Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-11-29
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The Judiciary.

|. No more important duty viii dovolvo on
the present Legislature than tho election Of
Judge to the Supreme Bench in place Of
Wright, who will, doubtless, resign, and
Circuit Judge in placo Of Judge Northrop,
resigned. An honest aud efficient judiciary
is essential to tho fullest enjoyment Of the
rights and privileges of tho citizen. Bad
laws we'll and honestly administered are
preferable to good laws badly administered,
and for proper administration Of tho law
the judiciary should possess both integrity
and experienced ability Wo notice some
OF our exchanges are advocating the claims
OF different mon on tho ground Of great
political service 10 the late campaign. We
hold that this feolpg should not for
moment be entertained, but that the strictest
test should be applied to all candidates, aud
the claims Of every ono should bo determined
by his fitness for tho position. The elova-
ton OF novioes 10 the law to tho bench has
lowered the high standard of qualification
formerly applied in South Carolina in the
selection of Judges The time was whom
tho bench was the highest ambition Of our
ablest aud most experienced lawyers, and
the indisputabo qualifications for it were
ability, culture, experience, integrity, firm
ness and application. At that period of our
history no peculiarly Of our government
added so much to tho character of South
Carolina as tho purity aud learning of her
judiciary. We want to see this condition
of things restored, aud hence we deploro
the dragging in Of polite cal servic, as
recommendation to tho bench. NYo are
willing to extend duo honor aud credit to all
who laborcd in the late work Of our deliver.
ance. While greater credit is duo to somo
than others, yet this difference results rather
from the means and opportunities on the
part of some of exerting wdor influence
than others possessed, the latter being
equally Jealous thous sh loss effective workers.
However this be, political service should
not be considered in SOLICITING judges. We
want men who possess ripe experience, and
rare ability, men who, to intellectual power,
havo added tho "lucubrationcs uiytnti
dmnorum." We know our State possesses
many eminent lawyers whose opinions on
complicated questions, involving the rights of
property, would give full satisfaction to
litigants. Among these, We would mention
Hon. w. D. Porter, General Jamos Conner
and James B. Campbell, of Charleston, Col.
Thomas Thomson aud General S MCGOWAN,
of Abbevllo, and ex-Gov. b. Il. Perry, of
Grecnvilc. These, and many others, have
fitted themselves, by a long course of study
and experience, for a position Cd the Su-
promo Bench. Among them we notice that
the name of Mr.. Porter will be put in
nomination for Associate Justice, and wc
trust his we'll known abilities and eminent
services to tho State for many years will
secure his election. We are no sticklcr for
the up country or low country, but for the
man, and We doubt if any namc in South
Carolina carries more worth as lawyer and
gentleman than that Of w. D. Porter. At
oil events, on whomsoovcr the crmino NAV
fall, whether for Associate Justice or Circuit
judge, let him possess both experience and
ability.