The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-08-05
THE DISTRICT JUDGESHIP-JUDGE
A. s. WALKER ACCEPTS.

The STATESMAN was understood,
prior to the late county convention,
to look with some doubt upon the
propriety1of making a nomination
for the district bench. The field had
been carefully scanned, and the i'm
preston prevailed that no man of dis
tinction at the Austin bar could be
induced to accept such nomination.
That a Democrat could be found
who would accept was not to be
doubted, but to make nomi-
nation, carrying along with it dis
tinction to party act, and to grace
the head of ticket with ajudge who
would reflect honor upon the bench,
was the knotty question to be solved.
While the convention was in session
it was mooted among some of its
members, that our distinguished
townsman and able jurist, Judge A.
S. Walker, could possibly be pre-
vailed upon to accept the nomination,
and when nominations for the dis
trict judgeship were authorized, and
this gentleman's name was presented
candidates held back their names,
and with unanimity he was declared
the choice of the convention, while
the result was welcomed on all sides
with enthusiasm. The Office had
sought the man, and now it remains
for the Democracy of Travis county
to place Judge Walker on the bench
by a larger vote than was ever
before given to district judge by
this community. Judge Walker is
q Democrat. He was a few years
ago chairman of the state executive
committee, placed in the position
without his solicitation, and as an
honor to his great worth and integ-
rity; yet his tastes are peculiarly
judicial, and as student of law and
jurist of the most profound knowl-
edge he has few equals and hardly
any superior in any state or country.
aud his reputation as a citizen is un-
tarnished by any act or word of a
lifetime. AS said, he is aDemocrat,
and it is well understood how an
eminently pure and conscientious
man, like him, should be SO, but,
unlike many, there is nothing
intensely partisan or personal
in his nature, and it is be-
lieved there is not a man in
Travis county, nor in the State of
Texas,who could feel, that as jurist
Judge Walker would not do COM
plete justice to the veriest wretch,
or to his enemy, were such a man
living. Judge Walker has been a
citizen ofthis section for a greatmany
years, first living in Williamson and
then in Travis county. His personal
and professional qualities are known
of all men, aud when they are con-
templated we really wonder whether
anyone will enter the field against
him. He is now one of the three
justices of the Commission of APP
peals an adjunct of the state Su-
preme Court, on a salary of $500.
To perform services for the state in
this capacity he temporarily aban-
doned practice worth nearly twice
this sum,andit has been thought,sinee
his nomination, that he could not
possibly accept, since district judge
receives only $25O0. We have
dwelt upon the character of this
man, showing that he is full of con-
scientious duty, and, having received
n unanimous request to become the
peoples candidate, he has concluded
that it is his duty to accept the NOM
ination, and has done so. Every
Democrat in Travis county, and a
great many who are not Democrats,
viii vote for him.