Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-13
THE CIRCUIT JUDGEsHIP.


Idh u
To .he Citizens aud Voters of the Sirh Judi
cial Circuit:
When | announced. through the papers, my
Willingness, il elected. to serve another term as
judge oil this circuit. 1 supposed my part OF the
perform ,nce, as u candidate. was done and
flushed, and did not suppose that more than
thus would br required or expected of me. l did
I not thiuk that all precedent and practice In the
past. in elections of the Judge OF the ciicuit court.
would he disregarded. and that l would have TO
engage in a disgraceful personal contest and
struggle for the office. l never have. cannot
and never will engage in such a scramble TO be
made Judge OF the circuit court. IL Is n court
whose CHIEF business it is to hear and decide
suits between citizens of the circuit who are be-
fore the Judge as litigants. The law requires
and the sutton has a right to unprecedented anu
impartial justice. Assuming that the Judge Is a
descendant Of Adam, how is it possible that the
judge, after an exciting. and. 1t may be. angry
contest, can be unprejudicsd and impartial in u
case in which an ardent and earnsst friend is
one party. and q bitter opponent the other. And
yet his dookets must, Of necessity. have on them
many such cases. The baleful ana pernlcious
influence of such an election, Will inevitably
be shown and seen on the bench. and greatly
AueCt Az impair COQuuShSS >" s"S NNk sew
court.
When on my return from the Saline court. 1
was told by friends that nnless l would make
personal visits and efforts in all parts Of the
circuit, many voters would overlook my name
and commit themselves to others who would do
so; that already. at Higglnsvills. Aullville.
Alma, Sedalia and intermediate points, and at
Greenton, personal Efforts by candidates had
been made and influences exerted, that could
only be enectually countsracted by myself in
person, that this round of effort was still In
active progress. and would be continued until
every neighborhood was "seen and conquered
1 was told that many of the people would expect
me on like visits.
Now, without intending odense to any, 1 must
justify to my friends and the public the course /
shall pursue, il words. which only can ex-
press my sincere and liked convictions of such a
canvass and election for judge Of the circuit
court. and I only intend them to apply to that
onace. The Jurisdiction of the criminal and
probate courts, and the duties of the judges Of
those courts. widely and materially differ from
those Of the circuit judge and his duties.
1 hold such a scramble and contest for circuit
Judge, attended with sleeving, button-hollng
and perhaps the usual accomplishments of ami
able SANDERS. strife and anger, dlsgracetul to
thC W - "
mental stature for a judge, and of most perni-
sious influence In the administration of Justice.
Holding these opinions. my friends and the
people will know why l can not enter such Il con-
test and visit them on this business. In this l
but agree with and conform to uniform prece-
dents and usages. 1 accord the right to ul t"
have and to held different opinions. and II thy
,hink it right 10 disregard and condema estah-
llshsd presidents and usages, and, il they wish, |
L, make a new departure Against any such
new departure l enter my earns t protest a.
frauEht with dangerous aud ruinous evils.
On learning the character oil the contest open
Ing for the judgeshIp, nay fret impulse was to
Withdraw my name from II mixture with such IL
contest; but. on further thought. remembering
the Uniform kindness OF the people including
many Of the bar Of he circuit, 1 decided not to
desert those who agree with me. but to %contlnu.
my protest As a candidate until u convention
from the people shall name the candidate. !
Bear with an illustration. There are. 1 have
been told some five or SIX aspirants to the judge
ship. They all have equal rights to adopt an, |
legitimate mode of making ami securing friends.
and suppose we had all been at the same I'm
with brothers, faith rs-in-law and other kindrei
and personal friends, Urging calls, weexs, per-
maps months, after We were nOtoriously known
to be candidates; what spectacle would We have
presented? Pause and think. and make up thu
answer. l feel that we would have had tn.
laughs and SCOTS Of the children-the very dog
would have barksd us from their aeIghbor-
hoods. Yet such must he one of the results, and
one involving the least in evil, that would grow
out Of personal contests for the judgeship.
My objections do not extend to friends and |
others having u preference among the candidates.
II In RIGHT and nroner far than m rlse q n ~nuro |
pirate and honorable means tor the success Of
the candidate of their choice, and any candidate
ought to be gratiasd and thankful for such mani
Of favor and support.
Before 1 close this article, intended for general
circulation, I ought to say that l have seen In the
correspondence of the Lexington papers u
charge that 1 am old-three score and ten-and
that l move slowly in court. The first part OF
the charge is true-time will run on. The last
part of the charge Is not true, as every honorable
man In the habit Of attending court knows and |
will say. 1 am always in court at the earliest |
hour after breakfast, and continue |
until sundown. when there is business. and not
unfrequently until ten O'Clock at night. | de-
eide promptly and without delay all que,tiOns of
law. seldom taking any question under advise
ment even for the night. Cases and business
not Irrigated is disposed Of with as much dispatch |
as any court in the state. The only business in
court that moves slowly or works delay are con-
tested questions. and cases In which members of
the bar demand time for the examination of wit |
nessss and for argument. 1 confess they often
more time than l think II necessary, |
and 1 try to make the time consumed less, but
they must have time In their own way. for
they have rights and responsibilities which
must, in the interests of Justice. be respected by
the courts. Strangely those members OF the bar
who consume most time in this way are those
who make the objection. refer any man who
has been mised on.this subject. to W. H. Chiles.
Z. Ryland and to the clerks. I refer to VIM. II
Chiles and x. Ryland because they are always
at their place in court, know the facts and will
speak the truth. for they are honorable men, and
an ornament to the proiession; one of them OF
sourse prefers his partner for judge; the other, |
l have heard. Is the friend Of Mr.. Alexander;
30 none need fear that they will decide in nay |
interest, and without knowing what they think Of
this matter. l will make no issue on what they
may say.
1 Will only add that I have not heretofore even
attended u convention. when a candidate, but
e3 pect to attend The district convention, not Tor
electioneering purposes, but simply, If ne d be.
to protect myself against mIsc"nsirucIinn and
WILLIAM T. WOOD.