The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-11-03

pals often find it convenient and
expedient to act by agents, so in
civil governments, there are some
things which can best be done by
the people, acting through agcn.
cies created by them, with author.
ity to act for them.
1t is the unquestionable right of
the people to elect by popular
vote the professors in our State
Universities aud colleges, but as
q better mode Of filling these i'm.
portant places, boards of trustees
are created by law, charged with
this responsible duty. SO, too,
the people have the right to take
the selection of their grand and
petit juries into their own hands.
But other agencies for this pur.
pose are provided by law, aud no
sensible person would have this
mode of their selection changed.
| would, however, take from the
Governor the power to appoint
judges. The one.man.power is in.
consistent with the true theory of
q democracy, and, therefore, the
chief executive officer of the State
should not be clothed with any
power which can be more safely
intrusted to another department
of the government. The Legisla-
ture is composed of a select body
of men, and the election of Judges,
as United States Senators are
elected, by joint ballot Of the two
houses, is mode of selection re.
commended by many eogent rea-
sons, and to which no serious oh.
lection can be urged. The ap.
pointing power in the hands of
the Governor ia Objectionable be.
cause of the vast patronage which
it confers upon him, and the op.
portunity il affords him to reward
friends and punish opponents;
and, on the other hand, the elec-
ton of judges by the people is oh.
iectionable on the principle on
which it is universally held objee-
tionable for judges to receive
presents, or to allow themselves
in any way to be placed under OBJ
legation to parties who may be.
come litigants before them. The
people find fault with the judge
who accepts free pass from
railroad company-such a favor
in the nature of things, being cal
culated to produce a bias in favor
of the donor. The duties of the
judiciary arc certainly of the most
important and delicate character,
and to their proper discharge, i'm
partiality and perfect freedom
from bias, is no less indispensable
than learning aud capacity. Even
great familiarity and intimacy be.
tween a judge or juror and a par
ty litigant, is looked upon with
some degree of suspicion. Now
in all popular elections there are
candidates and electionesrlng, aud
intimacies are formed and favors
conferred and received. Each
candidate knows his supporters
and his opponents : he naturally
cherishes feelings Of gratitude to
ward the former, and of indiffer-
ence, if not positive dislike, to-
wards the latter. And this line OF
distinction runs through the ell
tire population of the district
The canvass is often protracted,
and zealously and energetlcally
conducted, and friends become
partisans, and opponents little less
than enemies. The election over,
the Judge is frequently called up
on to decide cases between sup
portcrs and opponents--betwecn
a party who contributed his time
and money towards his election,
and one who did as much to ac-
complish his cefeat. Now what
is the difference between the po-
sition of this Judge and that of the
Judge called upon to decide a case
between a railroad company from
which he has accepted a free pass,
and citizen to whom he is under
no similar obligationf | do not
attribute any special influence TO
free passes, but hold that no
Judge should accept one. 1t is not
enough that our judiciary be hoii-
est and impartial-it should be
above suspicion. It Is, Indeed,
due to the jndge thai he slio'lld'