Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-12-05

The citizens of st. Adams to the number
of 1877, have addressed this letter to Chief
Justice Royce:
To Hon. Homer T.. Rovcc:
"The undersigned, citizens of st. Al
bans, without distinction of party, de
srOus of expressing their confidence in
you, as the chief justice of this State, and
as appreCiative of the vindicatiOn which
you nave received ut the hands of an in
telligent jury and by the recent action of
the Legislature in your reelection for
another term, cordially invite you to II
public dinner to be given to you at the
Weldon House ut such early day as may
suit your convenience
To this Judge Royce replied rs follows /;
"Gentlemen-l beg to acknowledge, with
the highest seuse Of appreciation and graf
itude, your cordial invitation. to meet You
at public dinner to be given at the Wei
den House, at such day and date as | may
designate.
public officers, judicial as well as
others, should expect and be willing to live
and act in the searching light of public
criticism This is of the very spirit of our
institutions, and is well, not only rs Il con
slant reminder that the interests they
have in charge are the people, and that to
the people they are directly accountable
for the manner in which the trust is
discharged,as II kindly admonition to every
public service. That the tendency. of late. is
tOOver-pasSt the limits of legitimate criticism
for lcgiimateand healthy ends, and sub
jcct incumbcntso of and candidates orpublic
Offices to the shafts of partisan and person
al maignity, is fact that has been So
forced upon the public sense that all adj
init, and all honorable and conscientious
men deDlOre it.
"lluving passed through considerable
personal experience of this tendency, your
letter, representing as it does generally all
the interests, business, professional and
social, III the town in which | have lived
and where SO considerable Il part of my
Juclcial service has been performed for the
past fOurtc cen years, is to me IL most CRATE
full expression of confidence and good will
! ou nave been my nclghbOrS, and ! trust
! may say, my friends. My private life
ana my public service have been under
your constant observation; you have
heard again and again all the evil that
could he said of me: NOua familiar with
its sources and its purposes ana in posi-
ton to Judge Understandings concerning
1t ana me. Your opinion here expressed,
that rs your fellow citizen my life has not
been entirely unworthy, and that as YOU
believe haVcat least tried to do my duty
faithfully will be always one of tine pleas
ATTEST things life has given me to rcmcm-
Der.
"While | appreciate your kind invita-
while itWould give me the greatest pleasure
to accept think upon Il little reelection
you Will agree with me that it is more APP
propriatc to fOrcgO that pleasure. | know
that among the class of Judges whose cN-
ample feel best satisfied to follow, it has
not been customary to accept compliments
of this kind while in the active Discharge
OF their judicial duties and from the pco
pie of their regular judicial dis
tricts, whose causes they are most
likely to be called upon to try
While do not hope to escape umncritco
abuse, nor To make my course SO free from
error as to disdrm criticism, it is my earn
est desire to deserve u continuance of yOul
good opinion and that of all the people
who judge inlpartially and with knoWl
edge of my course and feel sure you vii
readily see, upon second thought, tina
while there might hc no real Improprct,
in my accepting your invitation, ! shal
yet show my appreciation of it and OF YOU
kindness the more fully by declining.
Il am, gentlemen, most gratefully anC
cordially yours, HOVER f.. ROYcE.'
st. Adams. w., NOV. -. lSNi