The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-07-01
The Saptemc Court.
Especial Cor. STATE CmosIcLI J

Please allow me space ia Your valuable
paper 10 endorse what WAS said b., your
correspondent Citizen" last week IN ref
crencc 10 that remarkable editorial which
appeared III the News and Observer OF
10Th of June \ great many Of Us law
yers were painfully surprised IL see such
an article IN that paper, aud while have
not the remotest idea who Citizen" H.. |
desire to thank him for an able and timely
vindication of the lawyers of tins state
from the stigma placed upon them by that
editorial. 1t seems rather strange IN this
age of tolerance and freedom Of opinion.
that a lawyer can not be allowed 10 *
press what he concelves 10 he an honest
opinion without having his motives aSsail
ed and the public Informed that the lawyer
Is acting from purely selfish considerations
and in utter disregard of the public good
It looks very much like an attempt To sur
press the expression of opinion by those
lawyers who favor the change in the per
sonnel of the Supreme Court, 10y letting
them know before hand that their motives
will be attacked and held up To the public
as being of the worst. | feel warranted
in saying that not one of the present
highly honorable members of the Supreme
Court Will give countcnance to any such
course as this, but that on the other
hand they would very much prefer that the
matter be Thoroughly discussed by the
lawyers of the State III candid manner and
without fear or sordid selfishncs4 being
charged against them. Ii occurs to me
that the editor of News and Observer is
grievously in error if he thinks he will Sc
cure the nomination OF the present mem
bers of the court by such editorials as the
olie referred to, for many sUch would. IN
my humble opinion, slaughter them in
the house of their friends
But | desire to call attention to one dog
matte utterance not referred to by Cit
zen The editorial i'll question says: ''Thc
people are satisfied, indeed are more than
satisfied; the people desire 10 retain the
| court Now rise to ask how the News
and Observer found out that the people"
| desire to retain the present members of
the court. 1t surely did not find it out
| from the proceedings Of the Wayne county
convention when ''the people" in conyen-
| ton assembled unanimously advocated a
new man for the Supreme Court. But
| perhaps the editor Will reply that "thc
| people of Wayne county not having re
| ceIved the timely warning OF the News
and Observer, allowed those lawyers of
Wayne county, tricky fellows, who have
only their individual interest TO subserye
manipulate things in their own peculiar
| interest," and thus take steps towards
| getting Judge Strong eliminated from
! the bar of that county. ! should be 10th
| To believe this.
/ The foundation upon which the editor
seems TO rest the statement that ''the pco
pie favor change is certain declarations
| from the State press. But how is this
| when a vote is taken among forty one ed
| itors of the Press Association II favor a
/ change in the court ii favor retaining the
| present court and are non -commlttal
| Now it doesn't lie III the mouth Of the ed
| itor Of the News and Observer 10 say that
this means nothing. If the editors voice
the sentiments of "the people" then "A
majority of 1.-The people" do not desire to
| retain the present court. Just here let
me remark that the columns of the News
and Observer have been so crowded that
there has not been space TO tell "the peo-
Pile about the result Of the votes Of the
editors on that and other questions, and
this too, notwithstanding the fact If
mistake not that one Of the editorial staff
+, Of that paper was one Of the voters But
| pardon this meddlesomeness. What the ed :
itor puts in his paper is his business and
| it may be that item appeared aud was
overlooked by me, though have read the
paper every day without seeing it,
Now, Mr.. Editor, permit me to make a
| statement Of the situation, and my state
mcft VIII pc no more dOSmdtic tnau tbat
of the News Observer. A majority Of ''the
people az distinguished from the lawyers
do not care whether the present court is
| retained or not-all they for is that
good and suitable men shall sit on the
bench. Pardon their ignorance, but do
you think one half Of ''the people" could
give you the names Of all the present Su
| preme Court Judges if their lives depend
ed on it think that ''the people never
having been influenced by the demagogi
cal cry against the lawyers, are willing Il
leave this matter chiefly with the lawyers
rightly supposing that the lawyers are il
a situation TO know best about these thing.
and will act honestly in the matter.
believe that large majority Of the Law
yers in the State favor change. have
heard the lawyers Of several counties ex
press themselves as being 50 In all thl'
they mean nothing against the able and
| honorable gentlemen who BOW occupy tht
bench and if the Democratic Convention
decides 10 re-nominate them ! will YIELD
nv OWN opinion aud vote for them most
gladly and checrfully.
have not attempted 10 give any rea
sons for the faith that is in me as to VIII
there should be change. | may do $
later on, but | write this 10 ask that "
be allowed TO canvass and discuss tn
/ matter sans puer ct sans reprOche.