The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-20
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SECOND DISTRICT.
The Coneressional Canvass-Judge
HOge -, Hon. b. +. Martin.
July 18th, 1876.

AOG0 ~, h0n. -. II T. AoEtIms
July 18th, 1876.
Editors OF the Register.
In your daily issue Of the 18th inst,
there appears q communication from
Grant county, over the signature of <,
warmly sspousing the candidacy of Judge
Hoge for Congress in the End Congress
sional District, and disparaging the COM
potency of the present distinguished in.
cumbent and the claims Of the Hon. B.
+. Martin. It was pleasing feature OF
the contest between these last named
gentlemen two years ago that their fitness
was such as not to require the aid OF con-
ceited ink.slIngers to make known their
worth, and Mr.. Martin is not now de-
pending upon them for support which ne
will receive in the coming convention.
He will resort to no unfair means to SO.
cure his nomination, and will speak no
unkindness of Judge Hoge Neither will
Judge Hege, apprehend endorse the e3-
travagances of his jealous friend who. In
comparison with either Of them, Is for
chile illustration of the mediocre talent"
questionable ability" upon which he so
eloqueAtly descants, and who may posi-
bly, owe all his political significance to an
accidental election as Attorney General.
But to his ideal, Judge Hoge. 1t is
generally conceded that no oftice-holder
ought to be candidate for another office
unless he resign that Office and take his
chances for election on the same footing
with other men. It savors OF undue self
ishnees to seek new Office and ut the
same time clutch the old one. 1t seems
Just little too greedy. If this conces-
sion is true ordinarily, how much greater
is its force when applied to judicial
office. Your correspondent eulogizes
Judge Hoge in the most fulsome, and
speaks of Mr.. Martin in the most dispar.
aging, terms.
1t is Lot intended in this article to i'm.
ltate X by speaking ill of Judge Hoge or
to fatter Mr.. Martin. Both are above
rcproacb, and nothing that your ex.offi-
cisl correspondent may say against Mr..
Martins character or ability will injure
him or assist in the election Of Judge
Hoge. The unanswerable objection to
Judge Hoge's candidacy is the fact that
be is now Judge. How can Judge,
whose Office it is to administer exact JUS
tice without bias act freely during or az
ter holly contested political campaign
He is q man of like passions with other
men. Suppose live in his judicial Dis.
trict and ana party to lawsuit. And
suppose ! am bitterly opposed to his cleo
ton to Congress and do all can to de.
feat him as 1 rightly may. How can
that Judge do me justice when my case
comes up for decision? How can he be
unbiased2 How can he lay aside the
prejudices common to all menu He must
needs cease to be man before he can do
me Justice. Of all duties. that of Judge
is the most sacred and difficult and he
has no right to thus embarrass himself.
1t is unjust TO himself and doubly unjust
to his people. Neither Judge Hoge nor
any other Judge has right to act on
this manner. This one objection TO tho
candidacy of Judge Hoge, even if unsup-
ported by any other, ought to defeat him
or any other candidate like placed. No
matter how cultured, no matter how hon.
orabie, no matter how pure he may be,
he ought not to be candidate for Con-
gress. And If, notwithstanding these
things, he persists in his candidacy, the
people owe It to themselves to defeat his
nomination and l am pursusded they will
do it. JUNIUs.