Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-07-24

pectable gentlemen who aspire 10 the bench in
August next but because however faithful 10
the constitution they may have been deemed by
those who read it as they did. and whose prin-
ciples of government they would conseq uently
maintain and Advance, they were regarded in o
light exactly the reverse by those who read and =.
interpreted the instrument in radically op1c6
or different sense-leadng, Of course, to &
octly opposite or different "opinions" or adiu-
dcations.
Honoring, as have ever done, the enlight-
ened prescieuoe or forecast thus firmly pcted
upon however desirable to DO continued in Q
station with the duties Of which have at leaa
become familiar, cannot longer aspire to ito
honors al the peril Of the great principles which
are so obviously involved in the election We
are approaching, to pretend unconsciousness Of
the fact would be 20 my mind less credisable
than 10 declare indifference TO the result,
Whether my comparative prospects Of cleo
lion are as good or better than those Of other
democratic candidates need not Of course be
here enquired or determined. With more than
u double ticket o! such aspirants to divide the
strength of our political friends, the probabil-
ties in favor of either Of Us give way before the
greater certainty that we will either oil be out.
voted by the respectable single ticket Of our
adversares, or that they evince an infinitely less
intelligent regard for their principles or the
means Of so essentially sustaining and promo
ting them than they have heretofore done, Of
than they seem TO be so quietly and iudiciously
doing at present. | need but add, therefore,
that however the miscalculating confidence of
Too sanguine temperament may have misted me-
in the more erdent periods of the past, il has
been at least SO modified by the lessons Of dis-
appointment and experience as not to obscure
from my perception the line Of common duty
in such conjunosure as the present one.
In recording my declensiOn accordingly, and
thus leading the way Gas it is trusted) 10 such
reduction Of the number oil similar aspirants
as shall place the party with whom we act upon
grounds Of equal and fair contest with the 9th.
er party trust it need scarcely We protested
how wholly incapable it is for my nature to have
designed anything here written or intimated, a.
a wound to the just sensibilitics Of those with
whom disagree in the construction Of our polit.
zeal systems, In the Interpretation of our political
constitutions, and consequently in the exposition
and administration Of many Of our political
laws. Recognizing amongst them citizens 40
Intelligent, patriotic and noble % can be pointed
10 IN any age or par'y-inany Of them my sup.
porters IN past elections, when having no can
dida'e OF their own-others friendly to nv
success in the approaching one, and amongst tho
mass OF whom | again return for iIdiscrimipste
association and professional support-it 10 but
natural that | should have restrained rather than
given license to the pen, which records dissent
from their party creed Of interpreting the nara.
mount law of the land, as reapon why even
The KIND and voluntary support of such friends,
coupled as 1t necessarily would be with the loo
obvious hazard Of at least the Judicial or poli,i-
cal prPonderancc alluded to should be, as it il,
u respectfully toregone. They desire to have a
y, court, ma GRITTY of whose members will from
time to time concur in such judicial expos tions
u Of the constitution of the United States and our
9 own State, as will sustain and advance their
u own political or party creed, and it is because /
deem that such all occurrence would be frsughj
Z with more real and permanent detriment 10 The
opposite poliiy thnn the loss of any other de
= par'men' involving the relances TO which nv
y judgment more than ever and almost wholly
ciings Tor the preservation Of the governments
themselves that in the voluntary self denial
u which withdraws me from SO iii ccntriyed and
y unequal canvass, but deiIsrentially absolve
myself from even the negative esponsibility o
IS contributing to SO unpropilious a result.
J. | but add in dis'olving thu, judicial relations
which have Tor some time agreeably and ad.
:, vantageously connected me with the distan,
Il members Of the profession, at the political and
u commercial metropolis OF the State, that if II
- return for the almost invarable dignity of do.
a pertinent and propriety of practice, which 50
: greateiully disembsrrassed the comparative in
J. experience under which assumed those rela-
J. tons, have upon any occasion seemed unmind.
n fu of how much of the relative pleasantness OIL
d my station wa. owing, throughout, to the cour
te'y and considerationt thus advertsd 20, l pray
y the magnanimi'y and forgiveness of those who
% may have witnessed so great, yet unintentions
a wrong. Whether such services in the station
o as have resulted from my best reflections, have
n in any sense contributed to the symmetry or the
u strength OF the judicial edifce must Of course
G undergo that ordeal Of the professional judg-
!, ment from which nothing that i. written can b
u wholly exempt, and to which, therefore, in the
: future IS in the past, l of course submit my
d self.
u With the single additional remark, tia. ds.i.
n ring to be understood by intelligent and fair
;, minded men of all parties, in the manner that
II understand myself throw myself upon the
l. courtesy of the political press to give publicity
= to this communication. | remain, &c.,
JAMES H. BIRCH.
e PRAIRIE PARK. July LIST, 1851.