The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-07-27
TRAILING THE ERMINE.

TRAILING THE EAMANEs
The,STATEsMAN opposed the adop-
ton OF the present state constitu-
ton mainly because of its judiciary
article. The period preceding its
adoption was signalized by the most
degrading consequences, resulting
from the personal and political APP
pointment of judges, and tie remedy
then proposed was to make the ju-
dietary an elective instead of an APP
pointive body. Governor Davis
composed the Judiciary of his AFFECT
servants, and the judges, beng the
tools of a most corrupt political Or
ganization, of which he was the
head in Texas, sustained the sub
stitution of martial for civil law,
and the supreme bench in the
end became the agency by which
popular institutions were attacked
and through which the most sacred
rights of the people were declared
null and of no effect. Properly
enough an sppointive Judiciary be-
came Objectionable, and when Gov
ernor Coke used the power of APP
pointing judges to more effectually
pave his way to the United States
senate, another and further cause
for change was recognized, and thus
the constitutional convention, as
was the case in more than this in
stance, dritted into radical excess,
without applying checks and bal.
ances. The purpose was to take from
the governor a power which had
been used for other ends than public
good, and to again give to the peo-
pie that which they had dele
gated to their chief executive officer.
Had the judiciary been allowed to
remain appointive, had the terms of
judges been increased to twelve
years, with salaries upon which they
could reasonably have retired with
means upon which to live out the
balance of an advanced manhood,
and had the convention likewise de-
cided that a governor should hold
his term for four years, and then be
ineligible for succeeding term, the
pernicious character of the ap-
pointive system would have been
avoided, and Texas could have had'a
truly independent judiciary. AS it
was, the convention snapped the
devil for a most profound witch,
for the elective judiciary promises
more perfect trailing of the
ermine in the dust and filth of the
political field than any rule of &C
ton yet in force. The evidences 60
to show that in the Galveston con-
vention there was the greatest honor
and clvllty shown byopposing ele-
ments and men in the selection of
candidates for state officers, while
there were no uncompromising an
tagonisms, except in the race for
Judiciary places. While the nomi-
nees for the Judiciary are excellent
men and jurists, still it cannot be de-
MED that two or three nominations
were secured by combinations and
trades, and it is crying shame that
nE hn Inf
being happily defeated, how
ever, were upon the ground, re-
sorting to all the means and prac-
tices of pot house politicians to
secure places on the supreme bench
of Texas. We have heretofore re-
ferred to the personnel of the Gal
weston convention. 1t was made up
of the best and most earnest Dem
ocrats of the state, and had it not
been for the patriotic purposes of
the body there is no telling what
might have resulted from practices
not always fruitless in nominating
conventions. The universal senti-
ment of the Galveston convention,
because of articles with which
delegates have confronted to
influence selections for the ju
dietary, was, that the judiciary
article in our constitution must be
changed, and the platform of the
party asks the legislature to take the
prescribed course in securing such
change. If our judiciary is to be
kept pure and above reproach, this
change must be made, for all nomi-
mating conventions may not act with
the same harmonious discretion as
this one which has just finished its
labors, nor towards the furtherance
of the most intelligent methods by
which our judiciary may be created,
the STATESMAN invites discussion
upon this question through its
| o0Iumpo