The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-09-15
An Elective Judiciary, and the Plat.
form Of the Republicans.


form Of the Republicans
j In 1892 Mississippi lthe first to do sol
made its Judges elective By the people,
and this system was maintained, and
gave satisfaction until the work Of Des-
truction and Reconstruction by alien
adventures calling themselves Republic
cans, when the present system of ap-
pointing Judges was made to supersede
that of election by the people, which
had prevailed for more than a third OF
century, without a disposition to
change it. This change was not the
work of Mississippians, who were proud
of their elective system and its results,
but of strangers to her history and
sentiments, and, in great measure, to
her best interests, at time when her
voice was hushed by Federal power.
The Republican party is responsible for
the present system of Executive Ap-
pointments. 1t established it by the
Constitution of 1869, which was it's
work. Now that party driven by the
force of public opinion has declared in
favor Of change and a return to the
system it deliberately rejected and over
threw in the day of its power. Does
any one believe that the Republican
party seriously desires the change its
platform demands {? Is it not manifest
that this demand is of piece with the
other demands of that miscellaneous
tumble, of matters about which there is
difference of views among Democrats,
as well as others, and which were
grouped together in the platform of the
opposition in the belief that thereby
some might be seduced from their ALE
glance to the Democratic Conservative
party? The 'pint law the Landlord
and tenant law" the manner of making
judges, and other kindred subjects are
matters about which there are differen-
ces ofOpinion among the people of Missis-
sippi, without respect to race, color or
party, though Democrats and Conserva-
tives, we believe, while they differ about
details, are unanimously in favor off
separating the Executive and the Judi |
ciary Departments, either by limiting
the Executive to one term or electing
by the Legislature or the people.
These questions are not in their
nature party questions, and the attempt
to build a party on them preposterous.
To rid ourselves of the existing mode
of creating Judges will reg uire change
of the Constitution. The Democratic
party can efFectit, and this is true of all
other changes in Constitution or laws
which are proper to be made. The
people of Mississippi should not consent
to eptrust the amendment of the Con-
OF laws to the party which
fastened on them the present Constitu-
ton The intelligent and Industrious
people of Mississippi, white and colored,
are bound together indissolubly by the
ties of association and interest, and
banded politically under tie name of
"the Democratic-C Conservative party"
will correct all that is wrong and effect
the right, without the Interference of
those who are responsible for so many
of the political lis we have suffered in
the past, and from which we were
delivered only by the union of ell who
we're concerned for the welfare of the
State. By this union we were wfested
rom the grasp Of the spoiieF, and by it
,nly can we be saved from a renewal of
his fatal grasp, under the new name {
Ind association by which power is now
,eing sought. There are many in the
anks of the Democratic Conservative t
party, who are in favor Of the election q
# Judges by the people, others favor S
lection by the Legislature, but what t
yer the view OF any, let him not be .
aught by the bid for his support by g
he platform of the opposition. Dear n
'ould be the surrender of power to the d
pposition if it should result in some g
esirable changes of both Constitution c.
nd laws, for the unknown harm that
-ould result.