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gan and the other alleged conspirators, thus vindicating
the grand principles of constitutional liberty. Did any-
one believe that if those judges of the Supreme Court had
been elected for a term of years, which was then drawing
to a close, and were eligible for re-election, that they
would have had the manliness, the integrity and the nerve
to vindicate those great principles?
The bench of Maryland had been noted for its purity—
there scarcely had been a stain on it in the past. But
under the present system, what was the case? There
were men on the bench now whom report said—he would
not say dishonored—but whom report said, displayed the
partisan on the bench. If report speaks correctly, there
are men on the bench in Maryland who do dishonor to it;
and why do they do it? Do they not do it to court party
influence? If those men felt secure in their positions, if
they did not know that their reign was drawing to a close,
perhaps they would be more impartial. They were pand-
ering to party, hoping that when they go out of office
they will receive some other. He hoped that ten years
nor fifteen years would not be adopted, but that the term
of good behavior would prevail. The community from
which he came were in favor of this. The taxpayers did
not consider the cost; what they desired was an inde-
pendent judiciary, and he hoped that this report would be
adopted.
Mr. McKaig spoke briefly in favor of the report.
Mr. Archer said in offering this amendment he had
been actuated by the intention of interfering as little as
possible with the system to which the people had become
accustomed. The people for fifteen years had been ac-
customed to a tenure for a term of years, and he did not
think it proper to uproot prejudices and customs of so
long standing. The committee propose a most radical
change, and one for which he did not think the people
were prepared. We had lived under this life-tenure prin-
ciple, which was imported from England, for many years,
and the people had become tired of it. He was not at all
satisfied that the abuses in the judiciary which were com-
plained of were the result of the elective system. He
thought the people were more apt to secure good judges
than the executive. The gentlemen who favored this long
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