The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-03-13

bles. trustees, and in brief, every fducial
bond executed in the county court; that
in this regard the responsibility Of a
Judge Of county court was far greater
than that of circuit Judge, who was
required to execute no bond, and was in
no wise held responsible IL any bond TAX
en- in the court was insufficient. Refer
ing to the amount Of labor he had per,
Horned in his official capacity, he stated
that he had holden for the county about
one hundred courts per annum since the
beginning of his term of office; that the
records in the clerks Office now exhibit
that he had transacted three tines as
much business as any Of his predecessors
except Judge Cook, and up to this time
he had exactly doubled the work Of the
latter. lie did not claim that the work
had been any better done, simply that
the increased business in the country de.
handed doub,e labor. On the subject Of
his political connections he decned it un.
necessary to make any elaborate expla.
nations. lie sought the nomination from
the Democratic party, and weild abide
its action. The Office was not political
in the sense that its incumbent should
discharR its duties in the interest of any
party, but in anothersense it was as much
political as legislative Office. Politics
meant the science of government, and
the Judicial department was coordinate
with the executive and legislative depart
ments of government.
Referring to the political status of Mr..
Hansford he did notqsostien thesoundness
or genuinencss of his Democracy; but
he had been so exceedingly vacillating
in his peleiel relations during the peri.
cd of the last ten years, the party had
no assurance, that If he should he elect
ed as a Democrat in "A he would so re.
main through the year rs. During the
period referred to he had changed party
relations almost every year up to 1871,
when he failed to vote in the gubernato-
rial race between Leslie and Harlan.
He proceeded to say that he did not os.
tracize any man because he had not al
ways been Democrat, but would rejoice
to see the Democratic party increased in
it strength by accessions from all parties.
The only way it was possible for the De
mocracy to regain lost ascendency was
by seeking recruits; but when any one
sought position or preferment within its
ranks, he should be able to show that he
possessed settled convictions.
Passing from this to features Of more
general nature, he discussed the mon
archial tendencies of the Republican par
ty in their advocacacy of such views Of
government as are analogous to the fun
damental principles of the British Con
stitution. Their purpose was to force
upon the country such construction o
the Constitution as would practically
make it a written check for despotism
and Of coAzespence the government on
of the people Sonsolidated rather thar
of the States unhed. He grew beauti
fully eloquent VIII lie upon the "nev
birth of monarclsial hermophrodite
While upon the sub net of increased sal
airy, we. neglected ~ mention that /
gentleman in the udence arose to pro
pound certain questioas relative to thu
fees of the Quarterly e(urt, and having
opened himself for the p0inted shafts Of
the Judges telling wit and sarcasm, he
was neatly shaved just below the knees,
much TO the amusement and gratilica.
ton of the audience. It is believed by
some that this gentleman will become a
candidate for the Judgc.hip after the
primary election, and it will be borne in
mind, in that event, that he has publicly
confessed his incompeteney FIR the position.
Mr.. Hansford followed Judge Sauiley
in sensible speech-such as he always
makes. He regretted that his opponent
had seen proper to attack his political
record. not that he shrank fromits investi
CATION, or was not prepared to defend it,
but 1t was his purpose to Conduct the
canvass without reference TO the dead
past. lie did not see the expediency,
in family contest, of attacking his OPP
ponent's official or private record, and
knew nothing of his early political rela
tisus. Besides, such a course would on.
iy result in placing cudgel in the hands
'pf Radical aspirant, to be used in the
Final contest, which promised to be close,
aganst the nominee of the Democratic
party. He thought if he was not a
Democrat in principle, the authorities OF
the party had committed an egregious
error in placing him upon the executive
committee of the county, where he had
worked for several years past. He de-
clared his firm alley ,nce to the party Of
his adoption, and his intention to support
its nominees in all events and under all
circumstances. lie had affiliated with il
for about eight years, and did rot re-
member whether he roied for Governor
Leslie or not, but knew he Was for Les
lie. lie admitted that he had belonged
to the Union party Of Kentucky, and
had voted with the Third party but he
was honest in his convictions, and OPP
posed Secession from principle, and not
merely to be with the majority for polit,