, 1870-12-26
-.,..IAL SALARIES.

1
a..aor Of Coke npon Littleton," and
one Of England's most honest Judges, that
while sitting at circuit, on certain case
being called. in which a wealthy gentleman
was plaintiff, he asked, SIS not this plain.
t;G. the man who recently sent mo a
buck 2"
'tYes, your Lordsbip. he replied, sit has
been my custom to send buck to whatever
Judge slonld come down to this circuit
from time inmemorial" 4.But cannot
hea. this case" answered the Judge" until I
hare paid you for your venison.'' "Then,"
said Sir Knight indignantly. II withdraw
my case. Iwilinottry it before Judge who
suspects me of bribery, for rendering an
ordinary hospitality" ssAud l." replied
Sir Edwa1d Coke, scan not Afford to re-
ceire even hospitality where it may he
mistaken for bribery"
This was punctilious integrity, hut the
true Judicial officer will never be satisfied
with Ices. What can tbs people do 10 sus-
tain their judiciary above suspicion: The
question OF salary is not Tho only or ALL
potent influence in this respect, but it has
much 10 do With it. Judicial salaries il
intended to secure the services Of men Of
liberal talents and the highest integrity,
should be judiciously liberal. For Judge
who has not m Independent income can.
not we'll be an independent Judge. Our
new State Constitution prohibits our
Judges from performing any duties other
than Judicial, for which any compensation
or euao1umeuts may he derived. This
limits their income TO their salaries, and
the interest md rents they may be entitled
to from the investment of their private
property The lust is source to which
the State has no right to look, and does
not look, for The compensation OF its
J1dgeA Practically, there is no refuge
for Judge but to live within his salary,
or resign his Office. A Judge, moreover,
must look to his salary as the only source
from which to provide for the future, and
fur those years Of declining strength and
increased expenses, which, to most men Of
sufficient reputation to be judges, ara not
for OF.
Our constitution, while allowing tho
Cook County Judges the same salary of.
$4,000 a year as is given to the Judges in
o'hef pafts Of the Stale, Recognizes tue
1hct tbat lhe' laoofh required u thc0 are
uuch more protractcd, arduous, and d'fh-
c''f, and therefore empowers the ieg's'a-
tire to prescribe an additional salary TO he
l'aid by Cook County. The Judges Them
selves have, We believe, petitioned that
fI.;s esfsrv Ina pafie 81 nm and +hnuuh
they are the parties pacaniaFily Interested,
yet, from their known character, their esti
mate is entitled to the highest respect It
ma, he no argument to say that this ia Civ
I'M, TO the entire eirht Juiipes soue ;sYo. I'M,
lesa than has heretofore been paid to a
siur1e county, officer. The fact il worth
no1iup. howeyar. for the benefit of those
who suppose that money il to be saved by
employing men in Office ou lower to.ms
than ,heir services are worth out of office,
! Much official corruption has beon tendcr1y
treated in Illinois because the salaries Of
| the 1udpes themselves have been eled ont
br lec;,istive subsidies whose constitution.
| alitv would not stand the test of a judicial
| dnr;sior, before th.sa very Judcea
Let M pay our judges SO fairly tha. they
may always be selected from among the
| fit,v best LAWYERS in Cook County. Not
ono of the atty has IN income Of less than
~, 900, or works harder for it than he
would do as Judge. To ask any Of these
to accept Judgeship, even atthat salary,
might occasion a loss Of income to which
they would submit. But to ask them to
accept s., 600, or s., 900, would he to e1-
c!ude them from tho office, and to dr-'r
ppop lawyers Of the SECOND lad third
classes 70. officers -s'on whose integrity,
| f,....s,. ,,.A 1mpaftiAlItv danenQ the