The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-04-25
TARNISHED ERMINE.

an hundred fold. Thus it is that of1enses
committed by minister of the gospel, or
one wearing the judicial ermine, invariably
shock far more intensely the moral sense of
the community, than like offenses perpe-
trated by private individuals. Men who fill
to themselves, but the public have deep
interest in their actions, and demand to
know of, and reprove and punish their
offenses according to their deserts; as their
virtues are invariably commended. They
are selected by society, not only as instru-
ments to check and restrain it's strong ten
denotes toward unbridled license and dis
order; and by their example as we'll as pre-
cept, they are expected to point the way
and encourage reverence for the peace,
dignity and good order of the State.
One of the gravest duties of the press is
to report to the public every unfaithful or
unbecoming act of those whom the people
have vested with important trusts; and it
becomes our painful duty, as a member of
the public press, to chronicle one of the
gravest crimes that ever brought disgrace
upon the whole people of Cecil county,
through their judiciary. If we consulted
our individual taste and feelings, they
would decide to let pass into oblivion the
shameful revelation which follows, but an
outraged public demands to know the extent
of its insult.
On Friday afternoon last, 18th instant,
we had occasion to visit the Office of Hon.
Hiram Mccullough to deliver him paper,
and found that gentleman and Judge Stump
in conversation. The Judge Immediately
directed his conversation to us, making use
of vulgar and coarse epithets. Not COM
pretending the cause of his violent Ian
guage, we demanded an explanation, and
learned that the Judge considered himself
outraged and slandered in our report of the
kearney trial and verdict. The jury in
that case was held some hours after agree
ing on the verdict before the Court would
receive it, on account of the time being
Sunday. The suspense caused by this pain
full delay was much commented upon at the
time, and several members of the bar were
confident that the delay was not legally
necessary. We have learned since that
this opinion SO general at the time, was not
correct, and that the Judges We're censured
wrongfully in that case, a verdict rendered
on the Sabbath not being legal in this State.
Had the Judge or any of his friends direct
ed our attention to this error in statement
of the law, we would have FASTENED to
make correction and most ample explana-
ton, as we invariably do when incidents
one by wrong construction of his motives
or actions. We attempted to explain this
to the Judge, whose rage seemed however
to grow and expand in an inverse ratio to
his diminutive person. BY this time, this
model Judge had got worked up to a white
heat, and trembled like an aspen from head
to foot, with impotcnt rage; his fingers
twitching, and hands, arms and every mus
Gle moving convulsively. We have wit
messed the savage frenzy of wild animals
in the menagerie, and men in uncontrolla-
BILE passion, but never before contemplated
what might properly be termed the insan-
ity of rage. Suddenly he made dash
with his fist, which we partially parted,
and Mr.. Mccullough, who had been reclin-
ing on lounge witnessing this disgraceful
spectacle, instantly sprang up, and both of
us rushing on the Judge, pinioned him in
few seconds. During the momentary
interval that passed before he was seized
and held fast, he danced like a maniac.
We then, at the instance of Mr.. McCul-
Tough, walked out of the Office. We gave
this frantic Judge the credit-a poor credit
certainly-of being intoxicated, not con-
ceiving it possible that man occupying
the position of Judge of the Circuit Court,
could be SO utterly lost to every sense of
shame as to degrade the bench, the bar and
the moral sense of this community, by SO
shocking violation of the criminal law,
which he has taken the most solemn obliga-
ton to reverence, respect and uphold in all
its majesty, and which he is called to
administer impartially. But we are assur-
ed by Mr.. Mccullough and others that he
was entirely free from the influence of
liquor. This fact makes the case still more
reprehensible; and to add to this deliberate
violation of the law he has so solemnly
sworn to preserve in all its spotless purity,
we have since learned that he had pro
vided a cowhide, which we suppose he
imagined he could use on us, and had the
weapon concealed in has bosom He showed
his paroxysm of ungovernable rage, for he
did not dare to show the concealed rawhide,
till in the momentary melee which preceded
his seizure, Mr.. Mccullough says that he
whipped it out of his bosom and made a
slash. This, however, we failed to observe
in the muss, everything Transporting, as it
were, in an instant of time. The roman
tic idea of a man arming himself with a
cowhide to punish another who is phys-
cally able to break every bone in his body
in hand to hand combat, is about as fare
ical as our elective judiciary system which
places such men on the bench to admins
ter the law. Nevertheless it adds to the
enormity of the offense against the majesty
of the law, committed by Judge Stump.
A man of excitable temperament may be
driven by impulse on the moment to COM
nit acts which are condemned and punish
able by criminal law; but when such acts
are committed with deliberate purpose,
planned as it were, as Judge Stump has
been guilty of. the offense, taken in con
nection with the office he was expected to
honor. becomes of far greater magnitude
in the eyes of the community. If Judge
Stump would not add perjury to his other
crimes, what must he unavoidably do? 1t
is plain that he or some friend in his behalf,
must go before the next Grand Jury, have
him indicted for an aggravated assault and
battery, place himself in the prisoners box
aud plead guilty, and submitto fine orimpris-
onment as the Court may determine. This
is seriously the position he has placed him
self in. A pretty position truly for Judge
to occupy.