Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-18
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES,

.Sufurday, Dec ETH
Mr.. SMITH of Isle of Wight. from the Committee
Of Propositions and Grievances, presented report
upon the petition nf citizens at the county Of Char
lo,tp for separate election in said county, and bill TO
effect said object
Mr.. WoRrnIxoroS, from the Committee Tor Courts
of Justice, presented bill concerning grand jures i'm.
panneled in The Hastings Court of the City of Rich
mond.
ELECTION OF JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS.
The order of the day Tor the election of Judge Of
the Court of Appeals 10 supply the vacancy OCCASION
ed by the death Of the late Richard E. Parker bavng
been read,
Mr.. WoRrHiyeroy rose tn perform duty which per-
sonal friendship, more than his own ability to DIS.
charge that duty, imposed upon him. Az It The
pleasure nfthe House 70 into the election 10 fill that
vacancy, he rose 10 place nomination, rs TT and
proper individual 10 fill that station, Judge John F.
Nav, of the town Of Petersburg |, would be out Of
place fur him upon ihis upon any occason, In al
tempt enlighrn the members Of That Hnn-e In thr
character" qualifications Of thu grn,lrinan whose name
he had mentioned Years ago lie had served mem
her of lint body-At late day, for several yanrs, he
had heen engaged in the scrs'ce In the Judicia
nv nf The State, he engaged nr sme period Of tune,
and there, TINT station, II report tn br believed,
his conduct and his ability such In reflect hn
the station. His intimacy with that gentle
commenced with The last sesson "f the Iegisla.
ture, and he placed in such position nf oh,erva.
ton enabled hun 10 form opin"n of the gene
raj requirements and legal abilities of that gentle
man, then, now. acting Chairman of The judiciary
Committee. during the whole session, and upon
nll occasions, he evinced the most thorough know
ledge aud acquaintance with the Sainr. law ami
although, upon several "ccasi"ns, IL had been hi>
misfortune /" differ with that gentleman IN that
n. use, We, n" man could fail IL become fully
qnaint-d wth, aud I" acknowledge iii. as-idu y
mud attention with which that Gentleman performed
his duties all ucrnsr"ns In the present cir
cum.iancr of vacancy in the highest stat'"n, IN.
highest Court "f Judiciary ilr,r STATE, II tn
b,undrn duty "f the appointing power I" select gen
prermnent quail fca,I"n~, united I" n steady indsr,
aud perseverance,, l., enable him I" discharge ,ln
rious duties ot lls Station, were possessed in
nrnt degree by The gentleman whose maine he had
brought before them. With these few remarks, III,
members .! that liisr and the entire Leg stature L.
ing rs well acquainted with the qualifications al ih'
gentleman proposed as he wns he submitted his naun
10 the considt iat,on al il,r House.
Mr. STEPHENSON of 1.l SAID It was now about tw.
years ago, having then but Just taken his for III,
first tune SINCE liz called upon 10 make n no,,nu.
ton NJ supply vacancy ia ihr Court al Appeals. II
would BE- recnllrct d, that that occasion, liz hrnunh
to the coisd rati"n al the members at that body,
distinguished individual whose name lie should na
leave again present before them: He nj that Tim.
nominated Judge Allen of B",etourt. He belev
then, now that it important 10 that p' rtIon al
the State from whence ne came, that some person
should br elevated Ia the high office under cnnsidp
ration, who had snch knowledge at their peculiar
Jurisprudence would enable linn 10 give them that
just consideration whmh was their due. llr was, II
would he well remembered, unsuccessful with his
nomination upon the former occasion but even now,
Notwithstanding The su Cess ct the distinguished
grntrmna upon that occasion, he would most respect
fully submit u that House. that the appointment OF
Judge Allen would have been infinitely better for the
Interests OF that portion OF the State from which he
camr notwithstanding tie high legal alainnen,s and
profound learning of III successful competitor. The
House must be aware that Western Virginia had Il
deep interest the C"n-t tui,n aud proceedings oil
that Court. For the last 80 years tina, Court had
been deciding upon Western land titles, while they
had never had any upon the bench selected
from their portion OF the State. They had now
opportunity of remedyIng This drfrct-and lie hud
the honor of proposing gentleman, perhaps more
deeply read than my other man, in those qurs-
tions which had fr quently before the Court
of Appeals, aud winch must continue 10 be-
fore It, arising out OF their Western land laws
Judge Allen no lad been raised among
them he had made this branch of the law The etudy al
his r-and he did trust that gentleman of his sinnd
ing, learning and acknowledged legal abilities, would
receive The favorable attention nf tnat House. Some
Of the decisions made by the Court Of Appeals vitality
affected Western interests, and Of those decisions
never could have been mnde, had they had upon the
bench gentleman Of ability from their part of the
Sate-He did by these remarks Ia disparage
The abilities Of the gentlemen presiding in that Court
but It had not been their interest Ia become deeply
vrrsed in then and.aw n gentleman residing
amongst thrm.-He thought Western Virginia had
right claim this election at the hands Of the
House; they consisted of third of the pnpua-
tion Of the State and the interests growing out of
these land titles involved interests growing Of half
the land in thp State, md we're ms important all the
Eastern gentlemen who Ind monopolised the bench of
that Court 10 the present ne-they had right TO ask
fer lbsssliy a thsir hands, and he doubted not but