The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-30

member of Congress-
Is there word of truth in the whole
charge or insinuation save the bare fact
contained in the intimation that the Judges
are elected once in two years Take the
| whole history of the state, since its admis-
sion into the Union down to the present
day, does it not give the complete lie to the
whole assertion, save, perhaps, in single
instance? Remember that the judges are
not charged with being bribed with a rail
road pass, being subscrvicnt to railroad
or other corporation, or with being cor
rupted by the Use of money, The charge,
however, is distinctly made that they are
wanting in independence and sclf-rcspect /;
| that they "dcsccnd into tho dirty pool of
"caucus :" intrigue for elections and are
''cross-cXamned by political committee
as to their political opinions before they
can obtain an election as Judge. Can any
one point to a single instance in the history
| of Vermont where an individual has, under
any circumstances, sought an election as
|
exception, to which we shall refer, has
| politics ever had anything to do with their
selection? In 1897, politics run high and
Isaac Tichcnor, federalst. who was then
chief justice, was elected governor but
| Israel Smith, a republican who, few years
| later, was offered a seat in Mr.. Jcflcrson's
| cabinet, was elected to the chief Justice
| ship. In 1893, for the first and only time
politics entered into Judicial elections, and
| Israel Smith was supplantcd but in 1901,
| notwithstanding the state was strongly
federal, the chief justicc-Jonathan Robin
son-was Il republican and was, by that
party, a few years thereafter, transferred
from the bench to the United States Sen
| ate. To come down to a later period In
1913, three out of the five judges of the
supreme court were opposed to the majority
| of the legislature and of the people of the
state in political opinions The same was
true in 1915 and in 1850, and with the ex-
| ception Of the ten years commencing in
1860, the minority political party has al
ways been represented on the bench. These
facts alone prove that our judges are not
| compelled to and do not, 'intrigue" for all
election, or descend into the dirty pool
''of caucus" for that purpose.
There is another branch to this dcnuncia-
| ton, charge or insinuation, which we will
| briefly notice, in connection with the first,
because, if true, it applies to all of the
| judicial tribunals of the state alike The
following is the language of the article re-
| ferred to, we quote its exact words "Our
''highest law court of general jurisdiction
| ''for the trial of questions of fact, is COM
posed of one chief judge elected by the
Legislature, and two assistant judges
| tics, every two years. Now, who can say
"that upon questions which create great
| public excitement, that this feeling of
responsibility to popular sentiment does
''level y This general charge, is, also, in
| the nature of an insinuation. embracing, by
its terms, both the judges of the supreme
and county courts and, if true, would be
of equal force in reference to judges of
| probate and justices of the peace. We be-
licvc that the people of Vermont have
watched the course of their judges with in
| terest and attention, because, being an in
tcllgent people, they know how much the
security of their persons and property de-
pend upon the integrity, impartiality and
legal knowledge of their courts. Now
Charles X. Williams presided in the county
court nineteen years; Stephen Royce TWEEN
| ty-five years Isaac +, Redfeld twenty
| four years and John Pierpoint, sixteen
years all OF them, except Judge Picrpoint
| receiving annual elections, and he being
elected i'll the same manner until within
the past three years, when the biennial sys-
TEN OF elections was adopted. We might
take the list Of judges for the past fifty
| years and, with two or three exceptions, it
will be found that each and every of them
served so long us he would, and only failed
| Of an election because he declined longer
to serve. Yet we are told these men have
no independence or sell-rcspect that they
| intrigue for reflections, and decide i'm
| portant cases, contrary TO law and fact
| for such is the intimation-that they may
continue to hold a judicial position. Is the
| position of judge of the supreme court OF
| Vermont so very lucrative, that men of
| talent, reputable men in the community,
| will sacrifice independence, sell respect and
honor and violate their solemn oaths in
| order to obtain reelection ? Go ask John
Picrpoint Asahcl Peck, lIoyt IL. Wheeler,
| Timothy T. Redfield and their associates
| and ncghbors, what they think OF this law,
vile insinuation, that they can make so
much money out of their Office that in
order to retain it, year OF two longer, they
sacrifice every thing that men hold dear.
ASK the fellow citizens of our living Judges
as well as the former acquaintance of
those now deceased, if they believe that
our judges are and have been men wanting
IN independence, self respect and honor, or
nave been in the habit of deciding import
ant cases for the political benefits they ex-
pected to receive thereby Go into the
different towns in this county and state,
and ask the residents if the judges of the
county court, who have been select
ed from their midst, are of this crinping.
debased, corrupt class, and the answer will
be fresh, strong and hearty. With the
people we will leave the matter, not doubt
ing, for an instant, what will be their
answer to this base calumny.
Coon LUoK.-P. j. Peterson and f. H.
Brandt, the original discoveries of the