The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-03-22


The 8 safe Convention Of Alslama hal
prop ALTON b~iOrs, IL (which We Lrlirv'
va al spsedl pro- id,nE for chang H.
the laWF making js'dges elective by p"Pu
lar vcAe. According to It's terms the az
Pein tment Of jus igrs OF the Supreme aud
Cir cult Courts nd ChsncOllOr-, is TO be-
vsst~d IN tho CO vernon. By aud with the
advice and csH i-eut OF the Sensle-lh''
present inc nnibcnts to REMAIN in ofhr'
during the tbne for which they werr
elroit.j.
Very ctr onE arguments may be sdduc' d
both for a. sd against the election ofIudgrr
W direct Volo Of the people. The custom
Is c.-riuin ~ more in conformity with tie
popualr aheory Of our Institutions thHt
al p-,war resides in the people-ih"t
public of5csxs arr public srryanis' and de-
rive tia ir astho,iiy frum and are directly
aoco'antsbls "a tue people. But then
may be rrplicsl that ours i rePresrn'"'
tive, GUvernuIcnt. not pure D~m"oracy'
Ir the th-siry OF usl uiited popular Gov
.rumrnt i 20 prevail. Why trouble oui-
selve. v ith expen.ivr machinery OF L~gi-
i.tur -. Caugr, see. nc even Judges them.
.-lvrsf wby not submit all questions OF
Government and right to the fountain
-ou'-oc Of power. aud let the people in
their primary cApacity decide them. Why
not make ali official Ir.r-onaRes. C..Linet
ofae r., Ambassadors 70 iorrign Govern
nru1s, officers Of the Army and Navy,
Judgss OF ths F. y-al Courts, POs,m ~
tsrs. AArshsls &c. dependent upon the
Pfulsr vote for th..r appoiutn.enls.
Thi- w.'uld b. carr, ing cut tue theory
which lies at the bottom Of the elrc,ion
~ Judge By the people. Any variation
from this, -, 10 iaat extent. a departure
from the real doctrine Of popular Cavern.
mcnt-a d~priying of the people OF q
portion Of their authority and vesting
IL b~yund their reach, in the hand,
Of individuals. Yet no one would foe
mum~ut entertain the thought Of
r~duong our Government % this radi-
cal basis. Il l. thus arp,rvut that I'll are
agreed upsn crrs.u Initial us bring
pisc,-d uPiu the popultr expression. The
principle having been ei,drd. IL becom-s
\ purely matter Of Exp, dIsney - to wnst
extent tbs huai,sti0n -hall H. impose d.
II y in tia. light that the mode Of rlrc-
ting Our judsdss !. ~ b. virwej and con-
-idrrod. Tue SIMPLE question Is. whrtli'r
% b~si cointorts with the public inteFrst
that they -hvuld b. elected ~ the people.
or appointed by thOs, entrusted with the
pcoils'a authority will b. the
suru-t method u securing pure sud allie
judges aud promoting the ends fer which
Laws aud judg.s are made. This u a mat
Ter Tor public Consideration. sal which w.
shall not take the trvuble to di-cuss. OR
ol5ect wss siIntly ~ shuS that the sp.
Poinini-ut OF judge. in-trud of the
elrctiun y the ui-s- e he Isci.l'. !. not
antagonists 70 the nuturr ct our Gweru-
nrut and institutions. Il /. wHthy uf re-
mark. however. that the frsm.r, of the
Constitution and foundrrs OF our @ rvrrn.
msut-. State and Federal. seem n-v-r 10
hsve Contemplated tbs election 81 Judge
By the popular vote. Their idea va that
the Judiciary sh"uld ~ rrudrred indie
pendent Of. and sbuve the popular cl,nor
and prriudice. 20 ~ to insure imp ,rtisliiy
and justice In the administration 81 the
judicial Ufiice. That he might mt in tx
pounding the lav and giving decisions in
volving the property .hd lives Of his EEL
Iow-iliI~u-. b. exposed TO the 1, mptaiion
q a-king himself how it would affect
bis popularity in tue next canvass. The
6rst innovation upon the practice found
~ ~ thess views Wa made Ia the radical
North, and has thence extended through
n-arly ell the States south Carolina. we
b.lieys, being the only state in which the
original custom Of appointment still -ex
i-ts Ia iis rntir-ty. And there is No other
5 ate vhrFe the tone OF public sentiment
!. % elevated. where the public liberty u
better secured. justice 50 perfectly admin
isterrd aud d m,gngi-m placed At 30 great
discount That Slate has preserved the
representative fraiure Of ito institutions,
and checked the tendency 10 rAdicslisn.
which carried 70 iis logical Consequences
At the North has brought the prraent
I 'svfisr gPTB-uta eJgH5yr riniS ton,
NEXT TO south csruiins ibe most d hsef-
vaiive Of I'll the Siates. only irw ysars
40 m de her judges elective by the PEG
pie. The chang has not given sRtisfac-
tim. and there are evident signs that the
fret opportunity sill be taken OF r,.-ch ing.
ing the Constitution aud returning to thu
old systrm.
The public feeling in Mississippi W.
b-li-vr. y in layor Of popular elections fu'
~ oficrrs. sud We do u',t intend by what
~ ssy to BE- UNDERSTOOD a. advocating =
diff-rrnt policy. Il is d--ignrd TO sho~
the people that there are two sid+s to thu
question. and ST them TO thinking abou'
it. The trndsncy Of free institutions lik,
ours Is to radie,,lism and from that to an
srchy Il Il this that We have chi,fy Ia
guard against. in the present. temper Of
the TINES. " We wouli preserve tn
hls.sings Of free aud stable Government
70 ourselves aud eur childr, n.