Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-22

word of indignant complaint? Do attorneys
have their own rights invaded, and the rights
and interests of their clients compromised, by
a partial. tyrannical and unjust Judge, without
q word of protest or sign of dlspleasure =
Not an outbreak of temper no hasty or dis
respectful word no lack of courtesy no vio-
lations of order aud decorum and yet during
all this time. the Judge guilty OF an lnsupport-
able tyranny a partiality that defeated the
ends of Justice, and course of conduct dis
graceful to the Judicial character 1t is in
credible No such state of things ever exist
ed, or ever will exist in free country. No
this movement for the annihilation of the 18th
Judicial District, has its origin in other causes
and motives, than official misconduct in me-
Personal dislike, long chershed-and unsuccess-
ful rivaishp for public honors, lead men at
times into the graveSt errors, and the most IN
defensible positions.
That some cause other than my official mis-
conduct prompts to this movement, is made
still more clear by the testimony that several
gentlemen whose names are on the memorial
to blot out that district, have repeatedly borne
witness to my impartiality and lack Of integ-
rity as a Judge.
| herewith submit to the Committee the
sw oru evidence Of Bartholomew Laporte, and
three other gentlemen, showing the esteem in
which Mr.. Ewell, Mr. Baird and D'A. Over
ton but short time since held my judicial
character and the emphasis with which they
repudiated the idea of any partiaIity or pOliti-
cal bias in the discharge of nv official duties.
| repeat that the true cause and motives OF
this movement, are to be found in personal
dislike, having its origin in jealousy and I'M
successful rivalship The result of the election
last fall awakened new hopes in the breasts of
those whose hopes had been often disappoint-
ed, and who laid upon me the burden Of their
failures and disappointments.
An erroneous impression, | fear, has been
made upon this committee touching the wishes
of the bar of the District. The memorial ask
ing that the district be blotted ont, purports
to be signed by eighteen members of the bar
of Bradford county There reside in the coun-
ty thirtySiX gentlemen who have been admit
ted to the bar. OF this number there are
eight who have given no attention to their pro-
fcSSion for years but are engaged in other pur-
suits, and who are not practcing attorneys of
the Court The names Of four gentlemen who
are not attorneys are found on the memorial,
to wit David T. Barstow, Wm Scott j. b.
Reeve and c. l.. Ward. This leaves fourteen
practicing attorneys on the memorial. Two
of this number, Messrs Henry c.. Baird
and II. W. Patrick speak here by their
letters against this measure, and in favor of
my integrity as a Judge. This would leave
tlceire on the memorial as the true num-
Der of practicing attorneys, out Of twc1ty-eight
asking for the measure. On the protest against
it are thirteen members of the bar in actual
practice. If to this number there be added
the names of Mr. Patrick and j. c. Adams,
whose letters | placed in the hands of the
Committee, it makes the number Of proteStants
fifteen OF the bar of SusQuehanna county
seventeen are on letter earnestly remon-
strating against this measure, and | am not
aware that any member of the bar of that
county has signed memorial in its favor
certain l am that not to exceed three or four
could be induced TO sign such a memorial -
Thus the true representation from the bar
Of the District, stands tlCeire for, and hirtg-
tlo0 against the proposed legislation | lay
before the Committee certificates from the
Prothouotares Of Bradford and Susquehanna
counties, showing who are members of the bar ::
also letters from the the two Bars, fully sus-
tanning the statement here made.
4 labored effort has been made to fix the
IMPRESSION that the 18Th Judicial district was
created expressly for my accommodation and
interest. A more uufounded impression could
not exist That Judicial District was estab.
liShed about the time of my birth, and Bradford
aud SuSquehanna were originally connected,
and with TOga and some counties west CON
sttuted the District for many years In 1885
u new Judicial District was established, Pot
ter and Mkean forIAiug part, thus leaving
Susquehanna, Bradford and Toga counties
forming the 18th District. 1t thus stood I'M
til about the year 1889, when it underwent a
change to suit the convenience Of Judges Con
yngham and Jessup. The former was Judge
Of the Susquehanna, Bradford and Tioga Dis
trct and the latter Judge of the Lnzcrne,
Pike and Wayne District Thus Judge Con
yngham held Court at the home of Judge
Jessup and Judge JeSsup at the home of
Judge COnyngham. For their mutual accom-
mediation they exchanged those two counties
The District remained in this situation, Lu-
zcrne, Bradford and Toga, until the expira-
tion Of Judge Conyngham'S then commission
about the year 184S or 40, when Luzerne,
with Columbia aud Wyoming, was constitu,
ted District. SuSquchanna could not at
once be restored to her old connection with
Bradford, because the commission of Judge
JeSSup did not expire until the constitutional
a nendmeni of 1850 took effect. To make up
for the loss Of Luzerne, the two small coun
ties of Potter and NJ kean were attached to
Bradford and TIoga, thus stretching the Dis
trct two hundred miles east and west along
the State line In 1851 | was at the CAPITAL
and desired that the western county, M'Kean,
should be taken off, and attached to either
the District west or south of it, both of which
were much smaller than the Bradford district
This was all the change or legislation | de-
sired, and it was asked on grounds of public
policy. Gentlemen in the Legislature from
the western part of the State desired changes
in their Judicial Districts The Senator from