Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-05-19
TO the Voters of the Third Judi
cial Section.

The friends of Judge JOHN w. BRocKEN-
BRoUGH, VINO have known him long and well
have heard with unfeigned surprise, that certain
individuals VINO ought TO know better, are indus
trously circulating through the section, that he
has been brought out by the Wings, and is to be
run against Judge Samuels on party grounds.
The Undersigned, members Of the Democratic
party, ana who would be very far from sustaining
any man ior any office, who would consent 10 be
run by the Wing party, or to further Wing pur-
poses, consider 1t an act ofcommon justice to Judge
brockenorough to correct over their own names, SC
injurious ana slanderous report as the one above
referred to. No man in the State has been more
uniform, flrm and consistent Democrat than Judge
brockenbrough, in all things properly appertainng
to democracy. Brought up from his early boy
hood under the teaching of the Roanes, the Ritch-
les, the fuckers, the Parkers, and his own Demo
cratic name, the Brockenbroughs, he has never in
MS lie, IN any party contest, given Wing vote,
but has always firmly and manfully borne up the
banner OF democracy, and the more zealously in
the darkest hours of our fortunes. On the present
occasion Democrats and Wings, have earnestly
solicited him to offer his services to the State and
he has yielded to their wishes, not supposing that
any person would undertake 10 make party ques-
'-NAA Va S"N-i I'll SiOStlOH liz lOHOllOOlCu uUN
earnestly the friends of Judicial reform had repel
led, during the Convention canvass, and in the
Convention, the arguments of their adversaries,
that in Judicial elections by the people, party pol
itics would never rule. He had seen the names of
Dickinson and Sharkey quoted every where 10 prove
that in such elections the people would have the
wisdom to choose their best men without respect
to party, and being Democrat he offered himself
without expecting any Of his own party to vote for
him because Democrat, or any Wing to vote a.
galnst him for the same cause, but hoping to have
fair race with his worthy competitor Judge Sam
uels on the naked single question of merit and fit
ness for the office.
From our knowledge of Judge peterborough g.
his opinions, we are well assured he would not
have consented to be run for judicial office as the
candidate of his own loved party and much less as
the candidate of the Wing party. We think he
would scorn to do the work Of any party, in the
high office for which he has been nominated; but
would rather respond in the language Of his offic-
al oath, to the noble sentiment of Judge Sharkie
when questioned by partizans: Twill decide eve
ry question that comes before me according to the
Law and the Constitution, so help me God. Be-
leving him to be such man, and that in office he
will deal out even handed justice to all men of all
political parties; believing, him in the language
of Jefferson, honest, capable, and friend to the
Consth on, we portion of the Democratic par V
ask for his claims fair consideration land feel con-
fidence enough in the wisdom and justice of the
people of this section to believe they will receive
fair consideration in spite of all that party hacks
can accomplish.
Judge Brockenbrough has been blessed with pc
culiar opportunities, within the last ten or twelve
years of his te to fit him for the high and impor-
tant station to which we hope the people of this
Section will elevate him. As Judge Of the Fede-
raj Court for the Western District of Virginia, his
naturally fine mind, previously well stored with
legal learning, has been trained to calm Judicial
investigation. We ardently wish that m re Of s
Courts had been located in this Section, that the
people might have had more general opportunity
of hearing and seeing him. We are sure that all
would have agreed with us of Augusta, the only
seat within this Section of one of his Courts, that
none within its limits would more adom seat on
the Supreme bench of the State. In addition, the
inadequacy of his salary, has compelled him for
the last three four years to convert the leisure
of his long winter vacations into laborious devo-
ton to Law School in Lexington. There he a.
gain became Student ofthe Law, and his unre-
hitting labours of preparation for his lectures and
examinations, are testified by his unanimous clas-
SEES, as an argument not only of his Conscientious
discharge of duty to his Students, but of his i'm
proved science in the legal profession. The near
approach of the day of election and the necessity
Of giving early publicity to this vindicstion of
Judge. Brockenbrough from the calumnes of his
enemies, alone prevent a more numerous signature
to this card. We feel perfect confidence that the
day of election will give them signal refutation,
by showing on his poll decisive majority of Dem
ocratc votes ofthis and Rockbridge counties,
he and his principles are best known.
BENZ. CRAWFORD,
l.. l.. STEVENSON,
WILLIAM KYLE,
b. F. POINTS,
JON. BRANDEBURG,
JOHN C. GROVE,
JOHN C. KYLE.