The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-12-09
pre.entment OF Judges.

The, grand jury OF Orange County,
mt the fall term OF the Superior Court,
Judge Tourgee presiding, made a
presentment, in the shape of pro-
test, against the Judges of our Courts
for engaging in political contests.
After showing how the judiciary
has been degraded in North Caroline,
the grand jurors say:
"The grand jury regret to see the
present Judiciary so utterly unmind-
full of the example of their illnstricns
predecessors, and especially in these
days of political chaos and social up
heaving. to see the bench descending
to the hustings, bandying vitupera-
tion and personal abuse with the bar
and with pot-house politicians--cach
theassnilant aud in turn assailei; the
bench charging the bar with larceny,
forgery and understanding; the bar
retorting that the bench had been
cd-S0ed by negro upon debt Justly
due, and forced, by this harsh process
OF the law, to pay the money. after
being called out and forfeiting his
bail! The bar also charging that the
bench was jail-bird and IL convict
from the penitentiary of Ohio! All
this very naturally ending in fight.
hetW eel the bonch and u member of
tho bar, rs the former journeyed on
his way to court! This breach of
peace between the bench and the bar,
occurring on the train and in the
ladies' cur, aud so much to their
terror and alarm, that the Conductor
Threatened to put the bench and the
bar of the train, Notwithstanding the
bar loudly proclaimed himself di-
rector of the roadl
"These things arc well calculated
to bring both the bench and the bar
into disrepute and to degrade them
Ill the estimation of the people The
bar should be the seat of all that is
knightly, chivalrous and true; the
bench tho abode of Justice, dignity,
integrity and calm deliberntion; both
should be above suspicion.
"Let the fountains Of Justice be
poisoned, and the water that flows
therefrom will be bitter as the waters
of Marah to all who drink of the poi
soned stream.
"The grand jury do present each
and every one of the judges, who
have taken open and active part on
the hustings, to wit: Chief Justice
Pearson and his Associates. Justices
Reade, Dick, Settle and Rodman; and
the Circuit Judges, to wit: Judges
Cloud, Jones, Watts, Henry, Russell,
Pool, Thomas, Logan, Cannon and
your Honor, as guilty of conduct un-
becoming the judiciary-always saw
ing and excepting Judge Mitchell;
and, instead of presenting, they do
thank and commend him for his po-
litical silence and noble bearing ns Il
Just and upright Judge.
"And the grand jury do unani-
mously and respectfully ask Of your
Honor, that, as part of the history
of the times, and that postcrity and
the judges may know what this grand
jury think of political judges, this
paper writing be spread in full upon
the minutes of the court"
We agree with the grand jurors,
that the conduct of many of our
Judges deserves to be rcprobated and
condemned. 1t may be, however,
that they have included the names of
two or three, who have not taken an
active part in politics since their
election as Judges. For instance,
we have seen no mention made of the
presence of Judges Settle and Logan
at political meetings, nor are we
aware that they have written political
letters for publication. We are not
positively certain on this point, but
we think Settle, Logan, Mitchell and
Buxton have abstained from active
participation in politics since their
election as Judges If they have so
abstained, they deserve credit-if
not, censurc. But there is no doubt
that such men as Judge Tourgee are
a disgrace to the judiciary of the
State, no matter to what party they
belong. Charlotte (M. c. Democrat.