Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-09-05
The almost certain success which at.

= 49,
= -
| The almost certain success which a,
tends any case that Mr.. Page under
takes, has added to the list Of his eli
ents the names Of mary who have al
ways been in the ranks of his strouges
opponents. Would this be so if h
were personally dishonest and unre
liable? Finally, upon this point. anon;
that class Of persons to whom he i
known and who have not some unwor
thy motive in opposing him, no suspi
cion exists that he is wanting either i,
capacity or integrity.
We now come to the question Of eli
gibility--cnd that. the objectors may
have fair treatment, VIC quote the Cou
stitu,ion and then state their objection,
under it:
ARTICLE ".
SrcrloH q. No senator or representative
shall, during tho time for which he is elected
hold any Office u~aer The aathority Of tho Uni.
ted States, Or The State Of .xinnesota, except
that Of postmaster AID no senator or repre-.
sentative shall hold An Office under tho State,
which had been created, " the emolumcnts Of
! which had been increased curing the session
Of the Legislature Of which he WAS . member,
until affap thA ~ k:s
term Of otics in the legislature.
Their fret point is, (ras, for NO sup.
p"ee they have abandoned that now, to
make way for the candidacy Of Hon. J.
Q. Far.'er,) that the Legislature in
creating the Tenth District, created q
new Office. Upon this point, the case
Of Mr. Pses aud that Of Mr.. Farmer
IRE parallel, and the Reg;.ter does
not no" urge tho first objection. It
will not be urged unless Mr.. Farmer
shall fail to beco,ne a candidate. There
is nothing init. The Constitution Gre
atcd the Office Of District Judge. The
Legislature mas never doue it, nor has
it the power to do it.
The second point is, that Mr.. Page
was elected to tho Senate for the term
of two years, and that if elected to the
office Of, Judge, he cannot qualify until
January let 1874, the date Il, which
his senatorial term will expire. The
gross ignorance Of law displayed here,
and Of the history Of the promotion Of
men in all the lines Of political life,
would justify the dismissal Of SO puerilc
an objection, without comment or cx.
PLANTATION, but We yield to folly what is
due to wisdom only. and vouchsafc a
courteous reply
Should the people in November next,
elect Mr.. Page to the Office Of Judge,
he will not by their act alone become
entitled to discharge, the functioas Of
that Office. Why not? lie must pre-
viously stake and subscribe an oath"
as prescribed BY law. Being Senator
he cannot assume the duties of an Of.
6ce: incompatible with the one he al
ready holds. The law compels no citi.
zen to service in any department, cx-
cept for crime, or in defence Of the lib
critics Of his country. .,. .-
: Having accepted any civil Office, the
incumbent may resign it at pleasure,
and in the event of his election to the
Judgeship, Mr.. Page may at any time
thereafter, render himself eligible to
take the proper oath, and to enter upon
the duties Of his position. Upon the
point urged by the Register, Mr.. Pages
eligibility will be- contingent upoa his
power to resign his Senatorial office,
and upon that point alone. In other
words at any time after lis election
to the Judgeship; Or before he may
resign his present position, if he can,
and legally enter upon the duties
which the new Office may impose. The
Constitution 6xes Mr.. Pages :. Sen.
atcrial term, i. e. itlin,it. It to too years.
He cannot hold . scat beyond that time
without a reelection. Is IN off :er
obliged to serve out full term !!
May he not escape from the pertoru-
ance Of official duty by resigning his
place And if he resign Is he not just
as eligible to aaother position as though
he had never held a place Of public
trust? -, ~. :,.. H..
= We want to be clear upon this point,
and will put tho case in another light,
and use familiar illustrations A
man in this village was County Trea:
surer; he resigued-withous stating
what for, it will be sufficient to say that
it was not for the purpose Of accepting
a more honorable position rendered him
by an appreciative const;tuency.-
Another man held the Office Of County
Auditor. Impeachment proceedings
for alledged malfeasance were in pro.
gress against him, under a Commission
er appointed by the Governor IF the
State. The official resigned and escap.
ed the consequences Of IN Executive
judgment.
If the Registers friends can resign
so effectua]ly as to escape the ccnse
quences Of corruption and cr;n,inal;,y
cannot a faithful public servant return
to his people the trust which they hat
committed 70 his care! IF this wer,
otherwise there would be no point to tn
apothegm, "Mcn die but never resign
We think We have sufficiently
for the present, at least, noticed The
objections that are personal to the can
didatc. Our attention shall now be
given to another feature Of the Regi.te,
article. Some time ago the Preston
Republican, in speaking Of the opposi