The New York herald., 1873-10-24
THE BAR ASSOCIATION.

Present from Bancroft Davis-Read-
Ing OF . Special Report Advocating tho
= Resumption OF the Law OF Appoint.
ment Of the Judiciary-The Elective
System Bitterly Denounccd-OnlyO Ono
Dissenter.
The New York Bar Association held a special
meeting last evening at their rooms in Twenty
seventh street. The attendance was large, as an
important report was to be read and ruled upon
by the members. The Vice President, Mr.. Charles
Tracy, having called the meeting to order, Mr..
Eaton drew attention to seventeen very hand.
somely bound volumes of all the papers ana docu-
ments in the Alabama case and the Geneva Arbitra-
tion Conference, which had been presented to the
Association by Mr.. J. @. Bancroft Davis A vote or
thanks was rendered to that gentleman.
Mr.. D0RMAN B. EATON then read o very lengthy
report advocating the abolition OF the system or
elcctng Judges of the Superior Courts. 1t was the
many stigmas cast upon the legal profession by the
action Of certain corrupt judges who had been
elected by ballot that had caused the Association
to be organized. There had been and still were
great scandals In the Judiciary, and the safety,
honor and purity OF the Bar demanded that the
Judges OF the higher Courts should be appointed to
Ofiice by another system than that at present In
vogue. The Association had determined that the
system OF election to ONCE was erroneous. Prior
THE ELECTIVE SYSTEM
came into use there had been no scandal, and the
Judiciary was as pure as any In the world; now 1t
was notorlously impure. In Massachusetts, and
England the Bench was irreproachable, and this
was to be accounted for BY the manner In which
its occupants were appointed to ONCE. The Judge
who reaches the Bench by the contests Of political
parties cannot be without temptations, and IL is
almost impossible for him to be impartial on
count OF partsanship. The method of local judi
ciary election was fatal to the honesty and prob
ity Of the Bench.
THE sovEREINGTY OF THE PEOPLE
would not suffer II the judges were appointed by
the Governor Of the state and approved by the
Senate. The change would not deprive the peo-
pie OF their prerogative, as they would be repres-
en- ted by their Senator's and corrupt judges could
be more easily impeached than under the elective
system. The statestlcs OF arrests showed that
crime had been alarmingly on the increase since
the adoption OF the present system In 1s46, and all
voters in the State should be earnestly in favor OF
returning to the old manner OF appointment and
strongly oppose the election Of the judiciary.
At the conclusion OF the reading OF the report
Mr. Price said that he dlssented from its adoption,
and delivered lengthy speech In which he en-.
deavOred to prove that the system OF appointment
meant the consolidation OF power, and as such was
an encroachment upon the rights OF the people.
Mr. Prices speech was naming one, and contained
many personalities. % &Gt
on the question as to the adoption OF the report
read by Mr.. Eaton being put, Mr.. Price's was the
only dissenting voice. II was then moved that 1t
be printed and distributed, and the association
adjourned until next Tuesday, october Is, at eight
O'Clock II. M.