The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1894-06-07
JUDGES IN POLITICS
Masterly Lecture by the CHIEF
Justice Of Georgia.

names should not appear on tb,
roll of militant politics-cer,sin,,
not on the commissary staff. Tbi,
Is 80 plain that it is difficult te
credit the suggestion lately mad,
through the press to the effect tina,
some mem bers of the judiciary ar,
at the present time active factors in
political combinations for the dis
tribution of rations. If such an
evil prevails it is attributable I he
lieve, to the mistaken view hon.
estly entertained that a
judge pending his term Of
{ flee may lawfully liquidate his poll.
teal debts. This view is too or.
roneous to be long adhered TO and
must soon be overruled and aban
doned. The true theory is that every
judge is political insolvent. He
has suspended political business
and has no assets. His creditors
must indulge him until his judicial
career has terminated. Then. if he
Will, he may accumulate fresh cam
tai and settle with his friends to the
utmost farthing. He need not for
get any of his obligations while
temporarily disabled from meeting
and discharging them. His reten,
tive memory and their own robust
hope should content his friends
SO long as his disability
continues. They have no cause
to complain of delay which they
themselves rendered necessary by
retiring him from the political arena
and consigning him to the judicial
clolster. To expect a Judge to set.
tie political scores while he is
judge is hardly less incongruous
than dunning priest when he is
officiating at the altar. have said
that Judge has no assets; perhaps
it would be more accurate to saw
that he takes a political homestead
on all his assets for and during his
term of office. In either case the
same consequence results, for il
either case ne is, and ought to be,
completely independent of his
political creditors. 1t ia
needless to add that.
BENG restrained from paying his
1ebts, he has no right to make dona-
lions. In short he should consider
in temporary seclusion from
active politics, with no political
functions save TO vote as he pleases
ike any other citizen. Having said
his much by way of laying down
sound doctrine touching the official
order to which | belong, beg to
'efer bris fly to an article which APP
)eared in the columns of weekly
newspaper rejecting upon the
adicial ability and competency
If my colleage aud brother, |
Judge Samuel Lumpkin, and sug
testing that he ought to resign, OF
he imputed improperly, or SUI posed
mpropriety, which provoked the
rtlcle l shall say nothing, having
20 personal knowledge of the merits
r dement's of that question. But
have such knowledge touching the
Publications, integrity and industry
f Judge Lumpkin as an associate
ustlce of the supreme court. Toll.
ng with him for more than three
ears, | cannot be mistaken in pro-
ouncing him eminently fit in all re.
poets for the position he occupies.
AZURE has endowed him with an
pit and ready judicial
lind, he is learned IN the
wv and his application, energy and
cannot be surpassed. He
anxious to decide correctly every
ase, and no man on or off the bench
more impartial or more loyal to I
nth and Justice. 1t is grave mis-
Ike to suppose or suggest that he
nght to resign. On the contrary,
ere he to do go it would be ca s
nifty to the state In my opin-
n, the work of his life should be
'dioial, and that alone l sicerely s
lsh him every fortune in politics,
that the state may long have his
rvices on the bench, if not by his j
vn preference, by sort of indi-
ct compulsion through morthca-
On of his political ambition, if he a
Is any. Yours truly, I