Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-10-09
Communicated.
The Candidates for Judge CO"trasted.

This is an office of the greatest Importance;
il directly concerns the citizen as an individual
The mower of a Judge for good or evil, salmOst
incalcuable No man can tell how soon every
thing he values may be staked upon rtgt de-
cisinn of the circuit court. When We least eX-
pert Fl. we are forced into litigation No fore
sieht OF prudence can avoid lawsuit and they
generally come when least expected and when
wa. are least prepared % encounter the yeXati0n
and expense. Ii is foolish To speculate about
recYrias-wc must recognize disagreeable Facts
and deal with the realities of our situation.
I'm order to give satisfaction, judge must en-
io, the confidence of the people; they must
have confidence I'M his independence, in ms
INTEGRITY and i'm his knowledge OF the law \
wishy-washy policy man, of no opinions oi ms
own "a man who drifts about with the current
iostlcd this WAY and that way by heavier weights
a man whose conduct is not balanced by fixed
principles and rigid sense of duty Is always
nuisance in any public office, but more eSpeci-
.tilv on the bench The chief characteristic OF
ana efficient Judge is willingness % act on hls
oul Judgment. He must be seli-reuant or ne Is
certain TO be a failure and IL Is well-knowh
fact that no man is self reliant unless he has
selfcontrol You must De confident of the a.
bility to manage yourself before you can nave
any confidence 900 yourself
10 Is unnecessary to urge the Importance OF "a
iud-,c being h0ncst-this requisite nc once strikes
the common sense of every citizen Nor Is IL
worth while oiusist upon the scli-eyident prop
o>i,iou that judge should understand 'he Jaw
The ridiculous and expensive biunccrs oI lhc
County Court have demonstrated the absurdlty
of making Judges uut OF men vino have not de
voted themselves 90 this science. The more law
man knows. the better judge he will make.
but there is one trait of character oil the
most pcrliciou> tendencies, We are apt 10 over
look A Dulfi-Hl on the bench viii he even
rl.rf Iff-
warped and distorted by thousand preJuuiceS
ami 10 Will be impossible for him 90 administer
Justice III ne is "a partizau- radical, he Will de-
eide AGAINST a man because his attorney was a
confederate soldier. We could name lawyer
whose mind is so iaundiccd against the South'
that hc cannot listen 10 am argument by even
the abc~t counsel who wore the grey. \ partl-
zau may try Co Doe honest but his preudices are
SD interviewer with every impulse and instinct,
that hc IL unconscious of his own bias. II we
pur such a man ON our bench, the mischief he
viii do Is inevitable and immense.
We have three candidates in the field one or
the other Will certainly be urjudge for the next
eight years there is no alternative we must
choose between them.
MR.. FAULKNER
He is a graduate of law az the University of
Nirrinia This Is q certificate from the best
and highest law school i'm the Union. No one
cam obtain this diploma unless his mind has been
trained hy severe study and unless he has mas
tered the principles of the science. law di-
moma bv the Virginia University gives the
same rank among lawyers. that Is held among
Eu-iueers los the Young man who graduates
first in his class at West Point. Again. Owing
to his very remarkable industry and 20 the eN-
cen-ioual advantages OF his surroundings, lac has
had probably twice as much experience and
practice as amy lawyer of his age i'm the STATE
rhi, ha, tlmliarized him with the business Of
the courts and with the questions that usually
come before % circuit Judge. Hence, with ma
turlliv quick. active mind hc viii be able 10
perform thc duties of the place with dispatch
and facility. And again. He Is man OF re-
mir>lhlc >ciErC.iancc; in fact. ms independ-
emo, 3. excessive and unless restrained viii
prove seriou, bar to his efficiency; but this
defect win Dc cured 10y experience and meau-
while O., likely to produce more good than evil
let 90 Dee understood, we have no personal
interest iu this matter that Is not shared by each
and every citizen Our single and only object
i-to advance the election of gentleman who
will make us the most useful and successful
Judge. We have considered and cOntrastcd the
merits of these candidates and are firm in the
belief that Mr. Faulkner Is. 10y all odds, the best
man for the place. He comes To Us earnestly
and heartily recommended 10y the best and
most influential citizens of Berkeley, and the
llct that hc is thus endorsed by ms NEIGuBoRS;
the circumstance thatmen Of intelligence, who
are well acquainted with his character, want
him 90 Dee their judge, is certainly strong argu-
mcut I'm his favor.
MR. GROVE.