The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-05-17
The judicial Election.


this district, to be voted for on the "a OF next
month, and give the reasons why we prefer
Judge Lawrence to Mr. Craig; but we ma
the case so much more fully and ably pre-
sented in the following paper, that 'uruicf
discussion on our part is superfuous Natu'
rally, one would suppose, the FREE TRADER
would prefer to support Craig, democrat 10
Lawrence, q republican; but the deeper inter-
est we feel at present in the success OF the
farmers movement against the monopolis's
outweighs party considerations, and in behah
of THAT movement we deprecatc as most inJu-
rious and unfortunate the commission OF such
blunder as the election, through the lnstru-
mentality of the farmers, of Mr.. Craig would
he. on a platform like that adopted at Prince
ton upon which no man fit to be Judge can
bonorably consent to stand. The names at
tached to the annexed paper are alone suili'
cient to give it abundant weight. 1t is dated
from Knox county, and is addressed
To the Farmers of the 9th Supreme judicial
District.
| As the two candidates for Supreme Judge
reside in this neghborhood, and are perhaps
better known to us than to the farmers through
ont the district, we have been frequently
called upon to give a statement in regard to
their character and their attitude toward the
farming community. We do so cheerfully,
as we are all engaged in farming and are
deeply interested in the success OF the move
ment to bring about measures which will
bring us relief from monopoly and cxtortion.
Judge G.. Il. Lawrence has been well known
to us for many years. He was for long time
an eminent lawyer in Quincy, and retired
from the practice on account OF i'll health, to
a farm in Warren county. The farmers of the
district, with great unanlmity united upon MN
as a suitable candidate for Circuit Judge of
this district and it is not too much to say
that it was the farmers who secured his nom
nation and election twelve years ago to that
position. As the Judge of our Circuit Court
he gave satisfaction to all the people, and
such was his popularity among all classes,
that the people of the district were unanimous
in his favor for Supreme Judge, to which
position he was elected nine years ago, almost
unanimously. He was man of great ablli-
ties and there was never a suspician against
his integrity, either as Circuit or Supreme
Judge. The objection that is made to him is
that he decided against the interests OF the far
mers in the celebrated Chicogo, Alton Il st.
Louis railroad case which was appealed
from Mclean county so far as this decision
is concerned, the court was unanimous in the
opinion, and it is hardly probable that a de-
cision could be made with such unanimity UNI
less the Constitution and the law were as the
Court decided. 1t would have been of no
avail TO us to have gained decision in our
Supreme Court which would have been re-
verscd by the Supreme Court of the United
States But in this very case Judge Lawrence
pointed out to the Legislature the proper
course to pursuc--to pass law upon the
railroad question which would stand tire
The Farmers State Convention, at Springfield
passed aresoution endorsing the decision of
the Supreme Court, and the Legislature has
since passed a law in conformity herewith,
and the Springfield Register in late issue,
states that this same Alton road is regulating
its rates in accordance with the new law.
Now it seems to us that we want just such a
Judge as this unpon the Supreme Bench, if
we expect to be successful in bringing monop-
oles to terms Above all things we must
have men on the Supreme Bench who will be
honest with us and decide questions accord
ing to the Constitution, so that if the law is
not right we can send men to the Legislature
who will make it right
Mr.. \. Nj. Craig, who assumes TO be the TAR
mers' candidate for Supreme Judge, is also
well known us He was never elected Circuit
Judge of this district as has been frequently
stated The highest judicial Office he ever
held was County Judge of this county. He
started out in his practice of law several years
ago, by taking cases for the farmers against
the c. b. & q. Railroad Co., the only railroad
running through this county. As he was
adrot in selecting juries, it was necessary
that he should be slenced, and the company
| al
tents and purposes a railroad man, receiving
every year more or less fees. In case farmers
stock is killed, he is expected to discourage
them from bringing suit against the company
and to advise settlement when applied to foi
counsel, and in every jury case in this coun
ty he appears for that company when the
company is II party. In the celebrated case
of j. r. Clark date Road Master of the C., b
d o. IS. The City of Galesburg in which
the C., b. ~ q. was the real plaintiff, and the
object was to enion the city from holding IN
election on the question of issuing bonds for
the construction of Il competing road, to of
ford relief from monopoly, from which this
l. county suffers more than any other, Craig was
n the attorney for the C., b. Il G., and in the
management of this case was party TO pro
ceedlngs utterly uniustifiable by any rccog
nizcd rules of professional propricty.
l.
o late constitutional convention, is entirely con
- sistcnt with his position as railroad attorney
=, While every antimonopoly man was active
l. in devising schemes to bring the railways Ia
II terms Craig never once opened his mouth
n but was privately plotting against them. We
>, find him check by iowl with all the railroad
- attorneys in the convention, and always either
r voting against antimonopoly measures or
J dOdgtHg. This was 50 notorious at the time
y of the convention, that it was frequently re
; marked upon in this county. We find Grain
u engaged with Mr.. Buxton, the attorney of tn,
Ohio X Mississippi railroad and that Ii,
{ signed what is known az the original Buxton
=. report The object of these railway attorney,
e like Craig and Buxton, was To get provision
: into the constitution which, while il shoul,
seem to be in the interest of the farmers, woul,
2 really tie their hands. The Buxton rcpor
o was of course rcpudiatcd by the convention
q Now, a word in regard to the Princeton
convention and Mr. Craig nomination. Tn
j. only delegations to that convention havin
- lanN lilo nj having hoo