Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-07-18

To the Voters OF the 9th Ju-
dicial Circuit.

ny Countrgnaen-I am a cam
didate before you for the posi-
ton of Circuit Judge. I have
been on the bench now fol
twelve months /; my manner of
dispatching business and my
capacity as a judicial officer fol
that time, has been open tc
scrutiny.
Being called suddenly and
without any previous training
to succeed a man of the emf
nent ability and business capac-
Iity Of my immediate predeces-
1sor, has made the trnst more
difficult to fill with satisfaction
to myself or TO you. In the
trying ordeal of a Circuit Judge,
| may have committed errors
mo man is exempt from them
but | have done the best / could,
and | am gratificd in the belief
that the generous public whom
| | have served have, SO far as /
have heard, expressed itself sat
Eisfied with my administration
of the law, and | think | may
safely promise that the cxpe-
irience / have now had viii en-
able me to better discharge the
duties OF the office in the future.
My countrymen, you have
found me always present and
ready when the law requires
the courts TO be open, to pro-
coed with the public business.
| have labored on the bench
generally from eight to ten
hours day, and many of you
can attest that | have done
much of the work at night that
devolyed on me when a jury
was not required, after working
all day. l think you will bear
me witness that / have kept my
court open until all the bust
ness possible to be tried was
disposed of, and all State bust
ness that the law would allow
i have tried at the same term
of the court at which the indict-
ments were found. This / have
done at an expense and neon
venience to myself, in order TO
save the jail bills and other
costs incident to prosecutions
which the taxpayers would 9TH
erwise have to pay, and which
in the course of the year would
amount to many hundreds of
dollars and in the discharge of
my duty, no litigant or attor-
ney can truthfully say that /
have not heard his cause pa
tiently or failed to treat him
with respect.
If this record entities me to
your favorable consideration, !
will be proud to receive your
sunDOrt on the First Thursday
in August next. If, however,
yon deem it your duty to vote
against ME, | will not complain,
and if defeated, | will have the
consolation to know that | have
endeavored to do my duty faith
fully, and that l found the dock
cts of the circuit clogged with
litigation, with an additional
county, with a heavy criminal
docket added on, and that | will
leave the circuit comparatively
free to my successor.
/ have not one word to say
in disparagement of my worthy
competitors, but if you believe
l have served you faithfully and
Ito your satisfaction, may 1 not
ask generous support at your
hands ?
] ask sou, my countrymen,
! if there is a single case in your
memory where you have turned
out an officer under these cir
cumstances, when he has had the
office but one year ? Would
il not be taken as judgment
of condemnation of my conduct
as your Judge ? You endorsed
NY predecessor in this way, you
have done the same thing with
other officers, and what have !
done not to merit the same en-
dorsemcnt ? What would you
make by turning me ont just
when I have become familiar
with the duties Of the Office, TO
put in a new man that you have
nor tried ?
My countrymen my case Is
in your hands; do by me as you
would have others do unto you,
and | will be satisfied.
! My duties on the bench pre-
clude me from visiting your
homes, and this is my apology
! for intruding this circular OH
your notice.
j. j. WILLIAMS.
Fayetteville, July 10Th, 1878.