The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-05-30
candidate for reelection to the Office

It accorGs also with my views and desire
to come before the people in the attitude
suggested. There is prevalent and
growing public sentiment, in which |
heartily participate, that a Judge should
not be politician; and that contests for
judicial Offices, as far as it is practicable,
should be kept clear of party politics. 1t
is grating to our sense of propriety to OBJ
serve one whose Office it is to administer
Justice with a steady and impartial hand
between persons or all parties and classes
descending into the arena Of local partizan
strife; nor can it, in the nature of things,
ever happen without impairing, to some
extent, public confidence in his entire In
dependence and impartiality as Juge.
[ announce myself, therefore, IN compli-
ance with the request contained in your
letter before me, as q candidate for the
Office of President Judge of the twenty
fourth Judicial District, "without regard
to party"
| would be doing violence to my own
feelings, however, gentlemen, and great
injustice to you, were | to close with this
direct and brief response to the request
contained in your letter 1t Is colnnlu-
nication from the Bar of the district; "a
district over the Courts of which | have
presided for many years, and in which,
during that time, very large amount OF
judicial business, civil and criminal, much
OF it very important, has been transacted;
"a district, ranking, in view OF the
amount and character of its business and
litigation, among the most important in
the State;-a District, too, in which, you
viii pardon me, gentlemen, for saying, 1t
has always been my belief, without claim
ing any credit for it myself, causes are as
carefully and well tried as in any other
1t is not only a communication from the
Bar Of the entire district, but one signed
by all the gentlemen of the Bar within
the several counties composing 1t, OF all
parties; some of whom are my professional
seniors; with some of whom l started out
in professional life; many of them young
gentlemen who have come to the Bar since
| have been upon the bench, and whose
steady progress toward distinction, | have
watched with pride and with all OF
whom [ have enjoyed the most intimate
and agreeable intercourse In the different
relations in which we have met and min
gled Such cali upon me, from such
source, is, itself, an expression of confidence
and friendship, stronger and more express
sive even than the language which you
have employed to convey it; and which |
have no words suitably to acknowledge. i
value it, be assured, more highly than l
would the nomination of any party con-
vention, for the highest and most houora
bic office in the State; and | shall preserve
and cherish your letter to the latest hour
of my life, US the most valued monument
| hope to leave behind me.
Your generous friendship has doubtless,
gentlemen, induced an oversight of many
faults and deficiencies Of which [ am very
sensible, and which cannot have escaped
your notice | am conscious Of having,
during my term Of Office drawing near to
a close, committed many errors. You are
right, however, when you accord to me, and
[ believe also in the opinion expressed
that the people of the District, of all
parties, accord to me, strict impartiality
and integrity OF purposein the performance
of my Judicial duties. AS to the latter,
no one occupying any public place, is en-
titled to any special credit for habitually
intending to do what is simply and only
his duty; nor is it to be forgotten that the
strongest motive which can actuate a
Judge is to be RIGHT always if he can. l
have here only stood in my lot with my
judicial brethren of the STATE; while II is
not, as [ suppose, ascribable to any superb
or personal merit in those of the legal
profession who have been called to exercise
judicial functions, that the entire judlcla-
ry of Pennsylvania has ever, in this re-
spect, stood above and beyond reproach or
suspicion. With respect to the other
quality referred to, if there is any one
qualification of a Judge which, among
many conscious deficiencies, feel that l
might venture to claim, it is the power of
holding up question and viewing it stead
ily in all its aspects, without thinking, for
the time, who are the parties interested, or
how they will be affected by the decision.
am not conscious of ever having felt the
temptation to allow the weight of feather
in any Judgment, to the social position,
political predictions, or religious faith
Of the parties before the court, or of their
counsel.
/ have only, in conclusion, gentlemen,
to repeat my grateful Acknowledgement
and appreciation of your kind partiality,
and to pledge myself that, should it result
in my recollection, and God should spare
nv life to the commencement of another
judicial term, viii cndeavor to bring all
my energies TO the discharge of the high,