The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-15
IN CONTEMPT AT HOME.

COLUMBUS EDITOR CALLS UPON JUDGE
HESTER TO EXPLAIN OR STEP DOWN AND
our.
The Columbus Democrat of last week
says: The right to criticise their officers is
one held sacred by the people and the press,
and when criticisms or structures upon acts
of officers which are calculated to bring dis
repute upon any department of gov
eminent, and thus weaken its
functions and powers, are offered in q
proper spirit, they can do but good,
and such criticisms or structures can not be
set down as contempt of lawful authority
All laws depend for their enforcement on
the affirmative sentiment of the people, and
so too do all courts depend for their useful
ness upon and make themselves an engine
for good only when they receive the respect
and confidence of the people. This they can
do only by the purity and integrity and
Some one has said that the peo-
pie are always right. Without
accepting this as entirely and invariably
correct, we do believe that when a whole
community entertain similar views upon
the act of any officer in their midst, that Of.
ticer be he Judge of a court or the supervisor
OF road district, can not well afford to run
counter to them. In doing so he brings
himself into contempt more surely than
could be done by the adverse criticisms of
the press or of individuals. The people stand
in awe of and revere the chaste blind
goddess, who holds sloft the evenly bal
anced scales, but when they are asked to
bow down In reverence to q strumpet who
may have for the once enwrspped her
sensuous form in the pure white robes, they
simply but firmly decline to bend the knee.
! If that be contempt il Is cert sinly we'll
founded contem pt; just such contempt as
Just such state OF affairs will call forth as
Il io in he haa ~ fHo Ia "a
reverence for the law, respect for the
courts, aud love of purity.
"Thieves for their robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves"
and so, too, the people have authority fol
withholding their respect from an instru-
ment of the law that has himself but lightly
regarded the law. In the appointment oil
A. w. Prather to sit as judge In the Bar
| tbOlOmew Circuit Court we bslieve Judge
| Hester committed a grave error-an error
that. unless satisfactorily explained to the
people of his circuit, will seriously affect his
future lsbors on the bench. Judge Hester has
ably hlled the position OF Judge, and to the
general satisfaction OF the public, but he car
not with impHnity DEFY public opinion, and
II he desires to regain the esteem of humid
dreds, If not thousands, of good men in this
county he must explain away this and
avoid like error in the future. He owes il
to himself and to the people who elevated
him To the responsible and honorable posi-
ton be holds, to do so. II he will not, but
justifies himself in the appointment, thus
defying the outraged public opinion of this
county, then the most entertaining docu.
ment ne could indite would be his resigua.
| ton. We last week withheld remarks or
this subject, partly in hopes that Judg,
Hester would give salts factory solution O
bis acts, but as be doesn't seem to regard il
as very pressing duty, 1t becomes us as
public journalist TO reflect the opinions and
feelings of our people, that he may not re
main In ignorance of the position in which
he stands, and we assure him we hav,
drawn the picture mildly.