Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-19
- For THE TIMES.

represents that that 1.-THE next Juioe of Rich
nlond has been already selected by meeting O
lawyers, held in the Court House last Wedpesda,
evening heid with doors closed on the people
&C. AS this is a mlsstaement of fact, found
ed probably on very incorrect information and is
calculated to produce very erroneous and mis-
chleVous impression, Justice to the gentlemen
composing the meeting alluded to- to the gentle.
man recommended by them as candidate for the
Judgeshlp, and still more to the voters of the
city, VINO may be misled by it, requires that
a correct account of that meeting should be given
to the public.
Inc general expectation that Judge Robertson
would be our Judge under the new Con stitution,
entertained by every one in the city, having been
suddenly, within three weeks before the election,
disappointed by his unexpected card, declining
re-eleetlon, the choice of his successor became
very naturally subject of much concern and con-
Versatlon both among the people at large, and
more especially among the members of the Bar
OF this city, whose daily avocation at once rem
| oefed them the most interested in obtaining the
services OF the most competent Judge, and afford
cd mem the best opportunities of Knowing who
would be such. 1t was also very naturally desired
by the Bar generally, that whoever should be
elected Judge, should receive, as far rs practical
| BILE, the concurrent wishes and unanimous suffla-
ges of all the counsel practising in his court os n
means of preserving the harmony and good feel
Ing heretofore characteristic Of the profession ge-
nerally, and nowhere more than in this city, and
| OF preventing any genteman's being placed, for
want OF information to the sentiments of his
associates, in the position of residing in court
where great majority of those with whom he
was daily engaged in the administration of ms
t1ce, were opposed to his election. preferripp ann
| ther-a position which, it was believed. no mem
Der of this bar desired. For these reasons num-
Der OF gentlemen practising in this court volunta-
rily met in the court house, not "Wednesdav
last for the first time, but the day after JUDGE
RS resignation was published, and desiring to
have large attendance of tie bar, adjourned to
| the following afternoon. At this second meeting.
the question chiefly discussed for some time was.
not who should be recommended as a suitable
Judge, but who among those at all competent to
fill the station, would accept, or could with the
small salary attached to the Office afford to accent
it if elected. At length one gentleman stated
that he felt authorised to say, that Mr. Stanard
would and could accept the office if elected to it.
at the same time congratuating the meeting on
the ability to obtain the services of one so emf
nently qualified in every respect for the Office
Another gentleman then stated that, though not
specially authorised by Col. Meredith to say so,
yet he believed from a conversation with Col.
Meredith that he mig ht venture to saw, that he
also would serve if elected to the office, and ex
pressed his opinion of his being admirably shifted
| to discharge its duties.
| After some further discussion as to the possbi-
| ity OF the addition of any other name being made
to the list OF those then spoken off, and as TO the
possibility OF the Legislature increasing the sala-
ny, the meeting (Which had been, like the first
one. wholly informal and with open doors,) ad-
journed till last Tuesday, for the express purpose
OF giving more extended notice, and allowing com
petition, when another meeting, Gnformal also,
and also with open doors, in the Court Room
was held.
At this last meeting on Tuesday afternoon, af-
ter some discussion as to the proprety of recon-
mendlng more than one candidate, or of making
no recommendation, in the course of which dis
CUSTOM a belief was intmated that there MIGHT
be some opposition to the candidate then recon-
mended, though could say certainly that
there would be such opposition, or by whom It
would be made; it was proposed and determined
to recommend one candidate to the people of this
city, and that none Of the gentlemen then present
would aid IN getting up any opposition to that re-
| commentator. At this point, some three or
four gentlemen retired from the meeting. or de-
clined voting in it, being unwilling to give any
such pledge ofsupport to its Recommendation A
vote viva voce, was then taken, which resulted in
the unanimous vote of the rest of the meeting for
Mr.. Stanard as the candidate, whom thew recon-
mend for the Judgeship-his name, and no other.
having been put in nomination before this meet
ing, at which the gentlemen who nominated COL
Meredith, at the former meeting, was not present
and at which neither he nor any other gentleman
withdrew renewed that nomination. And this
is the whole history OF this transaction amounting
to nothing than this than at second adjourn
ed meeting of the members ofthe bar of this city,
those present, except three four, (who them
selves concurred in the opinion of MIR. Stanard's
eminent qualifications for the Office, but preferred
to give no pledge to support him,) agreed to re-
commend that gentleman to the people of the
city a suitable person for the station of Judge
of this Circuit. No one there entertainod in the
remotest degree, the idea of 'electing a Judge
by the BAR" or even of exercising any undue ip-
fuence on the election. Indeed, very few there
believed there would be any other candidate; and
some were so assured of this, as to assert their
confident belief, that no other member of the Bar
would accept the nomination. Had nomina-
ton been made by the same number of citizens,
not ldaDyers, in another meeting, or by addressing
letter to the candidate no one would have seen
in it any possible occasion for cavil or doubted
their perfect right to make it, or the proprety of
exercising that right. That it vast the reconae,,-
datlon of laOyers whose daily intercourse and
avocations gave them the fullest opportunities of
making judicious recommendation, and all
whose personal interests, in common with the
interests of clients and the people, so perfectly
identified with their own, urged them to do So
can surely be objection with people who
without any feelings OF personal prediction
antipathy to crafty, honestly desire to elect the
most efficient and faithful public officer, and it is
absurd as well as unjust to attempt to excite pre-
JUDGES in the people against the Bar, who can
have nointerest in the question which is not felt
equally by the people, and VINO have done nothing
but invite gentleman to become candidate for
the office, whose eminent qualification for it no
one questions. 1t may be proper to add, that it
was the general impression, that Judge Crump
did not desire the office,
A MEMBER OF THE RICHMOND BAR.
Judge Buchanan, of the fifth district court of
New Orleans lately decided that inn-keepers are
liable for the property stolen from strangers and