Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-15
Tho way ohio Democrats Preserve the
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The Pro Slavery party are manifesting deep
interest in, and regard for Judge Swan, just
now, and we notice that some Of their papers
are even discussing the propriety Of getting
judge Whitman 10 toithdraiC from the ticket
that Judge s. may take his place as the Demo.
cratic candidate. This would be designed as
an expression Of Democratic appreciation ofthai
gentleman's independence, and disapprobatiol
Of the course Of the Republicans in not re nod
mating him. There is little probability, how
ever, that anything Of the kind will occur
This it not the first time that the Democrat
party has heard Of Judge Swan, or he Of theu
There are certain "reminiscences, running bad
some twenty years, which would not maxi sucl
q relation either desirable to him nor proftablet u
them. At the session Of the OHIO Legislature
of lS39-40, Judge Lanes term, 1--WE think II
was) on the bench Of che Supreme Court hav-
ing expired, the Democratic majority set to
work TO choose a successor The party had a
bobby them, as now; but it was F" B ank Re.
form" instead of "Populat Sovereignty. A
majority OF the leaders were seeking TO change
the charters of the Banks, without the consent
of the Stockholders, and among other things to
make the latter individually liable for The debts
of the corporation A minority, embracing the
more respectable and substantial members oi
the party, claimed that Bank charters were in
the nature Of contracts, and could not be chang
ed without the consent OF the Banks
Tue Democratic leaders in the Legislature
were J. Faran, now Z. NJ. at Cincinnati, David
Tod and Geo IL. Flood Gen. Hunt the pres
/ ent p NJ. Of this city, was in the Senate. The
"Tmpan" Gas the caucus of the Democratic
members was called), resolved that no man
should be chosen Judge, who, on the bench
would not recognize the right of the Legisa
| ture to amend or repeal charters at pleasure.
The two prominent candidates of that party
for the place, were Judges Reuben Wood and
Joseph r. Swan. The latter had the advan.
tage in standing as a man aud jurist, but was
not considered entirely "sound" on the Bank
| question To make the matter certain anl
avoid all risk, committee of the "Iin-pan" wa.
| appointed to interrogdfe the two candidates, C
ascertain how they would decide the question
| if it should come before them A proposition
so unprecedented and mOnstrous was rec slved
with alarm aud disgust by all parties but
relying upo party discp pline and the slash o.
Sam Medary, then in the zenith of his power
az elitor of The States nan, the leaders prepar
ed the interrogations and forwarded them
| Judge Swan, with prOmptness and indepen.
deHce which did honor to him and credit to the
| State, Indignantly repeled the insulting ques
tious, and told the questioners that if he wen
upon the bench, he must do so uHirammcLled Bl
pledges aud free to apply the law to cases as hi.
judgment should dictate Judge Wood, with q
| ~ cOphancy characteristic OF his political life
received the interrogations and promptly gave
The pledges sought
What, then, was the action cf the party that
now affects SO much respect for judicial nde.
pendenoe Did they elect the man who refused
to pledge himself! BY no means Without the
least hesilaney, they dropped him and took up
and elected Judge Wood, the pledged tool Of
party hacks ltwas no reliefto the great wrong
of this proceeding, because Judge Wood, when
Afterwards brought to test his unworthy pledge
disregarded it, and laughed at his patty for nav.
ing depended on an cxtra-j ldicial opinion.
We give the history Of that affair from men,
ory but think it substantially correct. 1t shows
tue utter insineerlty of all the present display
OF sympathy for Judge Swan, or regard for th,
independence of the Judiciary Toledo Biade.