The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-10-28
I40litiral,
Judge FOTter's Resignation
F0riGcy'S Opinion thereof.
T'oiH We Pdiladelephia Press.
AZ lXrRA-JUDICIAL OPINION.

There is nothing more graceful than a
graceful submission to defeat The true
philosopher is he who meets disaster with
;rsmlflng font, aud goes into retirement
without - sh This iesson seems to
have been lost upon the hig4l3y distin
guished gentleman who was candidate
ior Supreme Judge, in this State, at the
date election, and was badly beaten by
Zion J ohm NJ Read. We allude to the
3lon William W. Porter, whose letter to
Governor Packer, resiening his position
upon the Supreme Bench, to which he
had been appointed by the Governor, We
Reprint in another column We are free
to say that, in point of style and temper
it does Judge Porter no credit. In the
fet place, II reflects upon Governor Pack
.cr Would it not have been at least dec
Gr,us for Judge Porter to have held over
under the commission conferred by the
Governor in such manifest good faith,
fr the very brief period remaining before
Mr.. KcaG ASST mes the .ernipe? Why
this hot haste to get rid of the judicial
robes? Surely his clients would have
waited a little while longer in order to let
S.is term close as provided by law
Judge Porter is not less unfortunate
when he says that whenever a judge can
"De elected by reason Of his sentiments
az any question of politics, that moment
the real power of the Judicial Office will
disappear" Then, the Convention that
dominated Kim did wrong in taking him
up because he was a Democrat, end in so
far he rebQkos tIeW. But then Judge
PQrt2E had Sentiments on certain
".question" lie took care, in some plac-
cS, to declare his anti-Lecomptonsm,
while in others he allowed himself to be
quoted as OF reverse opinion, and was
even content to stand on 'any platform"
in order to get votes. Now, more re-
rnarkable than all he allows himself to
say what is neither more nor less than Il
rebukc of those who, if they sinncd at all,
siuued only in standing where he profcssed
himself to stand. What else does he mean
when he speaks of those who "remain
il the Deilocratic party to do the work
Of disorganization?" :" lie may ailude. in
deed, to his uncle, James Madison por-
ter, who ran as a volunteer candidate for
judge some years ago, in the Monroe ju-
diclal district, CT to his own father, Ex-
Governor Porter who is known to oppose
the regular nominations in the county
where he resides, whenever they do not
please him. lie did not suppo chat the
t1upt at the glorious Democracy, which
refuses to endorse Lccompton, as so many
d;Sorganizers, would react upon those SO
pear to him. That Democracy may now
see bow right they were in distrusting
Judge Porter, and we only regret that he
did not allow his real sentiments to appear
LcJofe iustead of after the election.
Had he done this, the majority against
him would have been five times larger
than it is. Judge Porter is one OF the
last mcp to use harsh language to any
portion of the Democratic party. He is
the last man to set himself up as model
democrat lie has never rendered any
service to that party; has in most eases
refused to subscribe to its expenses; was
more than indifferent to it in 1886 and
even now, while declaring that he obtain
pi the appointment Of the Judgeship
without solicitation, and that he expected
to reachitby election, without doing any
thug to promote his success, he forgets
that he was in consultation with some Of
the most reckless local partisanS before
lie procured his nomination at Harrisburg,
and that these partisans acted under his
lead
Judge Porter makes an allusion to his
youth, in his singular letter. 1t will take
him many years to recover from the i'm
preston it will make on the public mind
lie has had u full share OF patronage, and
lie must no. think that he has any claim,
either Of family, or Of intellect, or of or
thodoxy in matters of faith, to entitle him
- the right of holding office, or dcnounc
ing those who do not thiuk him desery-
ing of it. The days of the Bourbons of
politics are over in this State; and we re-
gret that so young man as Judge Por-
ter does not know it.
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'VUF FTRST DISTRICr AZ the meet