The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-07-13
NUMBER %.

CENT IEMEN.-Before yo,l~ letter csroa i,+,
my hands, had, in reply to similar communf-
cations from gentlemen in Wilmore borouob
Cambria county and in the city of Altoona
announced myself as an INDEPENDENT cnudi3,ts
Ior the Office of President Judge of the XXIVcb
Judicial District. Ny letters to those gentle
men, which disclose explicitly and frankly nv
reasons Tor assuming the attitude | now occt.ny
before the public, have been published in nearly
all the newspapers in the District outside of
your county. and in one at least of your cor,,,ry-
papers, ana have doubt eSs come 10 your no
tico. formal reply, therefore, to yoUr com,
municatIon might seem unnecessary: and vet
ieei that ! would be doing injustice to myself
ana De Withholding what is due to so MANY re-
spectacle citizens of the central county OF the
District, many cf whom I have 40 lone o,t
well known, and who have so long and vel
Known me il / failed 10 make some rror.e-
pubic acknowledgment Of tue high, though 7
lseI uumerIted, compliment hiCh you bsstow
upon me.
YoL ask ne, gentlemen, to be an Ixp.PEND-
EsT candidate for the high and responsible
once which have go long held, and the du-
Ties OF which l have conscientiously endeay-
cred to discharGe,-''as when / was last elect
Cd and, for the reasons which YOU state
reasons which, SO far as they relate to the
nature and character of the office, are in entire
consoDance with my own convictions: and of
which, SO far as they relate to me nersonnUv
am quite willing that the people of the dis
tTlct who have known me as a practitioner in
TIER courts, or as the presiding Judge, fer
judge.
When you say chat the Office is not and
should not be regarded as a Political OFFICE,
you utter TRUIsH, as every intelliEeut and
sensible man feels, and which no process of
reasoning could elucidate; and when you fur
ther say that you think the mass of the peo
pie believe" as you do in this matter, YOU state
e FACT, which 10 one evan tOlerably avuuaiut-
ed with the popular sentiment doubts That
more than hundred intelligent gentlemen. of
both parties, in this district, avow this view
publicly to me, is good evidence that it is the
popular sentiment; while those who have
mingled and cOnTersed with the people on this
SUBJECT, well know that the number of such
witnesses might be many times multiflied In
truth, 1t IS the common sense of the public
that judicial Offices should be kept above the
sphere OF arty politics and | venture to affirm
that there is scarcely candid, intelligent and
dsinterested man of any party, to be found
who Will acknowledge in the presence of in
teilI1ent men, that he regards himself or re-
CARDS anybody else, as bound by his political
principles or party affiliations in casting his
vote for Judge whose duty 1t is to hold the
scales OF Justice with a steady hand, and un-
suspected between men OF all parties and
cTeeds, political or religious. | might add in
] corroboration of the fact. that 4 majority not
/ very much short of two thousand of the citi-
Zens OF the district, voted against the constitu-
/ tional amendment making the judiciary ELEcT
/ I'VE. contrary sentiment is only advocated
! by interested POLITICIANS.
With the views l have ever entertained and
still entertain, of the Judicial Office | would not
I agree TO descend 10 the arena and appliauces
/ Of modern political partzau;sm, 10 attain it.
/ ! would rather not be candidate. Should [
/ do so, and be successful after such success,
] It Is possible that | might discharge judicial
/ functions with integrity and impartiality but
/ II Is impossible, in the very nature of things
/ that could do it without suspicion and mex t.
as it respects the evil of it, to corruption on
/ the bench, Is the susPieioa that it Is there -
/. The Judiciary, the ultimate safeguard and Sc
/ curlty OF the rights of the people In every gov
erument, is greatly weakened at least, when
/ II ceases 10 be not only pure bus unsuspected.
"N hen | was last elected" !" as you suggest,
/ there was no selfish paTtisanism and wSs a
/ candidate upon independent grounds at the
/ request Of the members OF the bar of the entire
/ District without respect to party / have oc-
! cuPIed that ground ever since and in view
/ OF any result, desire to occupy no o.her. To
/ be candidate now, upon any other than 10
dependent grounds. feel would be to descend
/ from an elevation which l have hitherto occu-
/ pie1. and to Gndanser my past record and INV
future usefulness. I am unwilling, gentle
men, to do either
For the strong terms in which you groak of
NE as Judge, not dosbling your sincerity, l
return nav most hearty acknowledgement al
though feel that the plaudit is scarcely mer-
tied. l have never claimed any quail ficatiou
/ for judge, except a firm PURPOSE To DO RIGHT,
according to my best judgment and ability;
! and the Pow e. to hold up question and view
il IN all its aspects, without feeling the tempt
alton TO think who are the part O. before
the court. or how they might be affected hy the
decision OF what ni ght be their circumstances
III life, their politics, or their religion Start
ing ont alone on the journey Of lie, 10 early
/ youth, and never having been in school in
the capacity of 2 learner since l was thirteen
years of age, tho literary acquiremeI Is which
! was enabled to bring 10 the bar and upon
/ the bench. were but the scanty gleauings by
| the way side a01, it is only surprising 10 my
self, IN evOry retrospect Of my professional and
judicial life, that l have sustained myself as !
will have. I feel that | have been borne along
and borne through, BY purpose TO do right
and the sustaining confidence Of the bar and the
/ people, in my common sense. irt egrity. and
. import;ality.
l am. gentlemen,
Very respectfully and truly,
Gro. 1AYLoR