Year: 1859

about for means OF gettirg more saiary WIZ n'
e ,esgues he went to the Legislature, but loving
10 the clause iu the Constitution, the Legislature
81 could not Increase our salary from the SsaIe
"Tressury" This provision beiog in the way
What was the ne1t idea OF the Judicial money
hunters Why, to erGde The le'o ard get the "0Hey
in spite of it. Accordingly, the Legislature on
their solicitation, passed az act authorizing the
Board Of Supervisors to grant the desired increase
not from tie State Treasury but from the Treasury
Of the city.


Now, We say that the grounds here gwen ior
asking an increase are wholly insufficient. Judge
Edmouds had been nominsted and elected Win
perfect knowledge of the salary he was to receive
If the salary was insufficient he should never nave
taken the ofice or it. after having fairly tired 1t, ne
found that on the whole be had made mistake,
and that be could not afford 10 do the work for the
psy. be should have resigned and sought more prof
liable occupation Or if he felt that his obligations
TO tie public required him to remain aud discharge
tie duties that he had contracted to perform, he
should have borne, in manly patience, and with
out whining. until the end of his term, the incon-
yenierce to which he had subjected himself, wor-
sbipiug more iuexpensively, but we trust no less
deyoutly in the privacy of his closet; studying the
lew books at the Law Library, and perusIng The
TRIBUNE at some good reading-room. Then, his
official period being over, he might have creditaby
retired to priyste life, of course without making
any effort for reelection.


But instead of this, Judge Edmonds finds in the
depriy alton Of bis charities and bis pew in church
warrant for the endesvor to defeat and set aside
both the letter and the spirit OF the Constitution,
and he goes about it accordingly, though 1t seems,
asyet. without success. The Constitution says
that no Judges salary shall be increased during his
term of office; and this is very wise safeguard
against Judicial corruption. Judge Edmonds pre-
tends that it means that the salary shall not be In
creased from the State Treasury. Need We waste
ary words on this quibble'


II, according to the argument of Judge Edmonds'
deprivation of ones charities of ones pew In
church and of ones newspaper, can justify Judge
in breaking down the law in order to get more
money, We might as we'll abolish all laws which
forbid those who happen not to have enough to
satisfy their wants from supplying the deficiency
wherever they can lay their hands on the means


Our readers will note that Judge Edmonds relies
for his excuse wholly upon his great poverty.
That however, does not cover the case of mil
lionaire like Judge Roosevelt. We have yet to
learn With Whist defense he proposes to cover this
impudent and dishonOrable transaction.


Judge Edmonds thinks our remarks may tend to
prejudice the case before the Courts. That is re-
Election which had not occurred to US; and when
leading Magistrates conspire to defraud the Con.
stitution in order to get few hundred dollars
apiece into their own pockets, we shall not re-
frain from expressing urjudgment upon the ofense
until we have heard what is the judgment of some
other tribunal.


We are assured that neither the Mayor nor
the Controller has in any manner assented to this
preposterous claim. Judge Roosevelt told the
Mayor that the claimants would go to the Courts
for mandamus to compel him to sign warrant
for the money, and then the question would have
to be argued before single Judge; instead of
which he (Rooseyet) proposed to make case to
be argued before a full bench. This proposition
the Mayor and Controller had, We think, very
properly, agreed TO, as means of the sooner get
ting at Judicial decision. But this implies no ad'
mission on their part of the validity Of the claim,
nor any willingness to pay it, until compelled to BY
the final dgment Of the hi CHEST Court.