Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-01-15


Apology for the Supreme Judges In
the Fillmore County Case.
On Tuesday last we briefly alluded to and
contradicted, the statements of the Daily
Times, contained in an article of Thursday
the 9Th inst, wherein it makes q weak and
silly attempt to gloze over the gross and par.
tizan action of the Judges of the Supreme
Court, in their decision allowing Writs 0,
Aandamus in the Fillmore County Election
Case, commanding Mr.. Colby, the Clerk Of
the Board of Canvassers, to issue certificates,
against the decision of the Board, to the De.
mocratic candidates for the Senate and House.
This article Of the Times, thus before alluded
to, is intended to do wide mischief; and il
seems therefore expedient, that we should
notice it more in -extenso than we did on Tues.
day.
The Times, knowing that it is powerless,
even for evil, under its true colors. tries to
give some force to its shallow attempt, by as.
Stunning to be, and by twice or thrice, in this
single article, pompously and anxiously as
sorting, that it is "a Republican journal !''
But skillful as its managers may deem this
kind of tactics, and frequently as they may
assure the public that it rs Republican -
the position of the Times, wherever it is as
well known as it is here in St. Paul, is fully
appreciated at its full of political and moral
corruption, by the Republicans of the State
and we can assure its astoundingly sharp and
stainlessly pure corps EDITORIAL, that the
cowboy" policy has been practiced toe
long, too glaringly, and with too little success
by that paper, to succeed now, even with the
late addition to its editorial staff of the "old.
est editor" who, all alone by himself as we are
bound to believe, does in these latter days
the articles on Judicial reform!'
Without either responsibility or influence
without veracity; without position in eithe,
party, and to say the least, often strongly sus.
pected of being in the pay of members o.
both, at one and the same time: the Time.
should be exceedingly careful when it at.
tempts to Jfnesse, as in the article in question
to cover up the "clouen FOOT" or its employ.
ers will punish its stupidity by withdrawal
of the very limited supply of oil, with which
its conductors manage to keep its dim and
sickly light barely Pickering in the socket.
But to leave the editors to their reflections
let us take look at the article alluded to-
Referring to the petition for the Writs o.
Mandamus, it says:
THE motion was argued some three weeks since
by j. B. Brisbin, Esq. for the applicants. and by
Judge Cooper of St. Paul, and Daniel Norton
Esq. of Winona, for the RESPONDENT"
In reply to this, we will simply reiterate
what we said yesterday, that as far as Judge
COOPER is concerned, it is untrue. The whole
credit both of preparation and argument o.
the case, is due to Mr.. NORTON alone. The
former gentleman had nothing to do with it
but the purposes of the author of the article
would not have been attained, had his name
been omitted; these purposes being, first t.
show, that leading Republicans made party
question of it; and secondly, to crafty the
malice of those who, for reasons heretofore
explained, have an intense hatred of that gen
tleman.
Now, let us look at the apology offered by
this Times writer for the course of the Judges
of the Supreme Court:
''In these latter dayso judicial REFORM wher
men are nominated and elected as judges by tn
Although this is partisan decision in the broad
est and fullest sense of the term we are not dis
posed so much to censure the Judges who have
promulgated it as the system through which they
have been elevated to their high places
No, indeed of course not The Judges
should not be censurcd 1t is the "systcm'
that did the outrage on the rights of the peo
pie of Fillmore County! The Judges arc
not to blame! Not they! Surely it is 9
shrewd thing for the Democracy always tc
have pseudo Republican Journal here in St.
Paul, to insinuate their. defence
But to speak less ironically, this language
is from press, which, twice in this article
tells the public it is Republican !" and that
too in referring to the preparation of wrong
which strikes at the fundamental basis of Re-
publican institutions the right of the people
alone to choose their representatives, and the
exclusive right of the representative body
without the interference of 4 coordinate
branch of the government, to alone decide
questions concerning the eligibility or disputes
concerning the valid election of its members
1t is absolutely maintaining the propriety Of
taking from the People the power of choosing
their own representatives and of placing that
power in the hands of men who are almost
Irresponsible can for the time being act
with impunity as despots-the tools of a fac.
tion-clothed in little brief authority How
exactly consonant with the sentiment of the
article of the Times, which sneers at the peo.
pile of the State as incompetent to select their
own officers.
Mark the extracts and the italics: "In
these latter days ofjudicial reform, when men
are nominated and elected as judges, By the
people,"
To this modern editorial Justinian, to whom
the old Roman Emperor was a fool, the Pso-
pie, it would seem, should have no more DO
itical rights, than the bred Scott case A"
would give to the man of African descent.
And this it calls "Republicanism We
rather think it is no more genuine Republi-
canism than the election of his favorite Mr..
SIBLEY to be Governor was honest, when we
all know it was "6ogus!" =
See what happy agreement there is be-
tween the Times and the Democratic bench of
Judges. Says the Times substantially: the
People are incompetent to select their own of.
hcers: so says in effect, FLANDsAu, ArwArER
and ENNEr; and forthwith, they put in prac-
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