Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-04-10
TOT tNe OPeC1VtOT.
judicial Election.

Messrs. Editors Having shown, in your pa
| per OF 27Fh OF March, many evils that effected
/ the Judiciary Of Virginia, under the Constitu
tioD adopted 29tb June, 1916. and the amended
Constitution adopted January IA 1880; that
Tie life tenure Of that eys5ein, not only made
the Judiciary 'nslepe ll79e ot tbs people but
equally srresponstbte; tlas it elevated the Judi
cary above the people, and thus destroyed al
sympathy between them; and that It's tendency
was to the tyranny of the judicial Office. and its
character foreign to the genius of our instiJu
tions, / also proposed to show that many OF the
evils of that system continued to effect the pres
ent, under the amended Constitution of August
1st, 1851. This | now purpose to do, and then
show hoao and by what means Mr. Fulz and
Judge Thompson became candidates for the
Judicial Office as well as their difference
showed that that system not only elevated
the Judiciary above the people, and had g pow
erful tendency to destroy all their sympathy
with the people, but to make them inaccessible
to the people | further showed that from ne
cessity, the Judiciary OF that system must have
been selected from only second or third rate
lawyers, and, then, proved them by argument to
be kind of aristocratic nobility, and as little
accessible to the people as . petty German
Prince. Was this showing and proving too
much9 If SO, unwilling ths. the slightest in
concede the fact, and thus aoate the allegation.
In showing them to be kind of aristocratic
nobility, did not intend that they were an aris-
tocracy of aoealth; for many of them, believe,
possessed comparatively moderate estates; but
meant aristocracy OF rank and prl0ilege. Did
not this follow from their having been elevated
above the people-inade independent of them,
and irresponsible to them: and did they not
most conclusively prove, by their whole inter-
course with the people, their desire and claim
to be regarded in that character! Their want
of wealth, while q great Inconvenience, could
never detract, in the slightest degree, from their
pretenslons; tor, according to the most reliable
information, at least one-half of the nobility OF
Europe is really poor ; but this difficulty is re-
garded by them no cause for not remembering
their rank for preventing their boasting of the
antiquity, power, and dignity Of their respective
houses; for not being allowed to TELL I'D AbituDa,
their idle dreams of future glory; or for look
ing down upon the people with contempt-as
an inferior class of beings.
Why, even the petty Justices of the Peace,
having had, also, life tenure of Office, under
that old vicious system, and neighborhOod ju-
risdiction OF taoenty dollars, with power to keep
the peace, as their name implies and togther
constituted the County Courts of their respect
i've counties, in some parts of Virginia, am in
formed, actually regarded themselves a species
of nobility, and, th US, above the people. And
the evil did not stop here; for the t1malies of
these petty chiefs were also ennobled, because of
the same superior blood and their connections,
because OF their relationship.
1t should be remembered that these Justices,
having individually had only neighborhood ju-
risoiction, were generally required to be SO To-
Gated, as to have one in each neighborhood for
4 cd nf ho hut
thought by some, to divide their jurisdiction a.
lnong themselves, so as to prevent any conflict
Of authority within ther petty dominions
Here w had class OF lnen, with their fami-
lies, frequen.lY connected with each other, scat
tered over part OF tie state, regarding them
sci yes above the people,, Independent Of them,
To them, and claiming TO be kind
,i lristocracy, or OF the First Families of Var-
q5nao here u class, without any superior claims
GO virtue or intelligence over their neignbors
looking wise talking loud and consequential, ont
frequently speaking and acting foollshly, claim
ed homage from the people, and to be addressed
in a manner acknowledging their superior rank
and authority, usually BY tue name, 'esQulre
or Squire" This suo-aristocracy, | am in
formed, composed not more than halt the JUS
tices, but were found distributed with some de-
gree of regularity, in almost every county of
the State.
They were great admirers and defenders of
the old system. because OF the life tenure feature
of the Judiciary, with its independent and ire
character; while they hated and op-
posed the new, because it took off the veil of
their fancied superiority, reduced them to their
proper level, gave the election of the Judiciary
to the people, and held them responsible to the
Legislature, and, also, to the people, by limiting
their official terms. For the honor of this Judi
cial Circuit, it ls greatly to be hoped that few,
if any, of such characters were found or tolerat-
ed within it's borders. If, then, have shown
that petty Justice of the Peace, because Of his
life tenure of office, bis independence and ire
,ponsibility, although having anly the jurisdic-
d,,llarc nd-+ho .irCuit ,f a I