The Empire County argus., 1856-07-12
NOMINATIONS.
Judge Johnsons Charge to the Grand Jury.

y.
Under this caption the Mountain Democrat of last
week piles into the County Judge most numerically,
calling him falsifer, hypocritc an invader of the
peoples rights, and in general terms making him
little better than one of the wicked" After read
ing the editors structures we speedily as possible
set about careful perusa of the Charge-for, truth
to tell, we had barely glanced at the document and
were in some trepidation lest, maugcr the Judges
proverbal honesty and temperance of department. he
lad in this instance exposed himself to censure for
concocting monstrous outrage upon the public
We read the Charge, and admired the manly straight
forward style in which the subject was approached
and treated, and the directncss with which the writer
at once grappled the prominent points of the case
those which less fearless would have treated as
generates, hoping to thus avert the wrath of those
who camor for the (eection) law and the profits
When called upon by the Foreman of the Grand
Jury for his views in regard to fraudulent voting and
the legality Of the election the constituonalitv of
the law providing for the election &C., Judge ohson
replied that he would prepare and communicate his
views in writing at the earliest possible moment. He
did so-by remaining up the greater part of that
night and applying himself till ten the next morning,
he was enabled to lay before the Grand Jury the
Charge published in the Argus of the 28th ult The
simple circumstance of his desiring to communicate
in writing, is proof that the Judge contemplated
none but plain and honorable recital of conclusions
drawn from collation. of precedents and authorities
The Judge told then and has since that this pre-
caution was taken against the deadly arrows of dis
appointed hate, which were already poisoned and
pointed for him-amed at his reputation as a man
and public officer, and to be discharged the moment
he dared to fearessly speak the truth-as he was
determined TO-, though Hell's own caverns yuwned
before him. He wrote his Charge; referred to au-
thorities; compared arguments and precedents made
his deductions, and, conscious of having done his
duty, submitted to the Grand Jury the result of his
iabors The editor Of the Democrat received the
Argus too late to review the legal authorities quoted
by Judge johnson, Or to criticsc the arguments by
which he justifes of the grossest violations OF
law-whehCr done from stupidity or wantonly-it
has ever been our misfortune to see" A trife too
ingenious, that After nditing the sweeping, damn
ing epthets with which the earlier portion of your
leader is aglow, that fearful admission to make
that you had not consulted the authorities, nor
even criticised the arguments
The Charge is clear, logical document, and is so
admitted by every man not biased by prejudice and
warped by interest. Our contemporary calls James
johnson dishonest-a hypocritc-a dissember every
thing that public officer should not be whatever
citizen, mingng with good society should not be :
whatever it is not in the composition of James
johnson to be: that is he, by the Democrat.
Pity It's, that the Democrat, which heretofore has
been SO moderate-moderate to fault, its friends
mpained-shoud at this late day befoul its columns
with such vile abuse of worthy and respected citi-
zen and conscientious judicial officer for the simple
otfanse of having fairly and fearessly laid down the
points of case which, in the summing up, showed
unlavOraby to the cause of PlacervilIe.