Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-29
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1881.
THREATENING THE SUPREME
COURT.

If there is any one thing above
another, about the so called low-tax
party in this State, that ought to
damn its INSCRIPTIONS leaders, it is
their insolence in attempting to bull
doze the Supreme Court of the State
in the matter of the 1908 act of
the legislature. The following ed
itorial from the Nashville American
embodies our views on this subject:
Every good citizen, of whatever
party, must have regarded with dis
gust the sometimes thinly yelled, but
oftener open threats against the Su--
preme Court, if it shall fail to deter
mine legal question to suit the
views of the desperate gang of poll
ticians who are clamoring for u
place in politics. Some Of
those who threaten start out
by declaring they will indulge in
no threats, conscious of the indecen
cy Of what they do by indirection,
&DO uaIe uOI, OF are dSualueu To 40
openly. Without single exception,
state credit papers have rested them-
selves upon the law, and declared
themselves ready to accept the de-
cision of the tribunal, which is made
the arbiter in such cases, final and
conclusive. Deceacv forbids ques-
tioning the motives of that tribunal.
1t is so high and sacred that he who
threatens is traitor to the great in
terests which are so closely depend
ent upon the impartiality, purity and
independence of that body. He who
by threats, open or disguised, seeks
to influence any court and much
more the court of last report, is
guilty of the highest crime against
society. He is seeking to break
down the sole protection of the citi-
zen, the sole firm instrument of justice
and to substitute the behests of the
mob for the imperious command OF
the law, tho only rule by which any
court can be guided, In the entire
history Of Tennessee, in all the rude
scenes through which the State has
passed in its progress, it is the frs
time politicians and newspapers have
ever threatened court with loss o
salary and position if it failed t.
obey what they assume to be the de
mand of the people; as if they hat
ever been the keepers of the public
conscience, or had ever represented
the people.
SO sensible were the trainers o
our constitution and of every othe
constitution in the United States, t.
the necessity of preserving the indie
pendence and impartiality of tn
bench, that not even the regular law
making power in the State can alte
the salary or tenure Of offic
of a court during tn
term for which the judg
was elected If it were not seriou
outcropping of the mob spirit on
might afford to smile at this bay
ing at the moon. The Judiciary c
Tennessee have always swept males
tically on in the discharge of duty
and no Tennesseean darss believe
unless he belongs to this irrespons
BILE agrarian fattion, that civilizatio
is to end here in the mire, and tn
ermine worn by Turley and Virgil
and Green and Mckinney, and lon
line of illustrious names, can be thu
draggled in the mud by that mo
spirit which dares to instruct tt
court to consult, not the law, but il
behests, under pain of loss of salal
and place. It would be shamef,
spectacle if it were not so sure
rouse the gorge and turn the vel
stemachs of all decent men in q
parties.
We appeal to the court as the fin
arbiter, established by law, ready
accept its decision as the last wo1