, 1869-11-17

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WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER II. 1869
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TIE JUDICIARY OF ILl1nols,
One Of the duties Of the Illinois Coasti.
tut,ous1 Convention will be to reorrauize
the judiciary Of the State, and, as thisis not
I, ,'.ucesion in which there is any partisan
rEd involved, it il probable that the work
will I've aeceptably done. There are several
gentlemen now holding seats on the bench
wto have been elected to the convention.
ard they will be Of great assistance in
fr4mi,g new snd satisfactory plan. The
l.,s,ns, IT The judiciary Of this State is m
Lonnrntie one. The evils and
c.ime, which have marked tho admin
ietsataua o. Justice in other States have
Fever existed in Illinois. Therc have been
>url! ,uen and weak men on the bench
but their Integrity has never been ques-
sionea. If. unlct Lew organization, the
State can preserve this record, it will in-
deed be fortunate.
In The constitution Of 1878 it was pro-
,i,'td sbat the judicinry shuull consist of
eu- supreme Court, md such inferior courts
IS the Legislature might establish The
Sur,eue Cours vas originally composed Of
fMsr Justices, with power in the Legislature,
after 1921, to add another Just1ce. The
Judges Of all kinds were to he elected by tho
Lre7satnTe. ny Jo1ni bAllot. and were to
f'''d ounce curing eooa oehas1of, unt'1 JAN
nary. '@-i alter which umc the Supreme
t'"1:tt Eas to be organized by a new elec.
si'n- and thereafter the Justices wero 70 hold
''i'ier 'anring good behavior From 1918 to
l>.4 seeJrstl1s Of the Supreme Court we're
~ r+rs.ru: duty as Circuit Judges, but after
that tune thry were not to be required to do
ri unless a.y direction Of the Legislature.
All other Judges were to be commissioned
hlerise dnricg good behavior.
In lss1 the Legislature increased the SD
rrcme Coust to Eve members, and estAb-
E,terl five Circuit Courts and elected the
Judges. but, in 1927, again abolished the
cu.,rts. and required the Supreme Judges
to DO circuit tluty. Some years later, the
C;rrm, CourtS we're ar,ain established. The
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State "'"s Democratic always IN its c1ceu-
tive departments, anu generally SO III Tho
. Legislature; nevertheless, occasionally,
there VIA Wing elected TO Office. The
piau Of selection adopted was for the man
hers of The Legislature, from the Judicial
Circuit OF district where there Was a
raean CT, to meet in CAUCUS and nominate
candidate. States Attorneys we're
elected in the same WY Occasionally
these nominations were not accepted by the
General Assembly. aid there WAS great
deal OF t1ad1ng-be Whig minority often
voting with one faction Of the majority
party for favorite candidate, receivzng a
jntgeship OF some other Office in return for
Its vote. votes Tor judgesh'Ps weFn also
ttnded away Tor votes Tor special legislation,
~ Other pet jobs This continued until
about is''sr when an Important question
Asosc upon tne 11ent OF an unnaturas1zed
'eoaoltant oi the state to vote. This
had been denied bs a . Wing Judge in one
:" tne circuit courts, and the case was
'&Sen I" tie oIprene Court. The question
WIS one having q direct bearing on the
strength OF political parties in the approach
THE-- kS1