, 1873-04-11
JUDGE LAWRENOE'5 DISTRICT

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JUDGE LAWRENOE's DISTRICT.
Tho cail upon Judge Lawrence to be candi-
date for recollection to the Supreme Boncl, mndo
by tllo lawyers Of the Fifth judicial District, and
Lis lottor Of acceptance which were published
in The TRIBUNE Of yostortlny, furnish just
grounds for tho beliof that he will DO returned
to tile position which he laB occupied 80 long.
Tho district embraces thirteen counties, aud 1T is
said that every 1awyor In tho district except ton
OF twolvo has aignod tho call and that tllcso ten
or twelve persons were absent from home or
could not bo roaohed. In go unanimous an nc
tion Us this, tho lawyers may bo Baid to embody
tho sontimonts Of tho peop1o, II ia tho lawyers
md not their clients who deal directly with tho
courts. It is thoy who roprosont tho people in
all litigation, and who can bost Judge Of tho ht-
ness Of man for passing finally upon tho
probable tint tho people Of tho Fifth District
will bo inclined to 60 buck Of practically una,-
imous decision Of the lawyers that Judge Law
ronco'a ability, learning, and integrity demand
lis rotontion on tho Supreme Bench. It Ia
scarcely probable that a lawyer can DO found IN
tho district who will care to DO a candidate
against him. And it is not to be supposed TINT
anybody not lawyer will bo elected to tho su~
promo Donch.
Thoro has boon worry decided reaction in the
public mind regarding the Supreme Court decis-
ion In the case Of the Chicago l. Alton Railroad.
Tho excitement was based upon nero rumor. It
was reported TINT tho Supreme Court had sus~
tanned railroads in unreasonable charges and un-
just determinations. Tho farmers know that
tho Mclean decision waa reversed, and that was
enough. They listened to speeches TINT wcro
made Mt their mectings, and letters that wcro nd
dressed to thom all basod upon tho rumor. But
they did not stop to road tho decision. They
thought they know what that was. Certain DEM
agogues, anxious to avail themselves Of tho op-
portuuity to ride into favor with tho farmors
continued to misload them. AIr. Castle, state
Senator, wrote them q 1ottor, based upon tho rs,-
NOR, md suggested to them "to royorao tho su-
promo Court" which lotter ho has since boon
compelled to rocant. Mr. Potcre, lawyer who
had hoen in Chicago for aon,o time. returned to
Ills former home in Princeton aud preached
agninat tho Supreme Court because 1t was in
loaguo with monopolists. As Chief JuBtico
Lawrence had delivorod the opinion in the caso,
ho became tho target for tho inliscriminate
abuse and denunciation, Tho farmers were not
greatly to blamo, as class, for they had been
misled. They arc not n people who read and
analyze judicial decisions. They seize upon tho
main facts as thoy are interpreted from tho do
cisions In public uttorances. Tho .facta In this
case Nero misropreaentod.
It required tinao to diRabuse the public mind
Of tho falee impression which had boon mado
upon It. Gradually, however, tho decision itsolf
corrected tho wrong construction whicl, runor
had put upon 1t. Men Intelligent enough to
understand it, and honest enough to toll the
people what it really waa, Blosly elbowed' tho
domagoguos out Of tie way. Mr.. Potora hnH not
boen heard of latoly; NIr. CaBtlo acknowledged
that he had written uudcr mteapprohenaion;
Mr.. s. II. Smith has withdrawn hin opposition
to Judge Lawrence. It came 10 be known tint
the Supreme Court, lnstcad Of deciding against
tho people and i'll fnyor Of tho rail-
roada, decided against railroad oxtortion
and discrimination. Tho decision In tho
Chicago l. Alton caHo pointedly declared
TINT railroads may DO forced tudicial1y to rotluco
eztortionate charges, and to abandon unjust
discrimination. It laid down tho principle Tint
competition a!ono docs not justify discrimina-
ton. When tho farmers learned tEat tf,is was
tho moaning OF the decision, and not what 1t had
boon ramorod and Intentionally mIarepreaonted
to bo, thoy began to take q different Wow Of tho
Supreme Court and Of Ohlef Justice Lawrence.
They aent thoir representatives to Springfield III
tho rocont convention to domand that d law
should bo framed which should moat the exi-
gonoies Of the oaae according to law. They u.s.
sembled In convention aud paaaed q resolution
to tho same offoct. They concluded, like sensl-
BILE people, tint 1t was better to SECURE their
righta according to law, than to overthrow tho
law In order to catch larks whom tho Hlty falls.
The opposition to tho re-elccliou OF Judge
Lawrence may, therefore, be regarded aa vr-
tually ended. His letter. accepting the Invita-
tlon to DO candidato must add strength to hH
position boforo the public, 1Ie refers to tho
movement which threatened to run a class
candidate for Judge Of tho Supreme Court az tho