The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-13
POLITICIANS AND THE JUDICIARY.

A lot of politicians assembled at Galva
in this state on the Sd inst, and nominated
candidate for Judge of the Supreme
Court of the Fifth Supreme Court District
The meeting was styled by it's movers, a
convention of delegates from the several
counties comprising the district. But it is
noticed that the whole movement was di-
rected by rank politicians of particular
political party Not only this, but It was
the expressed intention and determination
by the movers and all who took part there
in, that the convention aforesaid should be
a partisan one. and that the nominee of
the convention should be of the same class
of partisans, who would openly avow
himself as such and who would
go into canvass as a partisan nom
inee. The spirit of the convention was
further manifested by its protracted
wrangling and the numerous ballots taken
before a candidate could be agreed upon,
reaching 231 ballots.
Whether or not the people are justified
in Telling distrust in our courts of last re-
sort, a large number of the more , thought
full in both political parties manifest feel
ing that their rights are not. and cannot
be, sufficiently protected and impartially
passed upon by such nominees. In many
instances they may be at fault in their
suspicious, but nevertheless they remain,
and will remain so long as political con
ventions nominate the courts. A
party convention often nominates
mere politician; man in favor of
party measures: man in favor of such
construction of the law as will advance
their political interests; and it is only by
means of compromises that men with indie
pendence sufficient to stand above party
obligations. can be placed on the bench.
1t is an accident, not design, when party
caucus dominates a man who will resist
party influence. -.
A feeling of insecurity has been gradual.
ly formed in the minds of all men who
have large interests which sometimes must
be submitted to adjudication. There can be
no certainty that party interests may not
demand the sacrifice of associates in poll
tics as well as of opponents. Thus the best
men of all parties have reason to be opposed
to a partisan judiciary, and they
al sentiment is opposed TO select
ing judges because of their political or
partisan predictions, except party commit
tees and professional office seekers The
first should be enthroned, the second ig
nored and left to die in merited obscurity-
The last constitutional convention of
this State, in the hopes of removing the
election of so important an officer from
political influence, placed the election of
judges on the first Monday of Dune. 1t
was then hoped that this election would be
free from those influences which excite and
bias the mind on other occasions, and that
the men. who should pass upon the prop
erty. rights and liberty of citizens would
come to their position under no political
obligations, but UNDER obligation to the
entire people-to every one the same. Il /
was hoped to remove the court from all
baneful influences. The question is, shall
their efforts be unavailingf Has the hab-
1t of nominating judicial officers by parti-
san conventions become 80 firmly fixed that
nothing can uproot the political bias2-Le
gal 4dUSser.