, 1873-04-02
cult Judge holds court from 10 q. IN. It'll

or 9 o'clock p. H., with MI intorinisaion,
at noot, aid has summon vacation Of two or
throo month";, II tho business OF tho Court nc
1t Ia allowed to tako It's course, and
aoonor or later tho Legislature brings relief by
tho numbcrof Judges, or by author1z-
lug tho Judges of 'otlor circuits to como to
thoir aasistance. "Junus statos, and 1t ia u,,-
truo, that tho Supreme Court, whom in
sesaon, works from O'Clock a. m. It'll 10 o'clock
P. 1n., and somottmos lator, not always except |
Ing Sundays, in order to keep up with tho busi-
ness. Fiyo months In tho year arc thus devoted
to tho hoarng Of oases, tho discussion and royH-
ion of opinions. The interim ia employed In
tho opinions, OF which oaoh Judge has
botwcon 90 and 100 to wrlto during tho yoar.
The preparation Of an opinion involves
tho reading Of tho briofs and argu-
menta on both sides, and tho abstract
OF tho record or tho record itself tho oxaml-
nation OF oil tho casos cited mud oyery point Of
law that is 1nado; and, In ono word, auoh cir
oufnspoot hnd searching attontion rs aEa neceB-
Bary to final decision. Whom 1t is known that
tho work Of supromo Judge in the dAys OF
Ko,,t, and pareons and Marshall consisted Of
writing ton or dozon opinions during tho year,
tho extont of tho present work may bo properly
estimated. For tho rest, It ia well known among
lawyers that tho work Of tho 8upremc Judges
ia incoBsant. They keep thoir bu5inoss well
cloarod up, md thoro are now /, 100 opinions on
flo which havo never yet beon reported. For
labor like this tho sum Of $4,000 Is paid
to lawyers Of wido learning and large OK
porionco, who could readily earn from
100000 to 100000 in private practice.
At tho sano tiuo tint tho judicial salaries were
tixcd tho SALARY and foos Of tho etnto'a Attorney
for Cook County wero 80 regulated Us to insure
an income Of $4,000 por annuul, - sum equalto
tho combined salaries Of three 8upromo Judges.
1t Is not only caimod that tho salary OF q ST.
promo Judge Is dlsproportionato TO his scrvicos,
much loss than he could oar, In private practice,
aud inadequate to his personal and family OK
pensos, but 1t ia also asserted with considerable
reason that tho distinction which has boon mado
has had tho effect Of cheapenIng the supromo
Bench In tho oyos Of tho people. It Ia undoubt-
od1y ono of those circumstances that exert m
influence upon tho average sentiment Of the poo
pic. "Junius cites az nn illustration In point
tho harnnguing OF a town-moeting by tho Btate's
Attorney, In which ho endoavored to roll upon
tho Supreme Court tho plumbers that ho had
1nado IN tho trial Of oasoa which had boon
rovoraod. Whom tho speaker roferrod to apar-
tioular royorsa BY Chief Justice Lawrence, ono
OF the audience cried out "now much did he
get for it?" and tho speaker answered, II don't
Know" though he know perfectly wc1 that
Mother tho Chiof-Justioe nor any Associato~Jus-
tico On tho Supreme Bench Of Illinois over re-
coiyod bribe. The same disposition to i'm
peach tic integrity OF tho Supreme Donch in an
unlerhandod, Irresponsible, and low-dung way
has cropped out in varlous newspaper articles
and town-meotinga, but NO doubt whether tho
aalary question had anything to do with It.
The conclusion Of this statement OF tho grlev-
ancea OF the Supreme Judges is that Judge
Thornton has done well to resign, and thero is
IN intimation that tho other Supreme Judges
had better follow his example. There ARC inli-
cationB that this stop has boon aeriously contom-
plated. Judge Scott has announced his intentiou
to resign, and Chief Justioe Lawrence has do
tornincd to make no effort for re-oloction, Or to
countoraot tho falae Impressions which certain
demagogueB havo spread among tho people who
arc agitated on tho railroad question. Tho ros-
ignation of any Of our Supreme Judges ut the
present tfmo Ia to be seriously dopreoated.
Whatovor grievances they may suffer at tho pres
ont moment, it Ia tloir duty to retain thclr
placos un til the public mind ia in calmcr con-
dition than at present. Their rcsignations at
this time would endanger tho charac-
ter Of tho supromo Dcnch Of tho Stato.
There would DO dangor that interruptions and
| corrupt adventurors would succeed In n'control-
ling tho court Of lasb resort, No chango
could be so detrimental to the best interests Of
tho State as tlis It is in timos of public, COM
motion that tho Supreme Bench becomes the
| bulwark Of public safety, as afforling calm,
undisturbed, and impartial roview Of haaty lcgis'
lation aud dangerous .procedents. So long as
our Supreme Bench has men like those who now
adorn 1t, thoro In no dangor that ita decisions wi
be Influenced by corrupt neana OF misdirected
rage. It ia tho duty Of those gentlomon to stand
by their post leaving 1t to time to justify thei1
course and remove their grievances.
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Arorkor,, jo,,rrs1 recaf1a an inciinnt of thu