Daily Republican., 1884-02-15
Mr.. Frsim' . andlidacy.

The REPUBLICAN likes TO see filr-play,
and in order to see ii, would defend an
enemy to Sc cure it, 1t has care
fully withheld comment on the merits
or dement's of the respective candidates
for appointment to the vacancy on the
bench of the United States District
Court for this district, but without
even now expressing "a choice between
the gentlemen named for the position
will not permit either of them to be
misrepresented to his injury without
saying a word in his defence. That is
the only reason why, without cham
pioning the candidacy of Il. c. Fraim,
Esq, it defends him from scurrilous
attack made upon him by the Every
Evening.
1t is true that Mr.. Fraim has never
exclusively followed the practice of
the law, and in this he has but follow
ed the example of numerous other law
yers some Of them prominent at the
bar. 1t is also true that he has never
appeared as a clustering orator before
the courts, but in this he does not stand
alone. Some of the best legal minds of
the bar of New Castle County has never
appeared prominently in the way of
speeches before the courts, but their
offices is full of clients, and when real
solid decision is wanted these unprc-
tending quiet gentlemen are sought
for.
In proof of this we need but refer to
Victor DUPONT, Esq, gentleman who
Is but seldom seen before the courts
and yet has n practice equal if not
superior to that of any other lawyer at
the New Castle bar 1t is not our pur-
pose to go into an individual compari-
son Of the legal standing of lawyers to
find out Mr.. Fraims standing. 1t is
well-known that though he has been
to a certain extent engaged from the
force of circumstances, more than from a
desire, in mercantile pursuit, he has
always had a legal practice Of which
quite a number Of lawyers would be
proud.
While Register of Wills he had some
very difficult cases to adjudicate and of
the three that We're appealed to Court
his decision was sustained, and when an
applicant for the position of Register of
Wills of the District of Columbia, before
the assassination of President Garfield,
he had letters from Chief Justice Come
gys and other leading members of the
bar, las gentleman well qualified legally
for the position.
Mr.. Fraim did not make himself a
candidate for the Judgeship. When
the appointment of Mr.. Fisher was out
of the question and it was seen that
other candidates might stand a chance
notwithstanding the strong backing Of
Mr.. Spruance, against whom there is no
valid objection, friends Of Mr., Fraim
Immediately wrote to the President re-
commencing him for the appointment,
Seeing that movement was made in
his behalf, Mr. Fraim Wrote 10 the Presi-
dent that having rtl,!. nrrlcN Mr..
Spruance ne could not in u,tiCe to that
gentleman, and consistently with his
own opinions Of what was right and
proper, be a candidate in opposition to
him, but if the time came when >hr
President deemed it advisable to APP
point neither Mr. Spruance nor Judge
Fisher, then his friends Were at liberty
to use his name. This, OF course, makes
Mr.. Fraim candidate under certain
contingencies, but certainly not such a
one as to subject him to the attack
that appeared in yesterdays Every
Evening.