Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1852-05-18
For the Enquirer.
TO THE VOTERS OF THE HALIFAX AND LYNCH
RIIRG lUDIEIAL CIRCUIT.

For the Enquirer.
TO THE VOTERS OF THE HALIFAX AND LYNCH.
BURG JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.
Fellow. CiizensA We are 10 be hurried into the election
of Judge unexpected action OF The Legislature on
the 4th Thursday of the present month, permit US TO cal
your attention 10 few considerations in vndication OF
Judge William Leghs qualifications for that important sta
ton To residents Of his old district who despite oil all
reasons the contrary will cvnce their admiration oil hl:
by an overwhelming majority OF votes this will be altogether
unnecessary II is known that his friends have not been
impounac in urging his claims on the public Neither the
editorial nor advertising columns of the press have been
burde ned his behalf His supporters have confidently be-
icvcd that his varied cxceencies and Judge his
acknowledged abilities his aborious habits ms great nes
patch his profound knowledge of every branch OF the law
and his impartial administration o even handed nsce nave
so anchored him in the public confidence and esteem as
dispense with the necessity Of an advertisement OF his merits
al this late day, through The medium OF the press
To this policy quietly and silently submitting his claims
10 the unbiased decision OF intelligent people, tho friends
Judge Leigh would certainly have adhered were they
moi driven their silence by article which originally
appeared The signature of "a Member Of the ynchbug
Bar in the journals OF mat town, ana mas since oeen Ire
queny published, land once certainly us an advertise
ment,) in other papers
The uyowed object Of that article, is 10 sabuse The pub
lie mind Of various prcudces alleged 10 have originated from
aunf,nded rumor" understood have been circulated
through some which compose this district 10 the
disparageueut of Judge Wilson. What these particular
mos base and unfounded may be, We shall not pre-
su 10 conjecture; but must be permitted remark
that though The circle of acquaintance in the district
by no means narrow, have heard from any friend
OF Judge Leigh any comment or observation, touching
judge Wilson's fitness for the judicial station which had
been fully freely and publicly expressed years ago. when
the present contest coui have been anticipated We
entirely agree with the "Mcmbcr of the Lynchburg Bar in
his enumeration Of the essential qualifications of judges
but among them should have assigned more prominent
place than he has thought proper 10 do, To Thorough
knolede he " for without the aid Of this indspen
sable eauisic even "kndness of temper and republican
simplicity of manner" will accomplish but little in deter
mining merits of plea In bar, or in adjusting the con-
dieting equities Of complex chancery su Its true that
this mporan qualification is altogether overlooked by
the ede Lynchburg lawyer nor is 1t actually degraded
from the into obscure note there e remain during
all subsequent republication, Us is the with sign!
cant fac in his communca on)- the other hand il
not insisted with The emphasis which t5 real consequence
demands is introduced towards the close of The article
hedped about with profusion of other compliments very
much after the manner of sku Generals who careful
TO enclose suspected regiment with more reliable troops
Bearing as very cheerfny do ready testimony 10 The
gcn,lennly character and unsued integrity Of Judge vii
SON We shall NOT scuced by the article referred into
an assault upon him. His unqucstionable private worth
friendly regards, alike forbid such course We
desire his merits adudsed by viruous and incllgen
people without ourselves inicting wound upon his
sbiites, or ut,cring word in his dispaage,nen
But his Lynchburg friend, not content that his chances
of success should depend exclusively his deserts
has unnecessarily instituted comparison between hun and
Judge Leigh their Judicial efficiency, in which The
gentleman quiet and unobusve as he has BEEN Is ex-
hbted nj some disadvantage The prosecution OF such
enquiry exceedingly disngecabIei but let the blame any
rest with those who provoke The discussion Judge Leigh
nothing fear from comparison, as regards efficiency
or ability with any cxpounde OF the law, who has ever
uraced the general court OF Virgnai and reference 10
facts and figures OF which have been omitted by "A
Member of the Lynchbug Bar" will at length satisfy
him that there is deal OF pungent truth in the proyerb
which declares that Comparisons Odious"
The and figures which the writer Of the article
iered 10 above calls particular attention" and upon which
he bases his Comparison of the result Of the labor and
amount of business respectively performed by Judges Wilson
and Leigh during the from forty 10 forty nine
found in the reports OF the clerks that contained in
vol 2 Of the documents of the late convention. We
sec these reports afford conclusive proof Of the
gy industry, they certainly do o! the ability Of
Judge All Office Judgments that became final ny the passing
oil The of courts all nonsuits and dsnissuns
Tered al the rules, and in many instances judgments
forthcoming bonds entered by the clerks in these reports
decidet leave given 10 file answer after BIZ
had been taken for confessed reported nreocntoy
decree in the All Of these matters VIC know require
neither energy, industry ability the part Of the Judge
II large number of office judgments standing tht
docket Of court then the Judge OF that court by gong upor
the bench and signing adournng ORDER establish
from the report OF the clerk that he has decided many cascs
though he not have looked OF single paper In any
case come ingenious advocate may argue from premises
such these that the Judge man OF great energy nne
industry.
Rut. waving all these objections and admitting that
fail OF The energy and Industry OF Judge may bt
mndc from these reports say that nothing favorable
Judge Wilson can be deduced from them
The Member of the Lynchburs Bar by taking the add
ons found in the tables has made the number Of deci
ded and DEGREES rendered by Judge Wilson during the
wears from forty fortynns larger than il should be
We have attempted make the additions accurate and
shall also bring into The statement the number Of
tons decided BY Judges Wilson and Leigh respectively du
ring the above mentioned PERIOD which arefor what
we may conjecture overlooked BY the Lynchburl
LAWYER II then appears from these reports, that during
the period Of ten years specified above,
JUDE Wilson decided suits at law, lO,25l
Rendered inrerlocutory DEGREES in chancery, l4l1
Final DEGREES in chancery l,0l4
Criminal prosecutions decided, 32s
Making in the whole, 1900
During the period of ten years,
Judge Leigh decided suits al law $3.50
Rendered introductory DEGREES in chancery LIS
r,;.,l daoro,s I, oh,noary oer