Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-05-05

t NoAc Svoo Oaie 10 know his man be-
fore his name is presented.
Y. Hes the State suffered any dst-i
ment by TIE present democratic mode ~
electing the Judge? Has experience If
serious defects and danger in this system
OF venality and corruption in the Judge. G
and in the peoples representatives who
have elected them, been so great and
damning as to imperiously demand that
one man, and one only, shall forever here
after dictate the names Of the men who
are to occupy the highest judicial seats in
the state? Let the past history Of this
State answer these questions. We are
not cropping in the dark. The people Of
Vermont have thoroughly tried this sys-
tenn for nearly century. They have the
light of experience and history to guide
them. They point with pride and exul-
tation to the galaxy Of illustrious judges
who have adorned the judicial bench by
their erudition, their greet and faithful
services and their spotless character. High
on this list they viii point you to the
honored names Of Harrington, Richard
Skinner, Cornelius P. Van Ness, Charles
X. Williams. Titus Hutchinson, John
Mattocks, Stephen Royce, Samuel S.
Phelps, Jacob Collamer, and in later times
the names of Redfeld, Poland, Adds,
Peck and Pierpoint. They will point
YOU to the thirty or forty volumes OF Yer
mont Reports as evidence Of learning,
ability and exhaustive research not ex-
celled in any State in the Union. What
other system of election can produce bet
ter results than this? Let these people
who have so long realized its benefits
decide.
VI. But the greatest objection to this
mode of appointment-an objection that,
by its magnitude, dwarfs all others-re-
mains yet to be stated. Until within q
recent period the interests and pursuits Of
the people of Vermont have been mainly
agricultural. Quiet, frugal and indus
trious in our habits, as our history shows,
there was 10 disturbing element, no COM
bination of interests, no oyershadowing
power that threatened the purity Of cleo
lions, sought to control and make .subver-
lent TO its behests the great masses o.
voters, and endangering our free institu-
tions, and laying Geige to the very citadel
of liberty itself.
All this is now changed. Great corpo-
rations encircle and Permeate the State
with railroads. Other corporations,
armed with dangerous powers and mo
nopolies conferred upon them by special
acts of the Legislature, combine with these
greater corporations in one general con-
certed system Of efforts to control all
to Office; to control the cleo
finally, TO gocau tle Ssrl.
Humiliating as it may lee 10 our STATE
pride and boosted freedom ana equally
before the law, yet it is our duty to look
the matter square in the face, and bow 10
the authority Of stubborn facts. What
are the facts for nothing Is gained and
much lost by suPpressing them. They ]
have been too long suppressed already.
Can any one doubt that a conbinatioL
Of these great interests viii control ths
elections, unless all good citizens unite
and combine in self-defences In the all
seuce of vigorous aud combiaed oppo.;-
ton on the part Of the people, is it not IL
the power of the railroad corporations 10
elect the Governor and a majority Of the
Senate every year? Have they not done
it for the last seven years ? Can there b
doubt on this point?
Now let US pause for "A moment and -,
what bearing these facts have upon tha
subject under discussion 1t is wei
known that these Corporations frequently
have great litigations il the Courts. They
are full of lawsuits aud many a time re-
list an honest claim for years rather than
.reate what they term "a bad precedeur
BY p wing it. One Of these Railroad Cor
oorations 10y its Trustees has been fight
ng huge lawsuit in the Supreme Court
nd Court of Chaucery for five or si-
ears, It has employed a troop of lawyer
the best legal talent in the
State. 1t has paid out immense sums Of
money taken from the earnings Of the
Dad And sll this has been done, We
low learn by the final decision of the
Court, to resist an honest claim of several
hundred thousand dollars, secured by q
irst mortgage on the road. Bear il mind
hat during four OF these six years We
lad railroad President for Governw
md for the other two years We had {
Governor supposed to be in the interest,"
", and fully committed TO, railrca. 4
Still further, rememts
hat, during two Of these eventful yes 4
We had a railroad President for Govern Il
who was the actual party in this railr13
iuit, resisting. by all the means in biz
power, the collection of an honest debt
Here then comes the fual point at Issue
.ud the main issue l. the case to be de-
.ermined by the people. Supposing 1is
amendment to the constitution had been
,dopted seven years ago. giving the noml-
nation of the Judges of the Supreme
Court Saying nothing Of their appoint
nent) 70 tue Governor. The G0YaA.-
hen makes the Court. fer no man can he
Judge unless his name Is endorsed by
he Governor. Is any one so blind ard
infatuated as not to see that no man
would stand a chance to be elected Judge
Who was not right on railroad questions
nd railroad management both in and ont
f the Courts 1t is said that "Corpo-l-
ions have no souls" Certain it Is tby
ever do things by halves. They nsTa,
top to higgle about means when the!
ave an end in view. In all their schen'
ngs and undertakings the one great
entral idea and object is-sUCCEss. They
want laws in their favor. They want The
decisions of Courts in their favor. And
n order to do this they must pack and
ontrol caucuses-they must make The