The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-26
severe Letter to IL Democratic PartI-
san Judge.

Sir-Your letter to me dated the 18th
instant, would have received no reply, had
you not in order to signify to the public
your zeal as a political Judge, published
your missive in the Richmond Enquirer.
You doubtless expect and desire that
this valuable document shall be published
by the Conservative press generally.
unite with you, if such be your wish,
and trust that not only the Democratic,
but the Republican press, will copy the
letter, in order that your fame as Just
and impartial judge may be as extensively
spread as even you, yourself, can desire.
When one clothed in judicial ermine, act
ing under the obligation of oaths, departs
from his line of strict duty, and enters the
public arena as political gladiator, he
meditates mischief and fraud, his mind is
made up to the prostitution of his office,
and he is deaf to the voice of reason, as
well as to the dictates of conscience.
Sir, there have been times in Virginia
when your purpose, so plainly avowed, to
WELD the political power with which you
are clothed by the law, exclusively fol the
benefit OF your party, would have been
condemned by all parties and all men ; and
even now there are thousands of just men
in your own party who will be thoroughly
disguised by the doctrines of your letter.
Ii is well known to any man of any intell-
gence in the state, that the law was enacted
to prevent, to some extent, the wholesale
frauds III the reception and counting
OF the votes, which had pre-
vailed to an alarming extent in
Virginia; which frauds il was the intention
of the law to partially arrest, by giving to
the Republicans at least one judge at each
precinct, bm no registrars. The law pro-
vides that it shall go into effect on the 1st
day OF August, 1873, and it is sought by
you to make it appear that it is only to go
into efectat the April term of the courts
in 1874. According to your reasoning,
although the act goes into effect on the LIST
day of August, 1873, yet 1t is not to be
obeyed in any OF its provisions until April.
1874, thus lying in entire allegiance until
that time. 1t was understood at the tine
of the passage Of the act of the last session
on this subject, that its object was to give
some representation and some chance to
prevent frauds TO The Republican party,
but it was reserved for you to lay it down
as a measure Of justice and fair dealing in
your estimation, that in no case shall you
appoint Republican judges of election, un-
less you are forced to do so by the law of
the land enacted. 1t is this monstrous
doctrine, rather than the construction of
the law, TO which ! wish to invite your
attention, as well as that Of the
public. am credibly informed and
believe that you have never appointed
at any past election in your county
q Republican as register Of vo-
ters or judge of election. This shows
your entire disregard Of all the rules of
fairness in such cases, and stamps your
motives as those of the mere partisan.
As man, you have right to act upon
principles as regardless as you choose of
public propricty as county judge,
perhaps wearing the judicial ermine, you
are mainly responsible to the people of
your county, but as a magistrate acting
in The appointment of registrars of
voters and judges of election, you have
to do with the elcctioe franchise of the
state. When, therefore, you have come
to the exercise of this great and delicate
duty, to The most important function per-
tanning to your office, how do youreconcile
it to yourself and the oaths you have
taken, to appoint them all from your own
party?
The fair registration and reception of
votes IN every county of the state is sub
ject in which every citizen of the state is
interested the county of Rockbridge in
cluded Now, it is impossible, when you
have appointed registrars and judges of
election from your own party exclusively,
that you can persuade any person of any
party, Or even yourself, that you did not
intend to give, and did not actually give,
your party great advantage in the cleo
ton.
Now, can there be any doubt that in
doing so, you violated the very object of
the law in comforting the appointing power
upon you, which law took the, precaution
to require that you and all others should
be S,10rn to strict and impartial discharge
of your duties.
Before the war without any particular
law upon the subject, it was the custom in
this state to divide equally all election
officers between the parties, because it
was well known that person however hon.
est, are more or less influenced in favor of
their own party, but what is to be thought
of one, clothed in judicial crmine, who
entirely ignores the party opposed to him,
in making these vital appointments eX-
clusiyely from his own party. In case
of this sort, what is done in the county
of Rockbridge affects the vote of the
whole state; and every citizen OF the
state has right to complain of it.
There can therefore be no impertinence
in any citizen of the state animadveIting
upon your conduct in this part of your
duty. do so in my character as a citizen
Of the state. | condemn your conduct as
unlawful, as unworthy of your position
and finally lsay, with all the responsibility
that rests upon me, in any manner what
ever, have right thus to condemn you,
and to hold you up before the public, as
the only one of the state judges who has
= dared to publicly proclaim, that he is gov
erned by principles so perfectly indefensi.
BILE and so subyersive of the fairness o.
the exercise of the elective franchise.
You endeayor most unsuccesstuly to
escape just censure, by lauding the honesty
of the judges of election appointed by you
for Rockbridge county.
They may deserve all you say of them.
| know them not, and have not assaied
any one of them. That is not the question
The question is, why have you, sir, APP
pointed them ercluSioey from your owl
party? Are there no Republicans in YOU
county fit to act as registrars, or judges O
election? Can you or any one else pre-
tend TO doubt that the circular of th
committee is in accordance with the spiri
OF the law at least, and that upright AM