The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-03-17
COlOred Supreme Judge Per
sOnaI Sketches of Hon j. ].
Wright.

COIOred Supreme Judge Per-
sOnaI Sketches Of Hon. j. ].
Wright.
The election of Jonathan. J. Wright,
a cOlOred man, to the position of Asso-
ciate Justice upon the bench of the Su-
preme Court of South Carolina, which
occurred on the Sd inst, is an event of
no ordinary Importance. The position
is that formerly held by S. L. HOge,
whose election to Congress left it va
cant. This Court consists of three
Judges-Chief Justice Moses Gather of
the Speaker of the House of Represent
atives), native of the State, Associ-
ate Justice Willard, from New York,
and Associate Justice Wright (colored),
from Philadelphia.
Judge Jonathan J. Wright is said to
have been born in Pennsylvania, and is
about forty years ofage. He was grad
uated at the Lancasterian University
of New York; studied law for nearly
two years at MOntrOse, Susguehanna
county, Pa, and year at Wilkesbarre,
in the same State; he was, just before
the war, admitted to the practice of law
at MOntrOse, being the first man of his
race admitted to the bar of Penusylva-
mia. In 1865 he came to South Caro-
lima as an attache to the Freedman's
Bureau, under Gen. Howard, and was
employed as an adviser in law to the
freedmen about Beaufort. He was a
member of the Constitutional COnven-
tiOn of 1868, and under the new Con
stitutiOn was elected to the General As
sembly as a Senator from Beaufort
county, in which capacity he has serv-
ed up to the present time. He has al
ways been known as a man oftemper-
ate views and pleasant cOuntenance
and is very often heard upon the SEN
ate floor. He enjoys the reputation oil
being the best educated negro in the
South, standing, in this respect, inf
nitely ahead of his Oppouent-Wl
liam J. Whipper, of Michigan, also
colOred-whO is sadly Deficient
Judge Wright is apparently what is
known as black quadrOUn-One who
is three fOurths negrO-his features be-
ing of more Caucasian cast than his
skin, which is quite dark.
The scene at the election on Tuesday
was remarkable for the intense feeling
and personal partisanship. By COM
mon consent, the General Assembly, |
white and black, had settled down in
to the conclusion to elect negro; and, |
that question being settled, the only
one remaining was whom TO elect. |
The Republicans were nearly equally |
dividsd between Wright and Whipper;
so that the turning of the scales was in |
the hands of the small Democratic mi !
nOrity of twenty votes. Elaborate |
speeches were made upon the merits Of !
the two rivals. When the voting was
over the confusion became far worse;
so that, in fine, the President of the
joint Assembly, unable to put any mo.
tiOn or control the attention of the
House upon any subject, dismissed
the convention of the two Houses
with his gavel; and the Senate retired
TO their chamber without fOrmalIty.
Yesterday Judge Wright resigned his
seat in the Senate and qualified as
JudgC; and to-day he is sitting on the
Supreme Bench, at the left Uf Chief
Justice Moses.
Judge Wright is the first one Of his
race who has ever held like position
among white men.