Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-01-19
and falsehood in which it is so often
exhibited in courts of justice

exhibited ia courts Of justice
A Judge should be industrious in
the discharge Of his duties and not
permit his time, or that Of jurors, to
be needlessly wasted in unimportant
or irrelevant examination OF wit
nesses or discussions by lawyers of
lmmaterial or trivial questions ; that
he may thereby relieve the expense
of protracted sessions Of the courts.
At the same time he should be patient,
and listen attentively to everything
which is calcalated to promote justice
and maintain truth
Dignity, self respect and an orderly
bearing in all that concerns the COO
duct of business ia court, are essen.
tial to an effective and usefui judiciary.
But these are by no means inconsistent
with-what is quite as important-a
kind atiable, polite aud courteous
treatment Of all With whom the Judge
may have official intercourse, whether
suitors, jurors, witnesses or attorneys,
The decision o! Judge should not
be made without all the consideration
aud delberation of which the circum
stances will admit, nor without all the
aid which can be derived from the
argument of counsel, but when reached
it should be announced without hes.
itatiou and adhered to with firmness,
with distinct understanding that the
decision ends all argument III that
court on the question dec ded. Moth
ing impairs confidence in or respect
for the competency Of a judge, more
than that fck,eness and instability Of
purpose which will induce him to
listen to an argument IN relation to
the correctness of his own decision
But Of all the elements that 90 to
make up the character oS perfect
judge possessed of sufficient legal
ability; none can compare in value
with honest, upright, conscientious
justice and importantly. This trait
Of character Is indispensable. 1t
matters little how iearn.d, how indus
trious, how patient, how dignlfied or
orderly, how affable polite or courteous,
nor how con Siderate deliberate or firm
the Judge may be if he be deficient
in these qualities the pure scales OF
justice ought never to be entrusted to
his hand.
| have thus presented my own
ideality Of perfect Judge. | cannot
expect if | should be elected, to meet
all its requirements; but AS the archer
who aims at the meridian su although
he miss his mark will be sure to hit
higher than though he aimed at the
horizon; so by endeavoriug to follow
a high standard of fitness, | should
hope to attain higherGesults than if
content to be satisfied with mediocrity.
| have SAID tina, | had an ambition
20 adorn the bench, as an able, indu
trious, upright and impartial judge
If by your kind confidence you shall
give me an opportunity of gratifying
that ambition aud should tail to
exert to the utmost, every faculty,
Intellectual and moral, vhich possess,
in rendering my discharge Of the
duties of the judicial office as cred
itaole to myself and as honorable to
the State, as my highest ambition
would prompt | should justly de-
serve your severest ccnsure
must say no more. Perhaps
ought not to have said so much but
| cannot withhold the assurance that
should it be your pleasure to confer
upon me this distinguished honor, |
shall ever feel most protouud y grateful,
and at the end Of The term retire
forever to private life. But it "a
majority of your votes shall manifest
preference for some other, | shall
bow with submissive will, in the hoIe
that be may developc the character.
i.teristics of my ideal of a perfect
judge
Mineral Point, Wis. Dec. 1878.