Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-08-11


such expressions quoted those conversa-
tiors to show that Judge Choilee was in favor
of such meeting, and labored to get II up,
supposing that be would be the choice oil that
meeting aud that as soon as he knew that he
would NO be the choice Of the bar--a moments
rrdection--convinccd him that he was wrong.
Gee il is right when he says quoted these con-
yersatops TO show Judge CbaIlee's iuconssten-
cy, and ho is right too, 10 saying that made, a
good case.
Eleven years ago Judge Cbsffeo signed On
invitation to Judge Wilder 10 become Gao.
dilate for Judge OF this sub district, 4 pledged
TO him his support Tor that ofiice--and within
few weeks after, announced himself as candid
ate against Judge Wilder. regard this as a
very great breach OF faith but no greater than
when he violated his agreement with forty
members fthe. bar, to abide blythe result OF the
Bar meeting. They felt themselves bound by
their written pledge. He did not, and in bis
card, as we'll as in his last article, he intimates
that he has been misled. How When
Where 2 BY whom lie does not, and can
not point to a single fact, docs not aud cannot
tell the name Of single man who misrepresent-
ed fact to him. No such thing was done.
Bet Cecil inquiries Of me how many notes
Judge ChGIee has sigued and paid for men
cannot tell as we'll as Judge Obaifee. lie
never signed any for me, and If he had he would
be no better qualified for tho position Of Judge
for having done so. Nor woull the fact--if il
i be q iac.-that he has assisted young men, just
starting 0 the profession, be q qualification for
the cffice Why does Cecil ask such qiestloDSf
Is be so weak as.to suppose that these facts
should influence men to support mau for such
an tflice, if he were otherwise disqualified for
| il {? Shame upon man whC would use such
/ NJ hnnnrnhla pton unnl1 fOr
monent consider them, They partake too
strongly of the rulc---you tickle me aud I'll
tickle you The inquiry should be--is Judge
UhaiTee possessed OF the requisite legal learning
Lecessary for the position lfso, has he the
ability aud integrity 10 apply the law fairly aud
impartiaily to ali cases that come before him
These are the questions; and | refer Cecil aud
the people OF The county Tor an answer TO the
card in this paper, signed by tho attorneys Of
the district Bat Cecil makes still more con.
lempube argument, wien he intmaes that
ought not 10 oppose Judge q. because he has
ed me, aud says--that ne was instrumental
IN procuring your appointment as Auditor on
the resignation OF Mr.. ST John, which assisted
you to the Clerkship &c. 1t is Dews 10 me
that Judre Chutfte assisted me to procure the
Auditors Office. | never heard Of it, or If | bad
had entirely forgotten it until it appeared IN
Ceeil's letter. l was appointed Auditor, al the
request OF Of Mr.. ST. John when he rendered
his resignation, and it is fact well known to
the people OF this county that one year after
that rppiontmcnt, Judge Cbsffee opposed my
nomination to- the Uerkship--an Office not so
important as the Auditors oflico--aod when
nominated, opposed my election rnd used all
his influence to get all independent candidate
against me, because was young mon. / can
think OF but one source from which Cecil could
have drawn his inspiration, when be presented
these arguments. Does he and Judge Chaffee
go to the people and ask for their sutfrages be-
cause Judge ChBffee has signed notes for men,
because he has been kind TO young lawyers,
because he has assisted some men to place
Are these the reasons that induce Cecil to labor
so earnestly for Judge Chaffee Has he been
the recipient OF his favors, or docs he expect to
reap benefits in the future it Judge Chaffte is
reelected Such are the irresistible conclu.
sions from his own arguments, and I'm not sur.
prised that be refused to disgrace bis own pane
by attaching it to an article containing such
dispicable considerations.
But Cecil speaks of the position OF the'two
candidates. In regard to this have only to
say that they are both members of the same
party, and that they arc both radical 10 their
views. Cecil mentions the temperance ques.
tion---for what reason do not know, unless to
call from me the position Of Judge Chaffee
upon the Liquor Law. In the enforcement OF
tina law the Judge claims great credit, but
there are many who do not thiuk he is rigid
enough. Ny recollection is, that in this
county, no man has ever been tried by him for
an inir ngement of that law, and no man has
ever been punished who did not come forward
and lead guilty, and upon such he has always
imposed the tot0est fine known to the law. aud
this even in cases where the second ofFeuse
was charged and acknowledged.
Cecil also enquiries in regard to Judge Chaf.
fees industry on the bench. am aware that
Judge Chnffeo sits on the bench more hours
per day than Judge Wilder did: aud l also
know that in the same length of time he dis.
posed OF ouly about 3 as much business as
Judge Wilder did; aud in proof OF this, | call
the attention OF the people Of this district to
the following figures taken from the records of
our court by Hon. Abner Kellogg. Judge
Wilder. during the years OF 1860 and 1861.
held court 90 days aud disposed ofl2l2 cases
making On average Of IL ~ 95 cases per day;
showing d ference Of nearly fifty per cent 10
favor of Judge Wilder. Why is thisi Judge
Wilder is old and in6rm, and made no preten-
tion Of doing an extra amount of business -
Judge Chuffee was in the prime of life, ard
poasteu that no other Judge ever worked as ne
did. TO those who have been in attendance on
our courts the reason is obvious. Judge VIII.
der talked but little himself, decided all ques.
tions promptly, and was seldom more than
twenty minutes in charging q jury. Judge
Chafee, on the contrary, talks long in deciding
the most trivial questions, and 10 deciding ques
tioDs on demurrer and motion often detains all
the business Of the court by repeating wonder
lul decisions made by him in other places; and
invariably uses up from one to two hours and
a half in charging jury, aud then send them
to their room completely befogged2 Is this the
kind OF promptDess that Cecil wished me to
mentionf Il s such 90 has characterised the
court for the last five years. The bar have
been brought in actual contact with Judge
Chatfee for the last FIVE years;t ey know how
the business OF the court has been conducted,
and acting upon that kno wledge advise change.
Is it not strange that Of oil the practising law
yers in this district, only Two favor Judge Chat
fees re-electioDH Why is III 1t is because they
thiuk that Judge Chsffee IL not in any manner
capacitGted for the Office. This they announce,
aud unanimously request Mr.. Sherman to be-
come a Candidate tor the judgeship. Many
good men think that their opinion and recon-
mendation should have some weight. They
do no. desire 10 dictate, nor can their action be
construed into dictation. They have the high
est confidence in MIR Sherman as a lawyer. and
4. H.. l. A.. l. -