New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-26
Ntu ORLEANS AaiIu Crescent.
OUR IupIcrARy sYsTEM.
MONDAY MORNING, MARCH &c, 1860.

MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 90, 1860.
OUR JUDICIARY SYSTEM
The Legislative session just concluded must nave
the merit OF one wise act, at least, conceaeo 70 "
We refer to the increase of salary granted to the
Judges. The laborer Is worthy Of his hire, and II
we desire to have competent men, we must pay
such price as will secure their services. Much
has been said Of late years as 70 the low tone Of
our Judiciary and the system Of popular elections
has been charged with the responsibility. But any
system of appointment would fail to furnish men Of
eminent ability Il the salary provided was Insult.
cient to rsmnnerate them for the sacrifice Of their
professional emoiuments.
Let them be paid, then, In style becoming the
dignity of their position, and commensurate with
the Importance Of their service. Economy ID laud
able, but that Is false economy which, for pal
try few Thousand dollars saved would place In the
hands of incompetent men the lives, liberty and
property Of our citizens. 1t Is too delicate trust
TO be let out to the lowest bidder, and we should
not be content with an inferior degree Of Justice
when its more perfect administration can be Sc
cured by little more outlay Of the revenue.
We doubt, however, that this is the only cause
of the evil and that the remedy just suggested
would prove complete. Another vital error in the
system will probably be found Id the elective prn-
ciple. II is something new--an experiment of late
years-and one which trial has failed to commend.
We indebted for this innovation to the radical,
disorganizing spirit Of Democracy, which sweeps
away old landmarks without remorss, and despises
the admonitons Of experience II it happens not to
zee their force.
The people are she source Of power, therefore
they have the right to choose all Of their officers
and therefore they should do It, II they can chooss
President, they can certainly select Constable,
and they are even more directly interested in the
choice of their own immediate neighborhood
officers than Of those who are more important but
more remote. The President can hardly manage
to annoy US, but the village postmaster may be
very disobliging and rude. Such is the train OF
reasoning, and quite captivating one at first
view. 1t strikes the mind as being but the honest
carrying out of principles to their logical ex
tremes, and very few persons would perhaps see
the error unless forced by An unfortunate ex-
perience TO investigate the subject more closely.
The people are certainly in our Government,
the source OF power, and have an undoubted
right 70 elect all their employees it they choose,
but ii does not follow that twoud be TO their in-
terest to exercise that right In every instance.
Any man of common sense will see at once that
officers in the army and navy ought not to be sub
iected to short terms and popular elections. No
one, perhaps, would advocate the election of
Clerks of the Legislature and the Governors
Private Secretary by the people. There IL then 4
line Of demarcation, and the grand sweeping prin-
cple of leaving everything to the people directly,
must be abandoned.
There are then, some offices TO which the peo
pie should elect and some which they should NOT.
What is the distinctionf To answer this we must
j 1900. ag5s5 7, ..-, -, -, ,!5S'
oapaoiiy anu ihUeiess "hch 1ne peoPie nave Gu
Gent interest in the office. let them vote. Tins