Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-06-01
SUPREME BENCH.

SUPhEME bEnCh.
The first Thursday in August is rapidly
approaching, when the election of SUI
preme Judges will take place in this
State. We are warned to take the pre-
cautionary steps to secure a competent
and fair judiciary, and not permit again
this important branch Of our government
TO pass under Radical control Some
may croak about making party nomi-
nations, as they would about any
thing else, though what they surmise
might not be contemplated. tits exceed
ingly hard to please every one; and we
endeavor to please the greater number
by doing what is regarded, as manifestly
the interest of the whole people. Con-
cert Of action on the part of our friends
is known to be essential to the success
we long for, and to achieve this can only
be done by using the party machinery.
And further, it is believed, and on good
grounds, that the Radical party does
not contain honest men enough to fill
the Supreme Bench of our State. If
that be true, and we have no right to
doubt it, then it becomes even more i'm
portant in the election of judges by the
people, that the Democratic party which
is free from general corruption, should
assemble and select from its members
the men who are to discharge the high
functions Of Supreme Judges. 1t is inn
practicable, however, for the party to as
semble as an entirety, and must it adopt
some feasible plan Of giving expression
to its wishes. This can only be done by
delegate conventions appointed for the
purpose. SO far we agree with the dis
finguished writer in yesterdays LEDGER,
signing himself "Justitia," but differ
with him as to the material that shall
compose such a convention. He favors
unhesitatingly a convention Of lawyers,
while we favor such an assemblage Of the
people. Lawyers may be better acquaifit-
ed with the professional attainments of
LAWYERS than the other classes of the
community, but for that they are not
justified in asking the exclusive exercise
of power belonging to every one in the
State, even the most humble and ignor-
ant Of the people. 1t is not demagoguery
TO write this since the right of selfgov-
eminent belongs to us all, and should
not be attempted to be wrested from
present hands until they have been found
incompetent to its proper exercise. III
the legal profession be granted the right
of nominating our judges, it is virtual
surrender Of the entire power into the
hands of the few who compose this pro
fession. We are hardly prepared for a
thing of this kind now, and the people
would, no doubt, choose to transact their
own business in politics. As to divest-
ing the nominations from the faint Of
politics, spoken of by this letter writer
it is not aimed at or desirable. We want
1t understood that the men brought out
by the Convention, should it be called,
are straightlaced Democrats, without the
least smell Of Radicalism about their
garments. To this extent and no more
are we in favor of party nominations for
judges. 1t is better to take the animal
at once by the horns and not coquet
with him, or we may find ourselves
worsted after all. If Democrats are not
elected to I'll the Supreme Bench Of our
State, then be assured that Radicals
will be. We should meet the issue pre-
scented 70 us by the opposition in a firm
and decided manner, that the end We
desire may be attained. An example Of
the kind has been furnished in the cleo
ton of Democratic judges in New York,
aud even in our own county Of Shelby.
These are two Of great many instances
of the sort that might be mentioned.
We favor a Convention Of Democratic
delegates, to be called to nominate
candidates for the Supreme Bench; and
if those whose duty it is to govern should
deem 1t proper to FIJI that Convention
with lawyers, We shall not condemn
it. But in no case viii we consent to
surrender our right Of selfgoFernment
into the hands Of the legal profession,
who, indeed, are a small part only Of our
.rreaf nolitical societr. Il