The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-03-12
THE IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGES FUR
CHEs AND DOUGLAS.

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For impeachments are rare in
history, rare in the history of
sister States, and rare in the history
of old England, where, we believe,
this mode of ousting unworthy OIL
Gals originated. Only two impeach-
ments have taken place in England
within the last hundred years, and
not a dozen, perhaps, in the entire
history of the United States. The
punishment melted out to impeached
officials in America is not severe,
viewed from n standpoint, yet the
fact that the Court of impeachment
is supposed to sit only when there is
strong evidence of corruption in
high places, or when by the acts Of
high officials the peoples rights and
liberties have been endangered, and
that there is no appeal or review Of
its decisions, invests it and its find
ings with solemnity and sacredness,
and fastens a stigma upon those
whom it finds guilty for more dread
full than simple physical suffering.
So far as we know, only one official
has been impeached in North Caro-
lima since Revolutionary days.
Thirty years ago Gov. Holden was
impeached and deprived of his Office
and of the right to hold any State
office thereafter. The interest of the
people of North Carolina, therefore,
in these novel proceedings is quite
natural, and they are seeking light
upon all possible phases of the sub.
ject. Hence, we have thought it
proper to give a very brief account
the lives of these men and to state
briefly the nature of their alleged
"crimes and misdemeanOrs in office"
Hon. David NJ. Furches, nov Chief
Justice of the North Carolina Su-
preme Court, is a native of Davie
county, and may now be called IN
old man, being in his sixJY-ninth
year. Judge Furches was a candidate
for Supreme Court Judge in 1888 and
was the Republican candidate for
Governor in 1892. For some years
he has resided at Statesville, n. G.
He was elected Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court in 1894, and only
a few weeks ago was appointed Chief
Justice to succeed the late William
T. FairclOth.
Hon. Robert NJ. Douglas, Associate
Justice Of the North Carolina Su-
preme Court, is a son of LincOIn's
great antagonist, Stephen A. Doug
las, 1.-the Little Giant of the West"
Judge Douglas was born in Rocking
ham county, n. c., Jan. Is, 1919. He
graduated with high hOnors at
Georgetown University in 1867. Be
fore attaining his majority, he was
appointed Private Secretary to Presi-
dent Grant, which position he occu-
pied throughout Grants first term
0869-73). He has since been prOmi-
nent in Republican politics in North
Carolina and was elected Associate
Justice in 1896. His home is in
Greensboro.
The late William T. FairclOth, a
sketch of whose life recently ap-
peared in The Progressive Farmer,
joined with Judges Furches and
Douglas in the acts for which they
have been impeached. He was a
mar of known integrity and lived a
long life of honor and usefulness.
Both Judges Furches and Douglas
have been strong partisans in private
life, but their bitterest opponents
have been able to bring no charges
against the personal character of
either.
And what are the charges against
the accused Judges? Briefly stated
they are as follows-the language
being that of the Charlotte Observer:
"TheOphilus White held the office
of shell fish commissioner. The
Legislature Of 1899 undertook to
abolish him, and in d supplemental
act forbade the Treasurer of the
State to pay amy compensation to
any person or persons claiming the
same for services rendered concern
ing the shell fish industry unless
such person or persons are author
lied to render such services under
the provisions Of the said act'-re-
ferring to the act abolishing Whites
office and creating instead of it a
shell fish commission composed of
seven members. This was for the