The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-05
soILING THE JUDICIAL ERMINE.

'OaatANU A4Ah4haNhss
In the sta; of Pennsylvania there is now
transpiring Scene not at all creditable to
representative republican government. We
allude to the course which Mr.. Cessna has
seen proper to pursue in his candidacy for
the non-partisan office of president-iudge. 1t
is sad enough TO witness candidate for
some partisan office going through the beg
ging process, but when. We see man
who hopes to wear the judicial
ermine suing in the humblest
manner before the populace, the better
tempered mind turns with disgust from the
revalting aspect and we feel that there
must be something wrong with the political
machine which we have Rugged as only an
illusion after all. To be strictly impartial
in his judgments, judge must be free of
all obligations and prejudices The nearer
he approaches to this condition, other
things being equal the more righteous and
perfect must be his conclusions, But the
candidate on the stump appealing to
those whose causes he must sit
and pronounce upon from the bench, does
not inspire the thought, that he is entirely
independent, Wading through the mud
and mire of heated campaign it is but
natural that the successful contestant
should remember those who helped him to
place and power with sentiment that
compensation in some shape is due when
the occasion shall arise to adjust it, 1t is
but natural that he should not easily for
get those who threw obstacles in his route,
nor those with whom are linked
features of asperity and ugly conflict. We
think of Bacon, one Of "the noblest intel
lects in the tide of time" and recalling the
predomnatng power of his gratitude to the
queen over the demands of personal honor
and official trust, the predomnatng power
OF his bitterness to his opponents over the
impartiality that justice required;,and so all
the way down the line we estimate human
nature the same. The character
that can stoop to solicit votes
and to indulge in these things
which secure them, is the character that
will scarcely stand firm when those friendly |
little ballots are paraded before his view us |
significant reminders of once tacit under |
The general mind too, somehow |
assumes that the soliciting tongue and itch |
ing palm bear close relationship in the |
human organism, and that the focal point
where the respective nerves meet are in
Iluenced by the same motor power. The
law in nearly all these states requires a
Judge to recuse himself when a
Ease to be tried in his court
shows either of the parties litigant to be
related either by the ties of blood or of
no matter how small the
mount involved, 1t would seem that |
when judge goes upon the hustings and
pleads for reelection, he shall be under
some manner of interest relationship with
hose whose aid shall place him in an office
whence he derives perhaps his daily bread,
md relationship often stronger than that
or instance Of half brother-n-law. And
{ it so happen that there
De on trial u case involving
| powerful political or financial friends
wealth, or precedence, or good name or
some other thing, the motive of sclEinter-
,st in such elected judge will too often
quickly silence in the council chambers of
he brain the unwelcome intrudcrs that
he better heart will, despite ones self,
send up to plead the righteous side The
of justice ought to be
rom seat supremacy above the triumphs
If partisanship or factions dictate, and to
secure this, to treat alike the fly and the
wasp, the wolf and the sheep, who may
happen to be brought into the temples,
here must be no obligations of any kind.
Mr.. Cessna has set an unfortunate, repre-
lensible example, and it is to be hoped, in
.he interest Of decency, he may meet
lifting rebuke at the polls next Tuesday.