The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-12

justice." for ourselves and our pos terity," were perverted in an attempt by indirection and cunning to circum- vent and overthrow the operation of the constitution and laws. and to drive out of the court, without trial, suitors who had entered it in the very mode suggested by the states laws, in order to delay the settlement of economic questions whose speedy adjustment greatly concerned the whole people, and could only be determined finally in
 the courts. The fundamental principles of our government were ignored and
 the supreme law forgotten. Efforts were
 redoubled to terrify suitors and intim-
 idate the court. Day after day wit
 messed the amazing spectacle of the de-
 nunciation of a judge by governors
 spokesmen in the senate halls of civ
 ilized state. for no other fault than
 the plain discharge of duty in accord
 ance with the constitution. which the
 speakers, as well as he, had sworn to
 support. Confidence in us at home and
 abroad was greatly shaken. and respect
 for law and authority much lessened. The
 outside world could not understand how
 so much phrenzy could be worked up
 among a law-abiding people about
 mere law suit, to settle a property right
 in the courts and misjudged us accord
 ingly. The acts made the pretext for
 all this passion and denunciation were
 dictated by the law of the land, and
 compelled by obedience to constitutions
 al doctrines which had been settled
 since the days of Marshall. Every orr
 der seized -on to incite hatred to the
 court and paraded as usurpation, was
 upheld and justified by the decisions
 of that august tribunal. which the
 southerner for generations has been
 taught to look to as the final arbiter of
 to xxrhn dn-
 cisions cheerful obedience is the duty and glory alike of states and individ- L.
 uals. @tf
 Tribute to the People
 The fine qualities and character of the people shine out in the fact that although great numbers of them were
 misled and dashed into fury by the studied efforts Of mon high in authority to whom they ordinarily look for guid- ance, that no man actually lifted vio- lent hands against the officers of, the court and that public opinion. soon fighting itself. turned upon those who pretended that an American citizen could commit any offense against the honor or dignity of his state. or invade the "rightful control over local af- fairs, by appealing in an orderly way to the courts of his country to test the validity of its enactments.
 Judre's Devotion to His State The Judges devotion to the interests and honor of his state needs no defense in words. It Is attested by the blood he shed in defense of it during four long years of war. Whether Govern or Comer's .''environment' and the oc- equations, he has pursued, and his ob- servance of the law in the past-give him any title to teach other men the ethics of unselfishness in judging un- selfish devotion, to duty and fearless dis charge of public trust, are matters for e!rn to inc purpose of this paper, how ever pertinent such inquiries might be elsewhere That there may be me- morial of the matters to which the mes sage relates. most of them not other wise appearing on the records of the court, the clerk will file this statement by the judge and record 1t on the min utes of the circuit court