Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-09-23
AN INnrpr>rnr>r Jrn,c,Apv A


the most influential men of that county, of
both parties, to place in nomination peo-
ples's candidate for Judge. The meeting
was organized by appointing Hon. f. w.
Hughes President of the Convention. Mr..
Hughes has been life long democrat, and
the leading spirit of the Democracy of
Schuylkill county, as well as of the::States
for many years, but believing rs we do
that the Office of Judge should not be a par
tizan one, and the Democracy of that
county, like in this county, having placed
upon their ticket candidate untitled for
the position, he does not feel disposed to
submit to the low trickery which has been
so long resorted to in the nomination of
candidates by the Democracy, to fill the Of
fees with men totally unqualified, either in
a moral or intellectual sense.
Mr.. Hughes upon taking the Chair, as
President, made the following remarks,
which are as applicable to this county as
to Schuylkill
GENTLEMEN Il feel much gratifled at
the unanimity with which you have called
me to preside over your deliberations. Pro-
badly no Convention ever assembled in
Schuylkill county whose members were ac-
tuatcd by purer motives, or destined to pro-
mote and give life to a greater public good
than this one. Most conventions having
in view the nomination of candidates for
public office, are composed of members who
are or expect to be sustained by the patrou-
age of organized political parties. Not so
with this Convention. Scarcely ten days
| 4. IL 4 Ill .
sprang from and places into form and
working efficiency sentiment wide spread
yet most commCndablc among our citizens.
1t is to lift our Judiciary above the mire of
party politics-to make honesty and legal
learning the qualifications and tests of ft-
ness, rather than mere partiEanship, cspe-
! clally when it sclzcs as its champions can
didates not only unfit mentally and moral
| ly, but who would positively degrade the
high Office of Judge.
| In our government partiEanship is not
desirable in the Judge, but it is q condition
most to be Stunned. The Judge on the
bench who owes his election to mere party
nomination, enters upon his office only
with the obligations Of gratitude to party
friends resting upon him, but with the im-
piled pledge to serve in his office those who
have placed him there. TO this extent he
|
his office and to practice the most grevous
wrongs. Neither order or good morals can
prevail in II community where the law
administered BY incompetent or dishonest
Judges-is thus made uncertain and unrc-
liable, and the people therefore lose respect
for the law. Happily in this County the
Judiciary has as & general rule been pre-
served free from the bias Of partizanship,
and with firm and honest heads ana hearts
our Judges have mctcd out justice 10 the
humblest citizen and tho most influential
alike, and without fear favor or affection.
| The good sense Of our people, in many no.
table instances, has secured this result by
| ignoring party tcalty i'll the selection OF
Judges.
In the Republican City of Philadelphia,
Democratic Judges have been supported
and elected irrespective of party. The re-
peated majorities given in that city for
Judge Sharswood proves this. So also for
Judges STROUD, Ludlow auu uyt,crs. Only
last Fall the Republican county of Craw-
ford ,tRepublican by about 1900 majority
vicU:eu v.>-Chicf Justice Lowrie, Demo
tcrat whose party fealty cannot be doubted,
by about 600 majority. l address myself
particularly to my Democratic brethren in
this Convention and throughout this coun-
ty, and ask them, are you willing to adj
NIT the Republicans to be more patriotic
than you are ? They rose above party and
sank the politician in the good citizen in
voting for and helping to elect those Dem
ocratic Judges. viii my fellow-Democrats
allow themselves to be distanced by Repub-
licans in these manifestations of love for
country above party? l trust not. |
don't believe they will. For one, as life
long Democrat, faithful to my party among
many who were fithless, l shall confess tC
no superior love of country, and willing
ness to,make party sacrifices for the public
good, on the part of Republicans to Demo.
Gratis On this subject of making the iu-
dietary an exception to the binding force o.
party nominations, claim to be entirely
consistent. No Democrat in Schuylkil
County can show more consistent sup
port Of party nominations than myself
And yet, as early rs the first election fol
judges under our amended Constitution, il
1851, disclaimed allegiance to the nomi
nations of my party, and helped to elect q
Republican Judge. L believe this the only
political dercliction of which l have beer
accused, and yet i. is one which | have nj
ways rs frankly ayOwed as do now my de
termination to oppose and help to deiea
recent nominations Of my party for Judges
l do this because these nominations wert
not tit to be made.
The people of Schuylkill MS well rs in thi
county, feel too much the need of goot
Judges to place their property, their liber
ty, and their lives willingly at the disposa
ofignorant and unit Judges.
Mr., Hughes in speaking of the propose,
new amendment of the Constitution, says
tits approved of by Democrats as well ~
Republicans. Aud well it may, for unde
its operation the people Of New York hav
secure,! Ire best bench of Judges they eve
, had. We elect two Inspectors Of Election
in single district, 50 too we elect two Ju
ry Commissioners ia each County, yet il
each case the clector eau vote for only one
1t iollows that each patty .hus gets an OF
lice. This principle Democrats have sup
r ported aud will soon help to Incorporate u
the Constitution Of Pennsylvania, Doubt
less we shall soon have Convention II
this State TO amend our Constitution, an'
3 hope no one will bo sent from Schuylkil
, County who does not favor the principle q
minority representation. Yes, my friends
, this principle is right. II Is democratic Il
its purest sense, because IL gives 10 all PEG