Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-04-01
coRREsPoNDENcE.
srAusroz. March oh. 1854.


Constitution; pasiicalaFlg are We disposed maj III
argest possible range ofselection shall be anoasd,a
filing HE Courtyard Jadlcial offices now immaculate
IN Within The gist Of the people. This. We Think san
best hA scsed BIZ leaving eat vi Niew The opstions
upon Questions Of Federal pbIiscs If lie various cahe
daies Al he BE- presented iAeiF satFages TOT com
sidsfsteHs Of This character euY serve "
the Judgment IF the eleefor hs shey dc not le2i
matsig asisea TO the oces III question Ihis Is onr
eoneisen upon principle; did need support ion aa
thoFiiE hare only to refer the TACT that me con-
4ary Hliey 20 thai Ne recommend, was without sln-
gle exception, deprecated by both Radical keormefs
and Conservatives in the iae Conventional canvass.
Entertaining these views. sir. We now WITHOUT as
lncti 81 pafty respectfully solicit that yeu viii an
noanee yourself Candidate fer the bcEca o. ue 81
Fprss Eeut Of Appeais For this office, allow US 10
say, VIZ conceive you ara eminenly qualled your eA'
tensise legal aiianments-the fruit OF long probes
sona ifeyonr high of justice, and Your ndoal-
table anergy in The discharge Of your pubic dunes are
familiar all; beside these, the harmed ana lahil'
nous opinions, which have Illustrated your ca
afford al-saicieRi earnest OF iuin1e usefulness,
SHOULD yon be continued b The popular Ne.cs IN me Of
Weeannot conclude luis call sir without adding
expression of the warm personal esteem with which
your many social virtues have inspired U.S. and 10 oht
utter die general sentiment OF This The comfy OF yonr
early adoption and your home, when We subscribe or
; selyes+ noust sincerely,
Your friends and ODD, servants,
ctAft5EI. CLARKE, RN KINNEY,
WM. FRAZIER. III, NJ. BELL,
WMlIB. kAYSER, no. B. WATTS.
NICHOLAS X. TROUT, J. N. iIENDREN.
BREEZE JOHNSON, ROBERT p. KINNEY,
j. N!IMYERS NM Ill HARTMAN
kBSALOM HOMER B0LlyER CHRISTIAN,
GEORGE BAYLOR, JOHN H. McJUE,
TilUS- ]. STEWART, H. CULLEN.
X. u. HILL JAS. COCHRAN,
To Sdhi Clark, Esq, and oflcr Members Of he
S!ahatoa Bar.
STANTON, March II, 1852
GE4FLEMEN II have received your favor of the
9th intt, in which you have the kindness 70 tender
your appreciation of The manner in which have
discharged my official duties, as Judge OF the
Supreme Count of Appeals, and 10 express hetde-
sire THAT would become candidate fer re- appoint
mentIby The people OF this Judicial section under
The prpvisions Of oar new CONSTITUTION. | am SEN
sibly effected by this spontaneous mark of esleem
and confidence, comings as ii does, from the rnitst
OF tBose TO whom am best known, and from "a
source 50 entirely disinteresied and 50 highly res
pectahle For The last ten wears have been wish
drawn. ia great measure, from public observation,
and indeed, almost from social intercourse By ahe
ardupus and engroSsing duties OF my lud eialtsta-
tion, which are known to be of such a nature as TO
attract but little attention from the people al large,
and I'll be subjected to the close scrutiny of none but
the members Of the legal profession, To that hon
orable and enlightened profession the constituent
body must, of course look for such information
will enable them Dexereise, with discretion and
salegHone OF the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES govern
meHEI FROM thdt profession. my reputation as 4
Judset whether good or bad must Of necessity be
derived, an1 1shall regard it as the greatest mis-
FORTUNE Of my life if have failed To secure tscoln
mendation; for the want on itwoud be decisive
evidence Of incaraeiiy or uGfa ilhtuness on my
part, in'he discharge OF the high and responsible
duties Of my trust.
To the expression, gentlfu9en. Of your wish that
shall become candidatd for The sutfrages-ni the
people, I-answer that shall do so, and that cam
not do otherwise. Teouldl have no motive for de-
eli fhat -f,tYf1 affh hmm lfatip TIA
mysek oF derogdtory 10 The appointing power No
man acquainted with my circumstances would
give ereditto the snpposilion that retired from
wearihess Of the Judicial station, in order oreturn,
under obvious Disadvantages, TO renewed profss-
sioaalH career To retire, therefore, would he
virtual acknowledgement If Incompetence or IN
worth mess, Of craven fear Of impending oppo-
sition. trust no one will suppose me SO immodest
sert aay claim founded On my present position
The power vi discardng me is in tie hands Of thd
p1oPles and if they should. determine 10 do 50, no
zone Will have right to impeach their judgment or
impqgh their motives As little right have i 10
anticipate improper motives on their part, or the
wanlIdt generous confidence, il, npon investiga-'
ton, il should be found thatI have hitherto per-
formed my duties well and faithfully. No instance
has, as yet, occurred in Virginia. OF public conf
dence withheld, when desired, from a competent
Jodge, originally elected duEing good behavior.
who Ras heenguflly Of no misbehavior.
:, YopHhaye been pleased, gentlemen, in your kind
CONDUCT TO say that yoh tepdsr itwithoul distinc-
tiop efHparty, and this, by Implication, stronger
than express words, acquits me of all suspicion Of
haynsEever carried TO The beach the bias of party
And Shall cherish the thought whatever NAV be
the result 81 The election to the latest moment Of
my life. abhorrng, as do from The Bottom Of my
soul, the crime of infusng poison into the fountain
OF justice He who commits it, or even fallers
for moment, between friend ana foe, whether per-
sQnao F POLITICAL in the administration OF the laws
aph 9rT "a uyr -
serves instead Of The ermne .oi justice tberope of
the hangRan. Such monster has never vet been
known TO the judicial annals OF Yirginia and
pray foEGod may never in all future time, disgrace
her history But that can only be guarded against
efeetaally, by the people, that The Judges are
TO be elected tof terms of years by fowniug indic-
nantlY upon every proposition 10 admit party poll
TICS il 70 the estimate Of qualification for the Judi
cial ofife Neintelligent man can have the slight
est faith in its wisdom, or justice: no decent man
can venture to avow it as principle Of action 1t
is too much to expect from human nature that
those who are elected periodically from party con
sideratipns, wilhnot be exposed % the temptation
Of doing party work, however filthy
If, ID thus resppndiRgtto your letter. have
spoken unreservenly, | am sure thai have done
so iusf and without the slightest feeling of bitter
ness towards, or the remotest thought Of casting
eensufe upon, any who may be opposed to my re.
have few words to add upon matter which
has surprised me greatly and perhaps may oeca
sion You cqnal astonishment Very recently u
have learned that some few persons are laborin :
uhaer3 gross miSappreaension in respect TO my
age, derived possibly from the Circumstance that
when came 10 Augusta in the summer of 1909 / /
engaged in the practice OF law at a comparatively
early period Of lille need only refer TO The record
OF my birth to remove any misceneepiion on this
point. was born on lhe ih. Of January. 1850
which, with but little traable of calculation will
give my age On the 4thd day of January last at 63
years.