Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-01-23
Speech Of Judge Cook in the Con. Con.


more needed than change in the Judicial
system, and no question has been more
sharply contested in the Constitutional
/ Convention than the question Ms to what
that change shall be. 1t is ta; almost
unanimous desire Of the Bar Of this county
and of many counties in the State to abol-
ish the Probate Courts and have n Com
mon Pleas Court in each county, which
shall be open at all times for the transac-
| tion of business. To secure this our Rep
resentative, Judge Cook, has, with other
members of the Convention, zealously la
bored, but in vain.
The next most desirable change is that
which has been affected during the present
week, viz: A provision for the cleo
tion of a Common Pleas Judge in each Sub
district, instead of electing three in the dis
trict at large, as at present. During the
first week of the present session a vote was
taken on this question, which resulted in a
majority of two in favor of Sub-district
elections. This was reconsidered and again
carried by vote of 46 for to 20 against.
J We publish below the speech of Judge
Cook on this question in favor of the Sub
district election Of Common Pleas Judges /:
: am opposed, Mr.. President, to the eleciisn
ofjudges by triplets, in large districts, with
: its twin heresy, cumulative voting.
They are a device Of politicians to advance
their interests at the expense Of the people 4;
I and departure from the simple and natural
order Of voting. 1t is admitted that no more Of
the minority party will be elected under this
system than by the old natural order uf voting ;
but it is claimed they will be elected in differ.
D ent places. That Is. as Byron said Of the pins
which he used in decorating as lady for may
t querade, "they were sufficiently stuck, but not
T all in the right place" So gentlemen seek TO
| change the locality in which minority members
G shall be elected, but d. not expect to increase
the number.
Ii is but an idle phantom with which poli.
\ ticians seek to amuse the people while they
manipulate conventions and monopoze the Of
fees 1t is the tub thrown 10 the whale with
which he PLAYS until .he fatal harpoon Is driven
u to his heart.
Aud thus politicians have invented this gilt.
tering system OF reduction, ascending and de-
: scending, to dazzle the eyes Of the people
while they control the nominations and elections
u their duplicity uHmasked and their tricks un.
: suspected until bankrupt treasury and failing
= credit remove the glittering vail from the eyos
n Of the people, and they wake up to find they
have been sleeping in the hands Of the poll.
# ticians like Sampson in the arms o. Delilah.
a.
= nominations, demagogues Gil the Offices. and
II brazen ignorance wears the mask Of iutelli.
N Rence, and modest worth ia driven from the ac
tive pursuits Of public life. And to such an ex
tent has this been carried all over the land that
all are ready to admit that
From the politicians tricks and the dema
Rogue's arts
@ The fox might well improve his parts.
/, Ii is therefore 10 correct this evil, Mr. Presi
q dent. that am in favor Of electing Judges by
tie sub division OF districts, because it will 10,
4 far more difficult for an unqualified man to b,
a. elected by his immediate neighbors, who ar,
acquainted with bis want Of qualifications, thar
il would be il the election was in large district
where ut few Of those who vote for him know
- Of his unftuess. Where the election is 10 .
large district, but few of the voters are person
u ally acquainted with the candidate, and hav,
Is little or kno ledge of bis qua fcation for tn
u office which he is seeking but will vote for hin
1, because he has received the nomina alton of the
e party. This, theipohticans we'll know, whel
If they make the nomination, and they take tn
7. chances, providing they can secure to them
y selves the spos, as the risks are but small AM
=. the rewards large. But it is far otherwise wher
a. the nominee is personally known by all or
IS large portion Of the voters, they will not be i'm
it posed upon or allow :her rights to be leopard
y lied by the election of a man whom they know
A. to be unfit for the place. Then, however muc
"a politicians may desire his nomination D, they dar
a. not outrage the people by making it.
ID 1t isa fact, Mr.. President, which this Con
e. e. vention should not ignore, that the nearer 20
n bring the nominating convention to the peopl
Il the less intrigue there will be in making th
v nominations.
ie Politicians may, In the face of high HEAVIER
., 81 'play such pranks as make angels weep" b,
~ they dare not do 1t in the face Of the peopl
as The coward consciences of such men pale whe
Y, in the presence Of an honest constituency, ar
y, are there compelled to assume a virtue, thouP
ce they have it not. But when the convention
- held far from home and they can act from vii,
out,the immediate obse servation of their cous,it
h ents, they feel secure and free 10 play the POI
on tcian in the most artistic style. II is here ih,
ne make bargains, and sell Offices, and dispose
Si- sr nominations as Napoleon WAS wont to dspo
,rD Of crowns and empires It is here they
nj "Wire in and wire out.
A,Nd lluu fItap Ia attl 10. 4n,,AN