The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-08
MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1866.
The Approaching Judic,a, E,oo,,on-

county of Philadelphia-on President Judoa
and two Associates, as they are desionoted
The election, or rather the selection. of tbesa
Judges is the most important duty that ever
devolved upon thinking freeman. 1t occurs
only at distant intervals, and involves his
dearest rights, interests, and liberties: il NAV
affect his life, it may affect his liberty. and
either more or less operates upon his pro-
perty, dead or living. The stations TO he
filed or renewed are now occupied by Judges
Allison and Pierce, the latter of whom was
nominated during the current year, but the
former, now President Judge, is tried vete-
ran in the service, and has been in commits
sion either as President or Associate for the
long period OF fifteen years
Such an election should not be restricted
by narrow party views, but should take a
more expanded aspect; and man should
not be chosen for such situation because he
is partisan, but for his learning, probity, and
talents. The Court over which these gentle
men will be called upon to preside is one of
the most important and powerful in the State.
1t is a creation of the Constitution, and not
OF an act of Assembly; and by an accu-
mutation of powers given to it from time to
time by different acts of Assembly, its pre-
negatives have grown as extensive as those of
the High Court OF Chancery in England. Let
the people reflect upon this. important sub
lect' The Court over which Judge Alli-
son at present presides, for which the
judges are to be elected, is the
Court of Common Pleas, created by the
Constitution, and which can only cease to
exist when the Constitution itself shall cease
to exist by the will OF the people, 1t operates
with various functions, and by means of
bill, answer, and DEGREES thereon; reme-
dies defects, prevents injustice. and supplies
the deficiencies of the common law, etc. Its
functions as an Orphans Court, Registers
Court, Quarter Sessions, and Oyer and Ter
miner, are wide, varied, and extensive As an
Orphans Court, it attends to the settlement
aad adjustment of estates after we are dead
and gone, superintends the conduct of execu-
tors, administrators, and trustees; sees that
they do their duty, Furnishes their delin-
quencies, removes them if necessary, makes
them give security, ETC.; appoints guardians,
takes care of minor children, sees that
their rights, property, and persons are Sc
cured, guards their interests; protects the
widow; settles, adjusts, and distributes, ac-
cording to law and justice, the property of
decedents, and thus controls and supervises
with jealous care the millions worth of pro-
perty OF such city as Philadelphia. As Re-
gisters Court, it also interferes to prevent
wrong in testate and intestate cases; sees
that administrations are granted to the proper
persons to whom by law they belong-pre-
vents injustice from being done to children,
friends, relatives, and heirs, by scrutnizing the
conditions and circumstances under which
wills were made and administrations granted;
granting issues to try their validity, and, in
short, securing to the unprotected, friendless,
and tatherless that protection which even the
grave cannot ravish from theml Again, as a
Quarter Sessions, what extensive powers
are vested in their hands, such as
opening roads, streets, and alleys; fixing
the damages to be assessed upon peoples
property for so doing; appointing prison
inspectors trying all the lower order of crimes,
assaults and batteries, riots, conspiracies,
frauds, to cheat and otherwise injure, lar
cenies forgeries, robberies, fornication and
bastardy tippling-house cases, bawdy houses,
nuisances, desertion cases of wives and chill
dren; and then, again, sitting as the highest
court of criminal jurisdiction for the trial of
the highest offenses, such as rape, burglary,
highway robbery, mayhem, homicide,
every species of manslaughter, murder in the
second and first degrees, and thus holding in
its hands the issues of life aud death. Can any
situation be more responsible or important?
And after enumeraing all these powers,
have we not said rightly in the beginning that
the selection of men to fill this court was of
the last Importance to the interests OF the
people of this great city? OF all the candl-
dates now in nomination the Hon. Joseph
Allison is the only one who has been
thoroughly drilled in the practice and conduct
of the business of this extensive jurisdiction
by the labor apd experience of years. Judge
Pierce is but beginner-a good lawyer, but
has only had few months practice on the
bench, and is not yet competent as leader,
but will undoubtedly make a good and
humane Judge. The only man among the
candidates fit and competent, we repeat it,
as leader, or Presiding Judge, is the present
incumbent, Judge Allison, the President.
Fifteen years. apprenticeship have formed
him. He is the only man, at this moment, IN
this community capable OF handling the reins
ofthis powerful tribunal. he alone thoroughly
understands its practice and operation, and to