Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-27
Aanrastcr f,,telhge,.cer.
SATURDAY EVENING, NOV. a., Ies<
Puralyzed judges.

The New York Sun insists that the
paralyzed judges of the United States
supreme court should resign their offices
at once. Justice Hunt has been thus
disabled for more than year but clings
to his place because he has not yet been
Oh the bench for the ten years necessary
before he can retire on a pension. JUS
tice Clifford, lately afflicted, has not yet
made up his mind that he is beyond re-
cOvery. The Suns proposition seeI S Iea-
sonable, but we cannot say that it E any
thing worth while worrying about, that
these paralyzed judges remain to draw
their salaries which they cannot earn.
There are those among their fellow
Judges who are still more seriously inca
pacitated for their duty, their trouble
being a mora! paralysis which is infin-
itely more disadvantageous to the pub
lie than that of the body. They can do
a positive injury compared to which the
simple loss of the salary paid to the
judges who cannot sit upon the bench is
very trifing. The nation has already
suffered damage which can never be re-
paired in the miserable exhibitions
which its highest court has made of its
abounding political malevolence and
lack ofjulicial learning and impartiality.
The confidence that was felt i'm the fair
ness of this court is no longer entertain
ed, and as now constituted it will never
regain the respect of the people and the
trust in the honesty and justice of its
judgments, especially in decisions having
a political bearing, which is necessary to
the repose of the country and the endur-
ance of its institutions. There was a
time when none would have thought of
failing to yield prompt acluiescence to
the law rs declared 10y the United States
supreme court. Regarded as the bull
wark of the constitution against eXecu-
tive encrOachmeuts and the peoples
pledge Of safety against the un-
lawful exercise of power by those
who hold it, it was held in reverence
and supreme regard, until OF late years
it came under suspicion Of partisan.
ship and some of the judges were finally
demonstrated to all the world, through
their participation i'm the electoral COM
mission, to he the tools of party and OF
those who put them in their places.
1t is impossible, we say, that this
court should ever have the public conf
dence willie such men as Bradley and
Strong sit in it SO that it matters little
enough that two OF the judges are
paralyzed OF that more Of them should
m. The chances are not bright that
better men would take tho places which
the disabled Judges resign; and we dc
not know why we may not congratulate
ourselves that two of the seats on the
bench are held by men who can do no
evil if they are poweriess for good.
Justice Clifford has never done anything
to disgrace himself OF the country, and
never will. As long at least rs his mind
remains to him we shall not call upon him
to resign his place, TO be filled by presi.
dent who was never elected or by one OF
demonstrated moral deprayity. A par
alyzed Judge is preferable to partisan
one. Who would trade either of these fol
Judge Noah Davis, OF New York, who
has been named for an appointment, and
the very idea of whose selection is enough
to turn the stomach of every decent cit
izen: