Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-14
JuDscIAL CONVENTION.

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Tie new Constitution makes the
judges election by the people. 1t is
not now necessary to discuss the wisdom
or improyidence of that provision, be-
cause il stands as an accomplished fact.
If it is right and expedient that the peo-
pie should elect their Judges, it is legiti-
mate that they should use all means ne
cessary to the exercise of the power, so
as to choose men whose lives, characters
and qualifications as lawyers and gentle
men afford some guarantee OF capability,
honesty, fidelity and capacity in the adj
ministration Of justice The Conven-
ton which is to meet is no political Con-
vention- it will be a Judicial Convention.
1t does not meet TO select politicians as
candidates for political office. 1t is to
meet as judicial Convention, to select
suitable men from the bar Of Shelby to
he First and Second Chancellors and
Law and Criminal Judges for the Law
and Criminal Courts. If the people have
the power to elect, have they not the
rightful power where negro or Radical
Judges may be appointed, who are likely
to be incompetent and corrupt, by want
OF harmony among honest mem to meet
and agree upon the ticket they would
prefer? The one right is accessory to
the former, and follows as a corrollary
thereto. Conventions may be regarded
by some as an evil; but, like many
others, they become, under GER
tain circumstances, necessary evils,
Governments, penitentiaries, jails, are
all evils. The whole machinery of Grim
inal Justice is an evil The rope and the
rallows are evils. Armies are evils.
War is an evil. Notwithstanding this,
they are evils which cannot be dispensed
with. They must be controlled and
turned to the best possible account by
the best means in the power Of the peo-
pie, and made to work out good for
society. The negroes and Radicals are
now banded together to monopolize the
judicial offices of Shelby, and to corrupt,
az heretofore, the channels of justice.
The speeches of Barbour Lewis, A. 5.
Mitchell. and the letter of W. j. Smith
at the negro celebration, are ominc1s OF
these things. They will vote together,
on the principle on which buzzards flock
10 the earrion. They are as certain to
vote for negro or Radical as that
negro loves Radical and Radical pre-
tends to love a negro. Their instincts
bring them together as naturally as
bodies come together that have an affinity
Cor one another. The only difference
between the negro and the Radical who
wheedles him, is that the negro is enti-
fled 10 the greater confidence Of the
TWO. The negro is sometimes res .rained
from the commission of fraGd. theft and
knavery by a sense of iniquityi the ~hite
Radical never, except by the fear
OF punishment. Let him who intends to
act and cooperate with the negroes and
Radicals, oppose the Judicial C0nren-
ton. His action will accord with his
intents. But every good citizen who Is
opposed to negro or Radical Judges,
with the corruption they would counte-
nance IN the judicial department, can
have no objection to the people coming
together to compare notes and to select
the best men from the bar TO fill the
judicial Offices of Shelby. Any man
who will be elected will belong TO one
marty or the other. Hewill be Democrat
o.. Radical So it always has been.
Chief Justice Marshall was q Federalist;
Chief Justice fancy Democrat They
had the integrity of soul and sense OF
honor 10 lsave their politics behind them
when they went on the bench. Men
should he chosen by the convention who
can do this. Where is there a Radical
lavver in Shelby who could or would
The renegade from the Democreis 20 tho
regroes and the Radicals, is less 70 be
trusted ,Ass the negro and the Radical
he who will seN himself before the cleo
,ioa viii sell himself on the bench after
he Is installed. When Il Is considered
how strong tue negroes and Radicals ssei
and that lucy are as corrupt as strong a
convention q honest men becomes
necessity. in order to fill the Judicial
Offices with able and hsasst Judges. 10
div;d. "a to be conquered, saa TO give
The ,.c,ory 20 negroes and negro-iiadi-
Gala and TO pat fhe judicial ermine on
the shoulders Of negso-Radical Judges
with whom 1t is as natural, ~ Shelby, to
l.e.corrup, as it is for geese 20 20 bare
soosea and polecats TO smell ofteFflSs
Remeuter William Hunter : ndminisifa-
ZION Of jrsfice in Memphis, who impris-
ossd Democratic editors; AID take warn