Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-06-21
CARD.

To the voters of Fayette, Upton, Lauder
dale and Hardeman counties, and that
portion of Shelby county outside of tn,
city Of Memphis:
FeAOto-C Citizens: l have been repeatedly
solicited for some months past to become
a candidate for the o&ce of Judge of tn,
Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, but have uni.
foTmly Seclined for the reason that I was
not a resident of the Circuit, and there.
fore ineligible, and even if non residence
had not amounted to a legal disquali6ca-
ton, L felt it would be indicate in me tc
ask for the office Owe the heads of compe.
tent resident attorneys.
The recent act of the Legislature has
removed these obstacles by combining in
our Circuit the territory indicated at the
head of this article. 1t places me in the
Circuit, as my residence is seven and a
half miles from the city. l can, therefore,
ask you for the Office without violating a
sense of delicacy, or tres essing upon the
rights of any one.
1, therefore, take this method of an
nouncing myself a candidate for the
Office of Judge of the Fourteenth Judi
cisl Circuit OF the State; and promise YOU.
if elected, a faithful and promp. dis
charge of the duties Of the office. l am a
native of Nashville, Tennessee; am sixty
four years of age, and, with the exception
of a short residence In an adjoining state,
q citizen of West Tennessee for more
than forty years. 1 lave devoted thirty
odd years of my life to my profession, at
the bar and on the bench together, and I
think l have a right to claim some
knowledge of the duties of the office to
which 1 aspire. l shall engage in no in
decent scramble for the office. Ii L can
not obtain it in a manner becoming the
dignity of the Office itself l don't
want 1t. Nor would 1 wish to retain it
unless / can aid in restoring the courts,
and their mode of doing business, to
something like the dignity and respeeta-
bility which they held, when conducted
by the illustrous men who presided in
them before our late national difficulties.
Both the n of conducting the
business of the courts, and the SLOW pace
at which ii is disposed of, are surely out
of time. with my conceptions of what the
public interest requires, and the standard
under which, as a lawyer | was educated,
and to which you in former years were
accustomed. Every experienced man in
the county knows that the business of
the CARTS under proper guidance could
be disposed of in much less time than is
consumed; and at a saving of
much money To- uselessly expended
in attending upon their sessions.
o honor me, fellow citizens,
with the Office, it will be my aim to make
attendance upon the courts by Jurors,
and parties muck less protracted
and esous than you have with essed for
some time past. Engagements upon my
little farm will prevent me from visiting
every part of the circuit. and seeing and
comforting with my old friends and the
generally. 1 shall, however,
visit the county seats, and some other
place, OF which due notice will be given,
should be proud to see all who may /
honor me with their presence.
In conclusion, fellow citizens, / can
,nly repeat the promise of a prompt and
discharge of the duties of the
,fice should you favor me with an cleo
ion. Y
Very respectfully,
P. T. SCRUGGS.
MEMPHIS. June 20, 1870.