Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-06-22
To THE Hon. JOHN KINNEY.

/ d N. LlGGEII,
NICHO. K. TROUT.
| To THE Hon. JOHN KINNEY. @
ALLAN G. BRIAN, &C.. Eso'Rs.: u..
| Gentlemen 1t was with no little sensi
bility | read your unsougLt and kind letter
The approval of my official action. by those
who have had the amplest opportunities o.
observing it, and by gentlemen SO capable
of judging, will be held in the highest esti-
NATION. by me, and the aid and assistance ]
have received at your hands. in the discharges
Of the high and important duties devolVed
on me. with grateful Remembrance.
| entered upon the duties of the office
with great distrust Of ny ability to discharge
them satisfactorily TO myself, and righteous
| ly to those, interested in my decisions, and
| i. is with .Eeart-felt pleasure that l receive
a verdset, and verdict from you, gentle
men, that my intentions were always up.
right. How far my decisions were wise and
legal, the records of our Court and the deci-
sions Of the Supreme Court will show.
| Before Iascended the Bench was men:
Der Of the Bar, and during my whole term
it, was my desire to continne those social
and friendly relations which so pre-eminent-
ly distinguish our free and open con 1efse
with each other above that of any other pur-
suit or profession, and I am happy to hear
now, that wish was mutual. and that I haze
been successful in retaining the esteem and
friendly feelings ofmy professional brethren.
| was unfortunately. perhaps unwisely,. a
candidate for reelection. When | was cleo
ted Judge, taking into consideration not
only the uncertainty Of health and life, but
also my age, I did not expect to be again &
candidate. That expectation Was Known to
many aud published in che papers, and un-
Eccntradieted by me, further than to state
when mentioned in my presence. THAT l
never authorized any person to say that I
would or would not be candidate, but that
some six or eight months before the .elec,
ton [ would publicly announce Whether I
would or would not be candidate
During the last fall Circuit many friends
expressed personally to me a wish-and
some in written contradictions, that |
SHOULD again be a candidate. Among 9TH
ers were the following 'unsought lard un-
known to me until placed in my hands:
TO THE Hon. JOHN KINNEY =,
). The undersigned citizens Of Rockingham
county, believing .that you have faithfully,
impartially and ably discharged the duties
of your judicial station, and believing that
the public interests would be better suhser-,
we'd BY the continuance in office Of a tried
and approved Judge than by a periodical ro-
tation in.the Office, would solicit you to per-
NIT your name to be presented to the voters
Of the District for reelection: ;. ..
The undersigned cannot look&withsindif-
ference upon the Inauguration Of che prao-
tice Of individuals presenting. themselves as
candidates and resorffng to the arts Of e1ec-
tioneer;ng for an office that should, in our
opinion, he conferred as the unsolicited ex-
preston ofpublic confidence in judicial abili-
ty and moral worth, and we desire to pro-
test against the assumption ofthe fact by any
one seeking 20 thrust himself or his friend
before the public as candidate for this of
fee, that the present incumbent will decline
a reelection before he himself expressed any
wish or determination on the subject
S. H. LEWIS,a
JACOB RUSH.
3. F. KEMPER, ~.
STEPH. HARNSBERGER,, SR.,
l. HARDESTY,
A. B. TRICK,
CHAS. H. LEWIS, -~.
3. A. STANDS. [Cct. 20, 1858.
From gentlemen whom l know for intel
ligence, standing in society, character, pa
triotism and! deep interest in the pure and
upright administration Of the laws, to be in
forior to none in the circuit, several of whom
had known me from my hoyheod, knew my
age and thel history Of my life; several of
whom had been members of the County
Court while was at,the Bar, and wishing
to have an endorsement by the voters Of the
Circuit, | concluded to be candidate with
a. fixed purpose net. to. hetd h6oAice, if cleo
ted, at farthest, more than two years, with
an expectation Of resigning the same on the
18th February, 1862. when I would be
seventy years old. During the canvass (if
/. may use that word in a judicial election
I endeavored to, do nothing that could dero4
gate from the dignity of the office. |. sell
dom mentioned the election to any one who
did not first name it to me. wrote, to but
a. few friends ION the subject. ,I.,nade no
publication; I requested no friend to write
communications for me; and when itwas in
%;poafod fo p,o tha+ NM friends would ontor