The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-10-19
The Judicial Question.

The reader will observe, in this issue, that we
have devoted a large amount of space to the
Judgeship question. As we shall be absent for
some days, we say the principal part of our say
now, and also give correspondents hearing.
This is the most important question to be con-
sidered by the voters of this District. As far as
HAYES and Wheeler and the State aud Congress
ional tickets are concerned, they are safe, and
the prospect for onr County ticket is encOurag-
ing. But hard eight will be made for Judge
and it is a matter that Immediately concerns all
the people
We have, during the last four months, given
many forcible reasons why Judge Hubbard
should not be reelected, and have specified the
charges against him. Not one of them has been
refuted. He and his followers have made the
general assertion that they were lies; but be-
yond that, they have made but little effort to
disprove them, for it would have been a hopeless
task. The only argument that has been attempt
ed in his favor that he is Republican, and that
Republicans should stick to the ticket. That
would be good doctrine, if there were other good
reasons to back it (, but when this plea alone is
relied upon, it is poor showing for a candidate.
In the first place, Hubbard is not the regular
Republican candidate. He secured control of
the Convention by means of bribery and fraud
and one-half of the legally elected delegates, rep
resenting all of Doniphan County and the great
er part of Atchson County, withdrew from the
Convention, and refused to recognize it. We
therefore deny that Hubbard is the regular Re-
publican nominee, and the party is not morally
bound to support him-on the contrary, they are
justified in repudiating him, and rebuking the
practice by which he obtained what he claims as
a nomination. On the other hand, Mr.. Otis was
first suggested and recommended by Republi-
cans, and the Peoples Convention, by which he
was nominated, contained a majority of Repub-
licans.
One single objection to Hubbard, that ought
of itself to decide the contest is the fact that he
is almost totally ignonnt of law, and goes by
guess or by prejudice. A decision by him does
not even establish a proposition in his own
Court. He will decide point in one case, and
at the very same term, in another case, he will
decide the same identical point the other way.
He has not even the benefit of tolerably good
memory. Lawyers and clients enter upon any
case before him, CROPPING in utter darkness, as if
they found new and untried principle of law
to SETTLE no matter how plain the case for no
matter now often Tue StL1e points nave Oeen de-
cided by him, it is no assurance that his rulings
will not be to the contrary in this case. Law is
valuable only because it establishes principles
by which lawyers and Courts are governed; but
Judge Hubbard, being profoundly ignorant of
law, his Court is governed by no fixed principles
Even in the same case, at different terms, he has
made rulings and decisions in two opposite
ways.
The Republican party is composed of thinking
people, who act from principle. The party was
organized by men of independence, who rebelled
against fraud, oppression, and all manner of ras-
cality, which were sought TO be imposed upon
the people and perpetuated by means of party
discipline and the party lash. The Republican
party is still made up Of the same material. and
its thinking reasoning members will not sub
NIT to that in their party for which they cut
loose from the old parties. They will not per-
NIT themselves to be forced, by the cry of party,
to submit to having incompetent and unfit men
imposed upon them for one of the most import
ant offices in their gift. If they are expected to
stick to the ticket, they must have ticket
worth sticking to, and one not forced upon them
by practices unworthy of decent men. This is
why hundreds of good Republicans oppose Judge
Hubbard, and mean to defeat him.