Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-05
To tile Members efMc AmAerst Bar.

STAUNjoN, NdTCH Zou, lCO-.
Gentlemen:-You favor of the 18th in
slant was not received until to-day, and
hasten to return my grateful thanks for
your kind appreciation ofmy public servi-
ces in the judicial office which have held
for the last ten years. 1t comes from a
source so highly intelligent and rcspecta.
BILE. as to furnish persuasive evidence tina,
| have not shown myself incompetent or
unfaithiul in the discharge Of the arduous
duties ofmy station. 1t relieves me from
the fear of presumption in soliciting from
the people renewal Of that confidence
which was reposcd in me by their repre-,
sentatives at the time Of my election by
the Legislature; and it assures me that my
appointment, under the late Constitution,
during good behavior, has not been tar
nished by any misconduct. What inhu-
ence these considerations ought to have
upon the question Of reappolntment. will
he submitted to the good sense aud feel
ings of the people of this judicial section
at the approaching election.
feel highly honored by the expression
of your belief that if, from any infrmities
of age or ravages of disease, | were sensi-
bic ola decline of my faculties mental or
physical, would not desirea reelection
and that if re.appointed. would not hes
itate 10 surrender my commission upon
the occurrence, during the official term. of
any such unforeseen calamity. That no
such objection EXISTS, at the present time,
| appeal, with the utmost confidence, to
my brethren Of the bench-the gentlemen
of the bar-the records of the court-tbe
printed reports ofits adjudications and to
the whole community. in which | am per
sonally known. You have correctly re-
garded my brief indisposition OF last sum.
mer, as light, casual and transient; and, as
some few persons may have treated it as
ground of objection, may be permitted
to say, that my constitution is remarkably
firm. and my health uncommonly robust,
and that no Judge who ever sat on the
bench Of Virginia has lost less time, from
any cause, in the course of his official du-
ties. AS to any apprehension on the score
of my age, it may be best estimated by re-
ferring to the record Of my birth, which
gives as its date the 4th Of January, 1889.
Icannot express, TOO strongly, my con
currence with you in deprecatiug all innu
ence Of party politics in the election of
Judges by the people The reasons are
too obvious for discussion. Every one will
admit that no person is better Judge be-
cause he is Wing or Democrat. Ev.
cry good man revolts from the idea Of dis
turbing the sources of Justice by such a
criterion of selection. Every man OF
sense perceives, at glance, that nothing
would bea more demoralizing or PERM,
cious practice.
In this connexion may say. with all
humility, that rejoice III the belief that
no one has ever suspected me ola pres
criptive spirit. and deem 1t an act of JUS
tee to myself, to state not only that the
appointment which hold was not con-
ferred npon me by party vote, but that
since l was called to the bench, have
taken no part whatever in the turmoil of
party politics, and have ssu,lioasly and in
variably avoided all attendance a, pola-
cal meetings.
Loo s<ers l..ss,-> 90 .,ll