The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-04-17
Another stalwart Cry from the Union
on the Judicial Question.

The two individuals (both English) who
pretend to supply the republican party in
this vicinity with thinking material and
political wisdom have issued their pronun-
ciamento to the voters of the Tenth Judi
cial district, Six counties is large surface
to cover with SO limited supply of intelli
gence These two individuals tboth Eng
lish) seem to be possessed of the idea that
the republican party own this country and
should distribute all the Offices to party
favorites-that republicans want to be
tried by republican judges, thatreputlican
lawyers can better win their cases before
republican judges, that republican thieves
will receive lighter sentences from repub-
Iican iudges-that in some mysterious way
the republican party is to be benefited by
the election of a partisan republican judi
ciary. The practice of this kind OF doc
triue, the want of llberality and fairness is
what has placed the republican party in
the minority in this nation. 1t is this
kind of operations that has driven honor
able, fair-minded, liberal men out of the
party. These two individuals (both Eng
lish) do not seem to understand the love of
fairness that is characteristic of the Amer
lean people. They think because their
party, to which they are but recent con-
verts, has the power to elect partisan ju.
dietary that they should do it, even at the
expense of placing incompetent men upon
the bench, and thereby ignoring the
wishes of large minority and of the best
men of their own party as we'll.
Should the republican convention which
is called to meet at Galesburg follow the
advice of these two individuals, who are
acknowledged by every republican in this
| county to be incompetent as we'll as igno-
rant of the character of American
people and American institutions,
| it will make a serious mistake which
may cause the defeat of some of their
candidates whom the minority, under other
conditions, would support unanimously.
We believe we speak the sentiment of a
large majority OF the voters Of the six coun-
ties when We say that the ticket that suits
them is Peasants, Glenn and Pepper. Ii
the republican convention which meets at
| Galesburg nominate these men, not as
partisan ticket, bat as lawyers and men OF
ability, the Independent convention will
undoubtedly unite with it in recommend
ling them to the voters of the circuit.
Any other action may inaugurate contest
which may possibly overcome the insigni-
i Gcant republican majority OF about 700. in
the six counties taken together. Neither
is 1t altogether uncertain that the course
advised by the two incompetents of the
Union may result in depriving Rock Island
County of representative on the bench.
1t will be not the first instance when incom-
potency in that institution has deprived
this county of representation. Perhaps the
Unions attempt at reasoning may be an
sWered best By correspondent of the Chi
cago Times who takes exceptions to the
democrats of Chicago doing exactly what is
proposed by the Union. We copy the
following for the benefit of those who may
possibly be influenced by the Union:
The democratic party of Chicago is
about to commit an objectionable offense
Like the national democracy it seems tt
have an occasional tendency to jeopardize
/ the growth of its power by fatal mis
takes. On the heels of success follows
V the lamentable display of utter inability t.
bear good fortune with dignity aud mode
ration. There is serious talk" among
the democratic leaders of nominating a
It partisan ticket in order to fill the coming
vacancies On the bench, and to force tht
n election of democratic jurists to the eXclu
sion of all republican aspirants for judicia
honors. The only argument used in sup
- port CT the proposition is, that we nigh
as we'll use the power while we possess it
3 that democratic bench will strengthen ouI
IS side tor the coming presidential campaign
d and that a majority has the right to d.
whatever it pleases. 4 more dangerou
and execrable:d was..never advanced
u by the most frantic pot-house politician
o The tyranny of majority may become a.
!. dangerous as absolute despotism, and i
seem inexplicable that the democrats o
b Chicago. who have for so many years pas
II protested against the tyranny of the onct
= dominant republican party, should b.
Y eager to fall into the same error on tn,
first dawn of resurrected power. That
above all things, they should forget tina
an independent Judiciary is one of The
fundamental conditions of free government
n is almost beyond comprehension.
t The election of judges by the people i
= at best
i A PAI.PABLE INCONSISTENCY,
d under a republican form of government
1t is a fundamental error, because i
i creates a direct subsection Of the judiciary
= to the control of the majority. Every
# recurring election jeopardizes in a create
C or less degree the independence of til,
+ Judge, who seek denomination of thu
party in power. In times of great politica
excitement men are raised to the dignity
!, of judgeship by the popular vote, whom
s the most reckless executive would not havt
a dared to appoint, because their merits
were merely political, and their qualiica
: tons for the high Office to which they as
t pired was matter of secondary consider
! alton. This error and inconsistency il
r our institutions can perhaps not be
= radically cured, because an appointing ex
ecutiVe would also be influenced by politi
D cal motives, though 10 less degree, thar
l voting majority, but we may palliate tn,
a., evil, if We cannot eradicate it, by removing
the nomination of judges as far as rossibl,
from the political party caucus
The constitution Of our state provides