Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-10-07
A G AR D.
TONY FELLOW CITIZENS OF CLEAR
FIELD COUNTY.

nous suifrages, you conferred upon me
the responsible position Of District AItor.
ncy OF Clearfeld County, and !or which
favor ! am grateful TO you. During my
ter m of ofhce, have endeayored TO dis.
charge the duties OF the position in such
manner as would best conduce to the pub
lie good, and the satisfaction of the Court.
am now about to leave the county for
time, perhaps Cor all time, to rank side
by side with those who are battling for the
maintenance Of the Union and supremacy
of our fug, but upon the eve of my depar
ture ] find malicious and contemplate as
sault upon my official course in the COL
umns of the RatsmanS Journal Of the 25th
nit, aud repeated in its issue of the Cd
inst. That assault do not believe to be
intended for the public veal, but for the
mere purpose o! elevs;ing TO the position
| now occupy, partisan candidate.
do not wish to say one word TO de-
tract from the reputation of II. Is. Swoope,
Esq. His legal ability, his eloquence, and
he r,-;vata -;rinss 7 snnreci,ie ms think
they deserve, but at the same time feel
compelled in vindica,ion of my official
career TO introduce his name in this card.
Ny faults aud ioliies in common with all
mankind have. Ny short comings and
such imperiections as ! may have in legal
matters are known, and were known at
the time you cast your votes for ME, and
this effort TO stab my private business
reputation, even il intended to continue
among you, by the editor of a respectable
journal, must necessarily make deep i'm
preston upon my mind. Ny friends, il
in anything, my conduct has been justly
rerrehensible, ask Of you TO suggest in
my behalf the most pslliating circum.
stances but would ask your indulgenc.
TO examine brief review of my record -
You all well know that the criminal cal
ender of our county has been mach more
extensive during my term than at any
previous period, Three capital cases, tried
within oae year--a thing unparalleled ir
our history. Charges Of robbery, forgery
arson. adultery, rape, dc, were offrequent
occurrence, and in the trial Of some Of those
cases have been assisted at yariou,
times by various of my b,ethern of the
bar They being paid for their services By he
prosoc1tor.l In no single instance has the
county been called upon 10 pay for assist
ance, except iE the aforementioned capi'
tai cases, wherein it was assigned me b,
his Honor Judge Linn; and you cAl
readily observe that ! then needed it, fo
in two Of those cases, in addition to othe
counsel, ! was compelled TO contend with
the age and experience and superior ability @
Ii. b. Swoore, Esq. While in the thir'
case, in which Mr.. Swoope himself was I
'citness, | had TO encounter J. y. Mem
ally and VIM. A. Wallace, Esqrs., two o
the ahlest lawyers at our bar.
During my official term, but two cass
h ave been set aside by the Court upon le
gal exceptions. One OF these was the
case of the Commonwealth w Jury, il
which Mr.. Swoope Das he paid counsel Q
The prosecutor, and the leading counsel in
the case on behalf Of the Commonwealth
and if the prisoner escaped after oonvic-
ton by the jury, in consequence of &c
plea having been entered, he is certainly
as much responsible ss myself. In the
other case, Mr.. Swoope was also employ
cd 10 assist me, but will do him the JUS
tice to say that do not believe all tht
lawyers in Pennsylvania could have pre-
vented the quashing of the indictment. al
no offence bad been committed aoeordi uG
TO the ruling Of Judge Linn.
During the term Of my predecessor, Mr.
Mccullough, an indictment against Z
Jeffries et al was quashed. b. b. swoop'
was then assistant counsel for the Com
monvealth. He should then have wateh'