Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-08-04
WASTING rIME ANp MONEY.

The legislators at Sacramento are vast
ing their time and the peoples money by
seriously entertaining the charges of David
Terry against two Justices of the Supreme
Court The evident animosity of the charge
is not commendable, and it ought to be
squelched for that, if for no other reason.
Everybody who has kept posted on the
Sharon case will believe that if the Court,
instead of denying, had granted Terry's
motion to dismiss the defendants appeal
from Judge Sullivan's order granting large
counsel fees and ahmony, the Legislature
would never have heard of these charges
1t is not the business of Legislatures to
cater 10 personal spites and animosities
and we think the people Of the State would
have heartily approved their representa-
tives in Sacramento if Judge Terry's
charges had been kicked out of doors as
speedily and unceremoniously as parlia-
mentary procedure would permit. The
Legislature has no authority to act upon
the charges at this session. The Constitu-
ton declares that at 4 special session the
Legislature shall have no power to legis-
late on any subjects other than those speci-
fed in the proclamation calling it to-
gether. The Governors proclamation con-
yening tue special session does not contain
anything that can be construed as apply
ing TO such action as Judge TeTy's charges
would make necessary.-SG Cruz Sentinel
MOST REMoRsELEss.
They seem 10 forget that the parties who
engage in the business of creating Courts to
make law to order may at the next turn of
the wheel be obliged to stand TO their de-
lenses But the notion that " after us the
deluge is in some quarters more widely
prevalent than is generally supposed.
But the Court must, in the nature
of things, decide either against the one or
the other powerful suitors who appear at
its bar. If it is on every occasion TO be re-
organized out Of existence by the defeated,
there will be an end to law and Justice on
the Pacific coast. OF all the attacks on the
Court the last was the most remorseless.
There is something shockingly repulsve in
the idea of calling up a Judge on the
charge that his health is poor-thus plac-
ing a man in the attitude of a criminal,
because of visitation which may have
been the result OF too earnest devotion to
his public duties. Chief Justice Chase
limped around on crutches for years in the
Capitol at Washington, partially paralyzed,
but no one thought of hauling him up for
trial on the ground that he was incapaci-
tated. Justice Hunt, of the Supreme Court
of the United States, was for many years
an invalid, but he was not even placed on
the retired list and pens.oned, as the law
permits. till he had reached the full age of
seventy. In young State like California,
which has so many questions pending, for
bearance equally great cannot probably be
exhibited. But if any of our Judges are
not as competent for their work now as
when they were elected, there is decent,
civilized and Christian method of dealing
with a condition of that kind. There
should certainly be kind treatment for the
public servant who has worn himself out
in the discharge of his duties, and not |
brutal outrage, as if he were a malefactor
and criminal. The Assembly has re-
Elected no credit on itself in what it has al
ready done in this matter Ii certainly
does not represent the benevolent feel
ings of the State at large But when it is
but too apparent that it Instituted its harsh
proceedings from purely sinister motives,
the case against it becomes still worse.
The wonder is that any body of men could
be found in the State so lost to decency as
to summon Judges before it to plead BY
reason of the illness and suffering which
they may have had to endure. If there is
any relief needed for the State in the prem
Uses, it will be found in humane and civ
ilized manner by the new Legislature,
which will soon conyene.-S. +. Bulletin.