Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-01
JUDICIARY.
J. b. Cooke, Of Chattanooga, for Judge
of the Supreme Court.

EDITORS APPEAI-Among the other
officers to be elected to-day is a Judge
of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacan-
cy caused by the resignation of Judge
Nelson.
Judge Mcfarland, temporarily ap-
pointed, is one of the candidates, and
J. r. Cooke, of Chattanooga, isanother.
Without meaning to detract from the
merits of Judge Mcfarland, who is a
fair mediocre lawyer, Orwithout intend
ing to eXalt the qualifications of Mr..
Cooke, we wish to call attention to one
fact, which ought to be considered. II
is question that, unless cOnciliation
and fair dealing is had upon it, is des-
tined to produce overwhelming discord
and division in the State. l mean the
question of locality. All central locali-
ties have pride in their influence, and
claim to be recognized in the political
lappreciatiOns. And one (tO-day1 OF the
most dangerous questions of harmony
in the Democratic party is the dispOsi-
ton and tendency of certain sections of
the State to absorb all, and ignore al
the rest.
/ 1t is believed by many thatsuppeT East
Tennessee, the region from which Judges
Deadrick and Mcfarland came, and
! Middle Tennessee about Nashville, and
! thence north to the Kentucky line,
think that all the rest of the Democracy
of the State is fit working materials for
their representative men. They ignore
| West Tennessee and the belt of Demo
cratic country some degrees below
! Judge Nicholson, in Middle Tennessee,
and wholly forget and slight the i'm
pOrtant and growing Democracy around
classic Chattanooga, Lookout, and
Chickamauga. 1t would be wise in
time to recognize and respect local di-
visional claims. 1t is folly to disregard
Just claimants until it is too late to sat
isfy them. Colonel Cooke is now the
representative man of the whole South
eastern section of East Tennessee as a
lawyer. The bar and the people of his
own immediate circuit are unanimous
and enthusiastic for him. This is a high
testimonial. Two Judges-Nelson and
Deadrick-have already been given from
upper East Tennessee. An oppor-
tunity now offers for another section.
And this open NAV is ready again to
swallow ali the entertainments. If
Judge Mcfarland, who has been. foisted
on the Governor, were above the COM
mon run, like Mckinney, that could
give name and reputation to the juris-
prudence of the State, well, it might
be that all local claims might be set
aside and another gulp might given to
East Tennessee. But this is not the case.
Judge Mcfarland is a very ordinary law
yer, as yet quite unfit for Supreme judi
cial Jurisdiction, but little above the very
common class of medium lawyers that
any county can produce. And withal,
without seeming to be so, as shrewd an
electiOneerer off the bench aSOne will find
among political candidates. Colonel
Cooke is worthy, excellent lawyer, a
true Confederate and a liberal Democrat
of the best school. He is located in a
growing, thriving and destined-to-be
commanding section. They put him
forth, and they unanimously ask the
other sections to respond to their just
claim. Let us give him a rousing vote.
1t is quite possible that Judge McFar-
land may be nursed by the sympathies
of the rest of the bench. This is an
esprit du corps. 1t is well known that
they cling close to one another. But
this is far from being an argument
against Colonel Cooke.
The Supreme Court at present has not
improved ON its predecessors. Its man.
neF of business, whereby one Judge de
cides the appeal literally and truly in
spires distrust, for there are many men
who had as lief trust Judge Morgan in a
ehaneeTy case as Judge Nicholson; and
Judge Heiskel in common law case as
Judge McF Farland. Hence the case is not
settled where these two Overrule the
other two. And yet this is the system.
One Judge in the Supreme Court really
settles the case. The consultations de-
r~s,lo IL
there are no dissents. 1t is harp of six
strings, played broadcast with the hand
and not with the fingers Let us see.
Where the . Examine Tennessee
law. Let us try a new man, J. B. Cooke.
LAWYER.