The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-06

active In urging his appointment Ia comparatively
young man and most decided southerner IN bis pc
litical convictions He Is Alabamian by birth, ana
well and iavo.aby known IN his nstiv State and
elsewhere In the south. no Is also well known 10
some Of The most prominent Of New York's nnan,
has professional Services Hons estimated BY has as
socatcs in the profession as rps lawyer and emil
nentiy worthy Of high judicial position.
WOODS
Another candidate whose interest active agencies
have been at work Is Ju1se W. u. Woods Judge
Woods Is a native OF Ohio, was raised at Newark in
that STATE became active In politics and honored
with important Offices by the democrals OF his section.
During Snerman's famous march the the Judge,
then u general In the Union army. commanded
cotton plantation In Alabama, and for some time por
sued tho occupation OF raising the staple. He then
became judge OF the State, and during short ez-
perisncs 40 Local Chancellor acquitted bnself salts
iactoriiy. From this modest position. through
the aid. II y said. of his brother-n-law,
General Warner, then Senator from Alabama, he was
elevated 10 hts present position oi Circuit Judge OF the
United states which he holds during life good be-
havior The friends OF Judge Woods are ardent enough
In promoting bis Chains and urging hts competency to
Ill the hish oce Of his prsseRs ASPIRATIONS while the
friends OF his rivals a. well as the less Interested por
ton OF the profession throughout the country point to
the same impcdmens OF record which blocked in the
senate the confirmation Of ex'Attorney General Will
Jams These impcdinents we're the reversals OF nu-
merous decisions rendered by both judges by the higher
court, those Of Williams having been rendered In Iowa.
and werc not nconsdsrable In number while those Of
Judge Woods were counted Us high thirty. Among
these Is referred TO most particularly a clause ot
much national interest involving the conduct oil tho
late Chiof Justice OF LOUISIANA, Ludeing The qucs-
lion involved was the alleged Fraudulent purchase OF
railroad IN that State Judge Woods heard the appli
caton Of certain parties In interest aside the
oil Ludeng and his associates the ground oil iraud
and he rcndered decision IN which he Jailed 10 dis
cover any fraud, and dism sscd the complaint. From
TINS decision an appeal was taken TO tho supreme
Court OF tho United States ~ Washington, where 10
was reversed and the conduct OF Ludcipg pronounced
IN subsistence to have been grossly fraudulent In the
general criticism now so prevalent among the profess
SION wherever met In relation To this important APP
pointnept aud tho asprants tor II they recall IN Judge
Woods case an incident which occurred IN
tho case OF the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad,
heard before Judge Bradley at Chattanooga and which
incident evoked at the time very earnest and decided
action on the part OF the New York Stock Exchange,
oil this city, the form of petition TO the House oil
Representatives Tor the peach nsnt OF udge Woods
When motion Tor receivcrshp OF the road was beng
heard before Judge Bradley at Chattanooga and the
time arrived 10 nominate receiver Judge Bradley
stated that ho had received from Judge Woods despatch
suggesting the name of Mr. Warner Tor the position.
that the Nr. Warner suggested was Judge Woods
brother-in-aw. "Are you quite sure" said Judge
,n.awy1 Being assured aasI repiy thai, 'he
was, II is scarcely necessary TO add that Judge
Bradley did not comply with Judge Woods
suggestion in making the appointment These
incidents. al well the records oil the Law reports OF
Wallace and Oto in winch the opinions In reversal OF
numerous decisions OF Judge Woods are contained,
10 DO regarded by the profession having given
no small advantage TO the rivals OF tho Judge in the
TWO OTHER CANDIDATES.
There are also two other candidates spoken Of both
men whose reputation N Europe as well ~ this coun-
try cntte them to consideration. They are Judges D
Ion and Cooley. Both are eminent as lawyers and
judges and have adorned the legal literature OF the
country.
THE PREVAILING SENTIMENT
The prevailing, If not universal, sentiment OF the
Bar disclosed In conversations with them, that
eminent capacity aud unquestionea integrity
should be hrst regarded in the selection,
and that NO other considerations replace
the absence Of these qualities. They feel that
even though wise and learned and just judge may
sometimes have his OPINIONS reversed yet when such
Fevsrsals become general 1t must be regarded b. tho
profession as evldencng want of knowledge OIL legal
principles and an absence OF training and experience
claims Of any who would seek the oficc "with .
most uncommon anxiety should be carefully scru-
nizcd they believe, also, that the American people
cannot AFFORD that any judge OF the highest court
the land should learn aw ut tho cost oil their legal
rights and worldly substance, and very generally ex
press hope that 10 October the President shall
send TO tho Senate an appointee of whom tho Ameri
can Bar must say with one accord, He is worthy Of
the place.