Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-11

approval of my judicial career, during the
period in which have presided in this cir
cult. and signifying your wishes for my
reelection, should desire to continue in |
Office. After giving to your communication
the respectful consideration it deserved, |
should be disingenuous,ifI did notacknowl-
edge, that / have received such compli-
ment, from such source, with grateful G.
motions and becoming scnsibihty to its
high value. The spontaneous verdict OF
an enlightcd bar, approving judicial life,
Of now more than 20 years duration, is as
high testimonial of fidelity, as a judge
could possibly receive. 1t is one properly
appreciate and shall ever cherish in re-
membrance, IN whatever station, whether
private or public, the future may have in
store for me.
On the subject Of the judicial elections,
which will succeed the ratification Of the
amended constitution, result which con-
slider certain beyond peradventure, had
hoped, if called on to speak at all, the ne
cessity would have been averted, until
much later period than the present But
as it has been your pleasure (for reasons
doubtless satisfactory to yourselves and of
the sutficiency Of which, it is your province
and not mine to iudge,) thus early to adj
dress me, for the purpose of eliciting my
wishes and intentions, do not feel at lib
erty to decline answering you no'c. The
public sentiment of Virginia, heretofore hon
orably distinguished by delicacy so high
toned and sensitive, as to shrink with dis.
gust from the least approximation to can
vassing or electioneering for judicial of
fee, must have undergone a disastrous
change, if it would tolerate it now. Bclciv-
ing as do, in the necessity and importance
of cherishing and strengthening that time
honored sentiment. | could not consent
to be the first-rather let me say shall be
the last, to offend against,or weaken its hold
: upon the public mind,by any word or deeo
of mine therefore felt, when first re
ccived your letter, dclcacy amountin.
almost to repugnance to answering it; les
, might thereby appear to be accessory t,
having my name prematurcly thrust beior,
the people of the circuit, in the attitude o
! an eager candidate for re election. 50 IA
from desiring to occupy any such attitude
had hoped and still hope notwithstanding
the change in the mode Of election and
the appointing power, it may be possibI,
to preserve and cherish our ancient deica
cy of sentiment on this subject, by dcvisiue
some means of concentrating the public
) will and bringing tito bear inthe election 0
judges, without the necessity of, or excus,
for canrasSiag, or clccttoaeering, or even
, cdndiddt3rc, inthe sense Of the term as APP
! piled to political Offices.
am well satisfied from the terms o.
yournote,as well as from conversations hel,
/ with some of you, explanatory of the mo
! tives and purposes that prompted the cal
! upon me, atthis early day, that your view
and mine correspond in this particular, anc
e that in making it, you express your OWL
opinion that an answer would not place mt
ina position before the public, in the matter
Of delicacy, that ought to be unwilliugtc
t occupy.
b defer then to your opinion, in which
upon more mature reflection, concur, and
. proceed to answer your inquiry by frankly
/ acknowledging, that desire to continue il
5 my present Office and would feel highl,
gratfied, by such manifestation of conf
dence, on the part ofmy fellow citizens, as
r a re election would imply. | deem it due
e to the people Of the Circuit,ond not forbid
den by the most fastidious decacy, TO ox
press my willingness to serve them, lift b,
n their pleasure TO elect me; but the sam,
sense Of propriety and true delicacy, which
has restrained you from asking iorbids m,
to say more OfalI Offices, it is most EN-
I pIatically true ofthc judicial, that to MAKE
it distinction worth covciing, and its hes
towal honorable, both TO the electors an,
! the elected, it must be conferred spontan
/: eously,as the reward of merit, competenc,
and qualification, without solicitation, can
: vassing or clectioncering.
t fever the evil day shall arrive, which
/, hope and trust is far distant, when the J US
ticc seats shall be prolaned by incumbents
, indebted for their elections, to the arts O
Z the electionccrer or the dcmagogue.or ever
to partialities or preferences of personal
or party character, wholly irrespective Of
. qualifications, in myjudgment, "thc post OF
5 honor" will beta private station" The tr
: bunals Of Justice must not only be pure, bu
above suspicion. Office has no such charms
for me, and private station no such tcrrors
, that to obtain the one, or avoid the other,
could under any circumstances consent tc
pursue course, SO inevitably tending tc
lessen confidence aud respect for the Court,
of Justice and to weaken the public venera
: ton for the spotless crminc, as 10 entbarl
| "a, 4, cgpruVv la. iu,iJ,,0I ,fIira
In what have said, far be from me til,
{, purpose of debating to others, or the ntcn
: lion of disparaging adverse opinions on thi,
subject, if any such there be. My sole object
tousc common phrase, is to define my po
sition, TO make known the course hay,
4, prescribed for my self, in the premises, an,
The reasons fori
AS to the allusion you have made to Tho
Court of Appeals, in connection with my
self, have only TO say, if that honor were at
tainablc by me, without supplanting a cher
ished friend aud able and faithful incumbent
| am by no means prepared to say, as al
present advised that should prefer it to my
Circuit: but have no hesitation indeclaring
that | could neither reconcile it TO the obi
cations Of private friendship, nor 10 sense
Of duty to the public,to consent to be instru
mental, if could III defeating the rc-clec.
ton of an incumbent, who, take for gran
ted, desires to continue in Office, who has
discharged his duties with distinguished a
bility, assiduiiy and fidelity, and will long
continue to do SO, with an ability to which
| make no prctcnsion, should it be the
pleasure Of the people Of the section to G.
lect him, and the will Of God to vouchsalc
to him life and health
| IL is proper should say in conclusion,
that ! should have been silent on this sub
iect, as the allusion by you did not require