Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 191?-19??, 1914-10-08
JUDGE PEBBLES VS. THE PEOPLE,

Wilmington Evening Dispatch.)
If the Supreme Court of North Car
DINA upholds the trial given by
Judge R. B. PEBBLES to the two Colds
boro editors there is something wrong
in North Carolina. Not wrong with
the Supreme Court. OF course not
These learned impartial judges will
decide the matter strictly by the law;
Therefore, there will be something
wrong with the law and the people
of this State, boasting of their indie
p~endence, will have to change the law.
No statute that would deprive a man
of his liberty for exercising free
speech, which has not been proven
by a competent, impartial body to
have been ~slanderouS, should stand.
1t cannot stand and be consistent
with the freedom of the people. It
may exist under and ~autocratic form
of government, but it has no right to
breathe under a Republic. We know
nothing of the truthfulness of the
charges made by the Goldsboro edi-
tors against Judge PEBBLES, and, we
presume every man innocent until
proven guilty. But we do know,
founded in common sense, if not in
law of North Carolina, although we
will be sadly disappointed to find it
not there, that Judge PEBBLES has no
right to sit as judge and jury in the
case. If he has then the rights of the
people are shackled and citizens may
we'll tremble.
The Goldsboro editors made dire
charges of misconduct against. Judge
PEBBLES, among them such as the fire.
quent use of liquor, even to the stage
of ~intoxication. Judge PEBBLES, in
another county, had them arrested for
contempt, PASSED solely on the case,
without the Introduction Of witnesses,
which the defense urged be lone I'M
der the mandate of the law, and SEN
fenced the accused to prison. They
properly appealed, and their
rights-the rights or every North Car
DINA citizen-to be given a fair and
impartial trial are to stand in judg-I
ment in the Supreme Court of the-I
great commonwealth of North Caro-
lima, which brags of its protection Of
citizenship, of its freedom and inde-l
p~endence. i
Upon what grounds can it be justi-l
fed that Judge PEBBLES should be the
judge and jury in a case of this kind:l
He wouldn't even be an impartial
jury. It's true the charges are grave
and would tend to reflect, to some ex-l
tent, upon the bench of North. Caro-
lima, but the remedy for this is to
punish those guilty, if they are guilty,
in most severe manner, but these are
days when the name of a person
can be tossed into the lions mouth
and that person be at once executed.
If editors or orthers make charges
against a judge, such a made against
Judge Peebeles, they should be arrest
ed, of course, but they should be given
a trial before an impartial tribunal.
If not, how can it be shown to the
satisfaction of the people hat the
charges are false-and, fellow Citi-
zens, it is necessary to show that tie
charges are false for the people to
maintain confidence in the bench.
that, or it is necessary to
may be uurged. This matter is im-l
p~ortan- TO all the Eeople and to the
bench. 1t is not a matter of judg-l
whether an expressed opinion,
admitted without dispute as to mean
ing constitutes contempt, but the high
er question as to whether charges are
Or lot. Therefore, the man a.
gainst whom the charges are mad is
the proper person to pas3 uron
the question:; no more SO than the
man accused of murder should decide
own innocence or guilt.
The Goldsboro editors are entitled
to present their evidence before an