Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-10-07

got handsome majority in the district
on the day of the general election, Mr..
Burlington was again elected. Since that
time the district has again passed into
hands of the Democratic party.
During his whole course of four years
in Congress, Mr.. Burlington gave general
satisfaction to his friends and to the pub
lie generally, and would in all probability
have been selected third time if he had
not peremptorily declined. His active
exertions in behalf of PROTECTIVE IA
RIFF, in the public debates of which he
took prominent part, and his diligence
in attending to his duties, won for him the
respect of his fellow members, and the
appreciation of his constituency. His re-
putation as jurist in his native State
had followed him to Washington city, and
at the opening of the 29th Congress he
was selected by the Speaker as one of the
members of the very ardous and respon-
sible committee on the Judiciary.
During the intervals in the session of
Congress and on retiring a, the close of
his last term, Mr.. Burlington resumed the
practice at the bar, and so continued it
till the spring of l849, when upon the
expiration of the term of Hon. Alexander
MCalmont, as President Jud ge of the
18th judicial district; Mr.. Burlington was
appointed to the Office by Gov. Johnston.
That appointment being in the recess of
the Senate, continued only till the end Of
the next session, On the meeting of the
succeeding session Of the Legislature, he
was nominated by the Governor for the
constitutional term, and his nomination
unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
On tAe passage of the Compromise
measures by Congress, in the latter part
of the Summer of 1850, the duty of Sc
lecting officers for the Territories, thus
created, devolved on the President of the
United States, and Judge Burlington was
nominated to the Office as Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of the Territory of
Utah, and unanimously confirmed by the
Senate of the United States. His do
mestic and private relations, and the
great distance of the Territory from his
home and family connections, induced him
to decline this Office, which had not been
one of his seeking, and continue in the
discharge ofhis duties as PresidentJudge.
By the adoption of the amendment of
the Constitution by the people, the terms
of the Judges expired in the fall of 1851;
and an election to supply their places
took place. Judge Bufington's district
was strong Democratic one, every coun-
ty of which giving large majorities for
that ticket. He had not removed from
Armstrong county, and was not resident
of his own district. Previous to his ap-
pointment he had been largely engaged
in practice, in the counties of Clarion and
Jefferson, and it became necessary to
hold special courts to try the cases in
which he had been concerned. For that
purpose he called on Judge Knox, who
also resided in Kittanning, his own re-
sidence, to preside in his courts and set
tie up this unfinished business. Judge
Knox, who then presided under a COM
mission from Gov. Skunk, in the 10th
district, failing to receive the nomination
in his own district, was selected by the
Democratic party as their candidate in
the 18th Judge Bufington's) district
During the term that Judge Knox had
held the special courts in that district, he
had given entire satisfaction, and was a
popular Judge. Being urged by large
number of friends Of both parties, to be-
come candidate, upon the specious rea-
son, that the Office was not political one,
and that the party distinctions would not
prevail, Judge Burlington was induced to
become candidate. These expectations
were not realized, and on account of the
Governors election, and that of the Ca
nal Commissioner, the candidate for which
Gen. Clover, resided in Clarion county,
the party organization was very thorough
and political excitement ran very high
Under these circumstances Judge Bufing
ton was defeated but by majority great
ly below that against either Gov. John
ston or the Whig candidate for Canal