Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-07
The Supreme Judeeshfp-Public Meet
ing

| Pursuant to call, a number of citizens
Court House yesterday for the purpose of ex
pressing their choice of the proper person tt
fill the vacancy on the Supreme Bench OF the
State, occasioned by the resignation OF Hon
| r. L. CARUTHERs
DIR. E. NJ PATTERSON was called to the
Chair, and JAMES RUSSELL, Esq, requested to
act as Secretary,
The following committee was then appoint.
ed to prepare resolutions expressive of the
sense of the meeting: Thomas Washington
Esq, Herbert Towns, Esq, Thos. NJ. Patter.
son, ESQ.,, Thomas B. Childress, Esq, and
Aris Brown..Esq
After short absence the committee re-
ported the following:
Whereas, a vacancy now exists in the SUI
preme Bench of this State, occssioned by the
resignation of Hon. Robt. l.. Caruthers and
the Governor has, by proclamation, ordered
an election to be held on the 5th of October
next, to fill said vacancy; and whereas it is
the right and the duty of every county in the
State to express preference for the success.
or of Judge Caruthers, and We, portion OF
the people of Davidson county have met to-
gether for that purpose; therefore,
Be 1t Resolved, That in the opinion of this
meeting, our fellow-citizen. VIM. F. Cooper,
ESD, stands forth prominently as one of the
most eminent and successful lawyers in the
State; that his great legal ability and init
mate familiarity with the Jurisprudence of
our own country, as well as that of England
acquired by long and laborious practice, his
honorable connection with our statute laws
as one of the compilers of the Code of Ten
nessee, bis ripe scholarship and correct gen.
eral information, his genial and pleasant tenn
per, his habits of patient and laboriOus in
vestigation of every subject presented to his
mind, aud his well known character for de-
decision, uprightness and integrity, all pre-
eminently qualify and recommend him to the
people of Tennessee for the important posi-
ton of Supreme Judge o; the State.
Be II further Resotued, That VIM. F. Cooper
Esq, is the unanimous choice of this meeting
for Supreme Judge to fill the existing vaean-
cy in the Bench, and that he be requested to
announce himself as a candidate for that po-
sition.
The above resolutions having been unani-
mously adopted,
On motion, by LYrToN BosTICK, Esq, the
same committee were requested to wait upon
Mr.. COOPER, and notify him of the action of
the meeting.
Also, on motion of the same, the city pa
pers were requested to publish the procee-
dings of the meeting.
And the meeting adjourned.
Subsequently the cmmittee appointed as
above waited upon Mr. COOPER, and having
notified him of the action of the meeting, he
responded as follows:
THOMAS WASHINGTON, ESQ. AND OTHERS
Genaeuex: I have received through you
notice of the fact, that, at meeting of the
people of this county called to consider of
the vacancy on the Supreme Bench created
by the resignation of Judge Caruthers. pre-
ference had been expressed for me, and re-
quest made that l should announce myself
as candidate for the vacant position. 1 am
exceedingly grateful to the people for the
compliment paid me by their action, and the
very kind terms in which they have seen pro-
per to olothe their wishes. The office in ques-
ton is one which ought neither to be sought
nor Stunned. L have been too long familiar
as a practising lawyer before the Court, with
its la boriOus duties and heavy responsible
ties, to be anxious to seek its honors, and
am under too many obligations to the peo-
pie of the State and to my profession, to
shun its labors, should it be their wish that
should assume them. The resolutions you
have been pleased to submit to me, leave me
in no doubt as to the wishes of those with
whom have been the most intimately asso-
ciated, and to whom / am best known. l do
not feel at liberty to decline the request thus
made, and shall submit under your recon-
mendation my name to the people for their
approval or rejection.
With high respect,
w. T. COOPER.