Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-04-08
TO the Voters OF Halifax County
THE CLERK SHIP

| THE CLERkSHlP.
The present Constitution makes it the
duty of the people to elect their county Of
fcers, and we presume that the Legi>lu-
tnre, now in session. viii direct the cleo
lions to take place IN some short time. A.
mong the various officers to be elected, is
that OF the Clerk Of the Circuit and Coun-
ty Courts-in our opinion the most i'm
portant and responsible Office in the coun-
ty, so far as the interest Of the people is
concerned. There is no other Office in
which the Whole people Of the county are
so directly and vilally interested IN having
filed by an honest. experienced, and COM
petent person. All the deeds, and fire.
quentiy contracts, receipts. and other pa
pers, are lodged in the Clerks office, for
preservation and sate-keeping. 1t is not
sufficient that the person appointed to the
office, should be honest and upright, but
the interest ofthc people al solutely re-
qnires lie should be careful, prudent, and
experienced. The duties Of "A Clerk diff
fer from those of any other officer in the
county, and we do respectfully hold, that
no person can properly perform those du-
ties unless he has had previous training;
and the Clerks office is the only place
where he can acquire the necessary ipfor
nation. No farmer would think of en-
ployinga Doctor to bring suit in Court,
Or fee lawyer 10 attend patient, or ask
the opinion ola merchant as to the proper
mode Of cultivating tobacco. And yet it
is as absolutely essential to make a good
and useful Clerk, to be regularly trained
to the business, as it is for doctor or
lawyer to study his profession in order to
qualify bimscf' for practice. All the pur-
suits oflife require some preparation to
succeed or TO be useful to the community,
and We honestly think that there is no OF.
ice in the gift ofthe people which de-
mands more preparation, than that of
Clerk Of the Circuit Court. We woald
infinitely prefer an incompetent Judge
to an Inexperienced and careless Clerk,
for the error of the Judge may be instant
ly corrected by the lawyers employed in
the case, who are always present when a
decision is made or a decree entered but
not so with the Clerk-he may commit
blunders in writing up The orders in Court,
or errors in taking tie wrong steps in suit
In the office, which may produce great
delay, and injury to the parties interested;
orif he is negligent and careless. may lose
papers in important causes, (for all papers
IN Chancery suits are entrusted to him,
which can never be replaced.
| Considering the important duties de-
volving on the Clerk of the Circuit Court,
and the deep interest which every citizen
must feel in having the office properly
4 filed, We respectfully suggest 10 the peo-
pie ofrhe county the propIiety Of rec
Letting their present experienced officer.
| WILLIAM HOLT. ESQ.
| OF Mr.. Hollis qualifications for the Of
hce. it is useless TO speak, for lie is gcrer-
ally knewn 10 most Of you, and has held
the Office for a number Of years; and, SO
far as we are informed, has discharged
its duties to the satisfaction ofthc people
of the county. the members Of the Bar,
and the Judge of the Circuit.
| 1t is true that lie has held the Office for
many years. but surely no one wil object
10 his reelection on that ground, for time
and experience are necessary to form a
good and accurate Clerk. Mr. Holt has
devoted his whole time and attention TO the
duties of his ofiice-is a gentleman Of
standing and characters kind and ac-
commodaiing in his manners-and is. un-
doubtedly, at present better qualified 10
perform the business Of the Office than
any other person in the county; and we
respectfully recommend him 10 the voters
OF Halifax, believing that if it should be
the pleasure of the people TO confer the
Clerksliip on him. he will continue to
discharge the various duties Of the Office,
as he has heretofore done, with diligence
AID fidelity. AN OLD FRIEND.
4 HALIFAX County, March 1852.
. .