Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-02-03
From the Spectator
The Judicial EiectaOSs~~-EaOsa.
Judge Lucas r. ,E'Esssrsa rssssFs.

guished jurlst who has presided over this
Circuit for the last thirty years, is again a
candidate for reelection of his own
solicitation of the whole Bar of his Circuit.
with solitary exception.
Those gentlemen, whom the people know
whose interest it might have been to de-
prcciate the presiding Judge, in order to
obtain his position for one of themselves
whose business depends upon the industry,
integrity and ability of the Judge of their
Courts is speedily disposed of, it languishes
and few new suits are brought. thus impov-
erish'ng the lawyers)-those gentlemen
who certainly know Judge Thompson best,
and the industry, speed and ability with
which he traDsacts the business Of his office
have, with one accord, recommended him.
i'll the highest terms, to their clients and
fellow citizens, as the man. Of all others in
the Circuit, most fit to ill the high and re-
sponsble Office which he has SO long adorn-
ed-this Office, on the faithful discharge of
the duties of which, the lives, the liberties,
the reputation and the fortunes of the peo-
pie depend. Many of the voters of this
Circuit are not personally familiar with
Judge Thompson, though he has presided
over it so long The only reason is, that
ne has been a man of study and hard labor
devoted. more than any man | have ever
known, to the performance Of his heavy du-
ties. In the true spirit of good and faith
ful officer, he has preferred to scrUe rather
than to court the people, and possessing by
nature one of the most genial, kind and S, cal
dispositions, he has painfully learned to con-
laces Of society, that be might labor more
assiduously for the welfare Of the people
This is no new thing with him, superinduc-
ed by the terrors of the "term tenure. -
While the recurrence of election DAY has
not dctorred him FROM fearless discharge
of his duty, in extending the protection of
the law to the humblest and most friendless
citizens, it has not added on to him any nt W
and busting industry, but fluids him and
leaves him the same earnest, devoted and
active laboIer i'll the cause of justice and lib
erty-not that he may be continued in Of
Zee, but for The sake Of his country hap
piness Of his fellow men Judge Thompson
is one Of those whom the new Constitution
found in Office, and who, without Incentive
of selfinterest, or the hope Of re election
(for then his was life tenure, J has so we'll
aud faithfully discha gel the duties of the
heaviest Circuit in the State, that at the frs;
election, in 1852, his people, by a voIunta
ry and universal impulse, greeted him with
that sweet reward Of patriotic exertion the
exclamation Of "Well done, thou good and
faithful servant and be was elected as it
were, by reclamation. Long before these
high testimonials of his worth had emanated
from the people of his Circuit, the LegisIa-
ture Of the State in passing a law to increase
his salary had borne the following fattering
and well merited testimon to his extraordi-
nary services. (See preamble to an Act
concerning the twelfth Judicial Circuit
Act of Assembly of 1S47-8-page "a y
"Whereas it is represented by the citizens
suitors and members of the Bar, residing in
the counties of Amherst, Nelson, Albemarle
Augusta and Rockbridge, comprising the
twelfth judicial circuit, in memorials pre-
scented to the general assembly, and is salts
factorily established that the business of that
circuit greatly exceeds in amount that of
any other in the State, and is twice or thrice
the amount of the general average of the
circuits in the State, and that it is impossible
for any one Judge 10y any degree of diligence
and exertion to.keep down the dockets with
out devoting the whole or greater part of
the vacations, as well as the regular terms
now prescribed by law for the dispatch there
of. And whereas said citizens, suitors and
members of the Bar have memorialized the
general assembly either to divide the circuit
into two, to reduce it by general re-organ-
ization of the circuits of the State, to appoint
an additional judge to the circuit, or to in
crease the compensation of the present judge
and in consideration thereof to require of
him to devote the whole year, if necessary
to the despatch of the business of his circuit
And whereas it seems to theigeneral assem-
bly, most eligible to adopt the last alterna
tive as temporary expedient" NC, &c.
Thus it appears that it was then represent
ed BY the citizens, sultors and members Of
the Bar, resident in all the counties of bis
Circuit, and satisfactorily established to the
Legislature that the business of that Circnit
greatly exceeded that of any other Circuit
in the State, and was twice or thrice the
general average, and that it was impossible
for any Judge, by any diligence to keep it
down without devotipg the whole or greater
part of the vacations to it, as well as the
terms prescribed by law, they, therefore,
as the act shows, added to Judge Thompson's
salary $500 year for five years, and direct
him to hold the necessary extra sessions
With your permission, Messrs. Editors, l
will hereafter show you documentary facts,
that from that day to the present, Judge
Thompson has performed larger amount
Of business than any other Judge in the
State, except, perhaps the Richmond Judge
and that the gent men of his Bar have only
borne truthful tes time ny to his merit when
} they so unanimously urged him to offer his
valuable services again to his country. l
ask a calm and candid consideration of his
claims, not for his sake (for Judge Thomp-
sons legal abilities and moral worth would
purchase success for him in private station
but for the sake Of those whom he has serv-
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