not called for by
public sentiment, and will recoil upon the
perpetrators. 1t is disingenous. for
there are no reasons given in the address
why Judge Loring should be removed,
while those which were brought forward
in the report of the committee that report
ed the address have been pretty thor>
oughly refuted in the course of the dis
cussion."
The Providence Journal, a leading pa
per OF the free soil party. justly observes:
1.-The removal of Judge for an official
act in which no corruption is alleged.
and no incompetency is charged, is ve-
ry serious matter. and we think that the
CLdIe VI MaSSdCnuSeLLS Will nave AOuu-
dant reason, in the long future. to regret
it. We believe in the independence Of
the Judiciary as absolutely essential to
the Republic. II the decision Of the
Judges are to be overhauled by the Leg
islature, aud :hey are to be removed on
pretexts that would not subject them to
Impeachment. this independence is lost"
The New York Courier denounces the
act both unwise and unbecoming. 1tsays:
1.-The removal of Judge Loring is
much to be deplored. both for its effect
upon Massachusetts. and upon the couu-
try generally. for the movement for the
removal. has from the beginning, been
animated by vindictive, venomous
spirit. Those who really wished him dis
patched. were very few. until the leaders
OF the extreme and fanatical faction
whom he had offended in the Burns mat
ter dashed those who were reasonable
with them upon other subjects into flu
ry upon this"