The North-Carolina standard., 1849-01-03
REMARKS OF Mr.. wA1spn
OF DAYInsnN

DelIVereo IN tne mouse OF Commons On III
the 2lst of December, on the Resolution IN ursday
Mr.. StanIy, to inform John w. ElI;s Offered b.
election as Judge. Esq Of hs
Mr.. Speaker: Sir, rise at this time .o
intended saying on yesterday, but yU.s say what
by the arrival of the special order of the prevented
occupy peculiar position here-it BEING fy. lSi
thing but apleasant one, ever since the almost any
Hon. Richmond M. Pearson to the SnnroAOn of&e
bench Of North Carolina. Soon after n. CONT
his election was known especially after b result Of
of the gentleman from Rowan, to FIJI th election
oceasioned by the resignation of Mr.. vacaAcy
Circuit Judge, the town, the streets, and the Tor
were filled with the term OF bargain and sale TM!y
Sir, the term Of traitor was frequently s~n1. Yes
also found in some of the newspapers stropp ppHed
ations of the same and, much to NV snrrs T'SlnO
witnessed spirited debate going on bo,rn,Ha HaTe
eloquent friend from Beaufort and the oentIen my
Rockingham. also see that the same is an! Iron
pairing itself to be made public. And gan al! Pre-.
der those eircumstances-not under a faol; IN.
citenent, or with desire to wound the fSS: VI eI.
my friends, either side of the House anI TSS
take occasion of saying that make no eharro nov
gentleman in this body, of intending to mispor.a
this unfortunate AFFAIR." feel myself called ,eOt
this occasion, to give fair statement of On
they have existed, in justification of myseIf
fcation of the station of Judge Pearson, and bp s
ton filled by the gentleman from Rowan. 40 S'
the character and dignity of this House. "eus
Sir, those two gentlemen are now the oSoo.,
the State, each IN their respective stations -
well known to you, Sir that we have been in ssss;
nearly five weeks, and the business of the neoDl
undone. When we commenced balIotinr ft = I9
.preme Court Judge, there were three Candida.
that ofice-the present Incumbent, the Hon W N 10 III
Battle, the Hon. r. M. Pearson, and the H.. w. H.
Strange. On the commencement of votinn ~ H.
Pearson and Mr.. Battle were nearly tied bnt o. .. u"
progressed, there was dropping off from Mr.. BaH
and gain for Mr. Pearson; until l. as well 40 na""
other members, became sick and tired of so nI Lau
consumption of time. 1t was quite apparent IN ~o
Sir, that under this situation the wheel of bnso,
in this Legislature was locked, and could mt ns
l, on the morning in which the election was s msS.
proposed to some four Democrats that, should E,r
Whig friends still persist in voting for Judga R,S
if they would vote with me for Judge Pearscpun
was elected, myself and two other Wings would vos
for some Democrat to fill the vacancy occasiona5 I
the Election of Judge Pearson to the Suprpme Co
bench. To that proposition they readily consensJ
| by my agreeing to go for their nominee / did ao
MIR. Speaker, with the exception of one geDtl.
man, whom will not name, Mr.. Battles few friends
did persist in voting for him after his name had been
withdrawn. The contest then had narrowed down
to result in the election of either Judge Pearson n,
Judge Strange, and had become satisfied upon uoJ
authority that unless we succeeded in electing Uue
Pearson on the ballot that we did, Judge StraDSe
would be elected Sir, in this case, you cannot sub
pose that was managing to defeat the Hon. VIM,
| H. Battle. His name was withdrawn-he was ont
of the question. The question was, shall we have
| for Supreme Court Judge, Pearson or Strange! Nv
object was to defeat Mr.. Strange and elect Mr. Pea:
son.. Sir, am proud to say that | succeeded with
my choice. Judge Pearson was born and raised in
my County-he is my friend and neighbor-he ishe
undivided choice of my constituents, and eminenIy
qualified for that station. Under those crcumssn-
is it at all surprising that may have possessed
an over zeal for my friend-the same as the few per-
sisting friends of Judge Battle! For Sir, think
they were alone actuated by an over zeal for their
| friend. | then foresaw that if Judge Strange was
elected there could be no vacancy for Judge Battle
as. Mr.. Pearson would still remain Judge of the
Circuit Court, now filled by Judge Ellis. 1t is well
known that those Democrats who voted for Judge
Pearson made his election-they had redeemed their
pledge-they had paid me in advance. Now Sir
what was my position To vote for Mr. Ellis for
Circuit Judge, or l was not to do it. ! was pacedN
condition that probably could not vote, only from
the circumstance that was bound in honor to my
Democratic friends to vote for Mr.. Ellis, or do that
which an honorable man could not do. | so inform
ed many of my friends at the time that was bound
to give my vote as l have done.
But, Mr.. Speaker, entertain the kindest feelings
| for Mr.. Battle, and now am at liberty should need
be made for another Circuit Judge, no one in this
| House would go farther to elect him than myself
| After what has been here stated by me, now take
the liberty to assume all the responsibility upon my
self, as fearful as many have supposed it to be-
Sir, would state, in justice to the honorable char
acter of Judge Pearson, that this arrangement was
made by me in the Absence and without the knoTl'
edge, agency or consent of that gentleman. In me
election of Mr.. Ellis, can say the same as regards
him. ask not the joint responsibility of my tnenoS
let the whole responsibility rest on the night man.
and that is myself, so far aS l know. But MI
Speaker, let US see how far the charges made oil Da
gain and sale are true, and how far have departed
from the course of most of this General ASsem0N
The two parties being nearly balanced, atter Cm
days being spent in this house, and week 10 "s
other end of the Capitol, were we not driven NO. 70 q
compromise by equal distribution OF the Om' E%'
in each Was this considered by the authors o M "s
many reports to be bargain and sale! Was 1,
course considered traitorous in the Wing parry
Sir. No such rumors were heard OF. But 9l' W. w.
the precedent set for me by some OF my hg '"u m.
stop here! No, Sir You will recollect IND! sUI, T
distinguished Wings and Democrats changed @ m"J n1J
votes in the election between Mr. Smith, wing, No
Mr.. Coleman, Democrat, for Solicitors. Oaa ,UJ
shown that We could then be told OF bargain t" a"s
sale, and being traitors! much doubt whenel uSr Sr
has been one word of complaint uttered. bu, J J",
much is rumored out of this House as regards ;uIs
Pearson's having publicly spoken OF this ansn st that
fore its results were known. will only renialA
have but little confidence in the truth OF the loPUo ~
though Judge Pearson may notice them IN III; vc
But, Sir, am to be told that did wrong u nsn ~,
ing for Judge Ellis, because he is too young a"
and unqualifed-that should have declined "" ,U"I
for him on that ground. Sir, he is the ony ID ~ an,
Davidson proper who has ever been elevated o"d a.
station of high honor and proft-one who's av suT y
ways has been my neighbor and PERSONAL n"s sour
special friend his father and family are my IN me-
tymen and my personal friends. And pray VI Nv
Mr.. Speaker, how Icould have done otherwSsi
friend from Beaufort has introduced IeS?,Ih LIAM
here to authorize the Speaker of the House ~ S
Judge Ellis that he has been elected Juogge .h"ucN
Superior Court. Probably if my friend mao |'J uoi
the Judge would aveabstained from giving gbnt SE
cal vote, he might have done otherwise puT ""seh be
believed that Mr.. Ellis would pursue the cpts
has done. And, Sir, do hope that my Pla" nrv for