Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-07-21
TO THE VOTERS or TiiE SECOND
 JUDICIAL CIRCUIT.

FELLOW CITIZENS: It was not my expectation to trouble you again, but circular issued by Judre Murray, my opponent, just on the eve of the elec ton, demands, in justice to myself, that I should
 notice some points in it. He endeavors to place
 me in the position of having assailed him. bv de
 scribng the courts held by bim as Kanyaroo
 courts, and imputes to me settled purpose to
 alionate all social and friendly relations betw cen
 the bench, bar, officers of court, and all others
 who come in direct contact with the courts
 Now, all this is simply untrue, as we'll as ridicu- lous know too well what belongs to a court of
 1udlcature, to speak of it with disrespect and for
 any one, invested with judicial authority. to at
 tempt to alienate the bar and officers of court. if
 would sho" want of sense and judgment, which couid not b. imputed to any one. Therefore the | charge stands selicondemned.
 1 Whllc the bar and officers of court will always
 be treated with proper courtesy and respect, as l long 't5 have the honor to occupy a seat on the ! oench,-yet ever have and will exact from them 1 entire respect to the court and obedence to it's
 authority, whether they like dsiike me as udge | That is very well understood in my judicial cir l cut, and, with the exception of Judge Murray I nave not heard the first man cond cmn it: nor do I believe another can be found to condemn a coursn
 so proper Ill itself But, may well ask. by what
 authority Judge Murray has become the chimDion l or the bar and the officers of court? Dld they 1 depute him to redress their real or supposed
 wrongs? Are they not able to act for tn emselves; anu would they not have done 50 in some manner 1 IL they had felt themselves wrongcd? Are they
 comp aiming? No But Judge Murray, who wants l to Supercede me- IS complaining for them and, as
 do hnUw,wlthout any warrant or authority. ! lie next alleges that pasilino law requires the l clerk of the court to make out a docket and set
 cases tor trial on particular days; that witnesses
 be summoned for those days; that the dockets were so oiFAIlSed during his term of service, and that | when l came upon the bench, changed that prlc
 t'ce, and directed the cases to be and witnesses
 to be summoned for the first day of the term.
 Nov. ln the frs place, declare unhesitltingly that ne never dld enforce the law to which he
 re,rs; and further that 1t is impracticable and no
 court n the State, during the twenty years the
 law hts been ill existence, has pretendcli to adopt
 Il aS rule oi action; because nothing short oi | Dtc'he hno"led9e could determine what length of
 uhe would be consumed i'll the trial oi one case. My object has beer to dispose ol casts in court as
 rapidly as possible, ana IL d new charge to nn ,lS'u'st judge that he transacts business rnpd- if It has been general complaint, that judges are too apt to delay cases; but my offence it seems IS for try ing them too rapidly. You must
 recOilec, fellow citizens, that jurors and witnesses Who are summoned and bound to attend on courts are oDliScd 10 leave thcIr occupations, empluy-
 inents ana homes. and stay at the county seats 1t great expense to themselves; and it is certainly
 lmportlnt to them that cases should be rtndly dis posed oI, so that they may return to their homes ldm!les and occupations, and not he compelled to
 hang about courJ weeks and we. ks, awaitiDa the tarty movements of lawyers, on cases which might as well be disposed o on the first day or court as week afterwards. It is better, too, for suitors
 Tor Jcy, Ike JarOrs and with 5scs, are taken from ! thclr homes and empOyments. am for disposinr oi business rapidly. Everybody knows it IS the
 best for the people, sutors, lawyers, and all. My opponent must be hard pressed indeed to bring up 1N .tf tff,t1., r 1 the advantage anu benefit of the people.
 And 1t was because thought and still think it
 behthcia to them, that the practice of prompt ant speedy tlldis Was adopted. And 50 far from having suDjected counties to expense, which Judge Mur- ray i'll nis crazy imagination has hg hgured up; 1 am certain that no man, in his sober senses, could 1 have come to any such conclusion. It has been d positive saving oG thousands on M0usandst to every county m the second judicial circuit Does any
 phc conpian that justice has been sacrificed, or [ r1Ght trfmp.ed down by haste? Does any one say that Itstlce has not been done? Even my 0ppo- heht docs not hazard ali assertion nor point out d
 snSie one ot the suits, and if he did not do it, the
 presumption IS that it cannot and will not be done
 It Is the first time that the proposition has been
 made to defeat man for judge because he dis poses oi the cases, in the court over winch he presldes, with celcrity and despatch. l ony wish
 the people to recollect this at the polls when they come to vote.
 There IS nothing else in the circular that Is not
 too frivolous to notice, and indeed it was probably 1 unnecessary to have done 1t at all, although in
 self-deience against false and unjust charges. have nothing to say in disparagemcnt of my
 opponent. The people of the judicial circuit in
 which have held courts for the last four years.
 are capable of judging of my qualifications, and
 whether l ought to be continued, and to these people appeal with confidence. l have endeavored
 to discharge my duty faithfully, and have certainly ntnd ia,,f, .,.-,a a,,1 ,l.
 discharge the duties incumbent upon me, impar
 tialiy and with fidelity, unswayed by friends nor
 intimidated by enemies.
 Very respectfully, your ob't serv't, THEODUkIC F. SORRELLS. Rockport, July l4th, le5o