The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-12-02

CONSPICUOUS Way III bno onmu P'PS,
The uprOar Is about my resignation
as Probate Judge. Yes. have reslg
the Probate Judgeship, as had right
to do, and | resigned IL to Governor tOr-
akeT, the only authority could resign
1t to; for could not resign 1t to you, or
to the Democracy, or to the people OF
Stark county; and If by the resignation
q vacancy N the Office was created, the
Governor alone could fiji 1t. II Is also
true that | recommended to the Gov
ernOr the appointment Of MIR. FsWcett.
| did 80, because knew that no Demo
crRt that could name or recommend
would be appointed by vernon For.
Rker, and as the office is not political
one, and was never so considered by me,
and as l had frequent opportunities to
assert and declare from the beginning
of my judicial career, and as knew
that Mr.. Fawcett had the necessary
qualifications to fill the Ctti 70, hesi-
tRted not to recommend him.
But why did resign the J0dgeshipr
Because | felt, more and more, that q
dangerous illness was paralyzing me
and my eEorts, and the best medical
authorities, which | consulted, advised
me to quit the Office without delay, and
seek rest of body and mind, or | might
expect to be suddenly prOsIrated and
carried out of the office corpse; and
that II | desired to live short time
longer, change o. climate was i'm
peratively demanded With the ap-
prOach of winter, was too we'll aware
of general breaking down Of my sys
tenn, and only too conscious that | could
no longer remain in the Office and dis
charge its OneTous duties without
incurring the risk of dying In the
traces. And to retire from the Office,
without resigning 1t, and let It's duties
be discharged by q clerk, In my name,
during my absence, as some Of my
friends advised me to DO, ] felt would be
a responsibility | could not cOnscien-
tiously assume, aside from the question
of legality Of such an arrangement.
The necessity to resign was therefore Q
upon me, and thus | resigned.
But why did not consult about the
matter before 1t was accomplished IL
was known, generally, for weeks and
months before, that | cOnld not stand
another winter in that office and that
would have to resign, and was making
generally, we're aware of 1t, and some
of them made effjrts to dssuade me
from doing so, advising me to go away
and pass the winter in Florida or Cali.
fOrnia, and let the clerk meanwhile
carry on the Offi3e. told them that
could not assume such responsibility;
that had sworn to discharge the Judi
clal duties of the Office myself; besides
the clerk alone could not discharge the
duties of the Office Of Judicial char
acter.
But you say that about a year ago
Judge Meyer had made similar deal
with A. L. Jones, E q, of Alliance, and
that that gentleman went to Governor
HOadly with my resignation, and that
Governor Hoadly refused to make the
appointment without the recOmmenda-
tiOn Of several prominent Democrats of
the county, whom you name. This
statement needs correction, | did not
then tender any resignation; but as my
then already failing health admOnished
me, having the winter before been con
fined TO my room for thirteen weeks, by
dangerous illness which had brought
me, as is we'll known, to the brink Of
the grave, and under which was still
suffering, | was inclined to tender my
resignation, and as Mr.. Jones desired
the appointment, l gave him letter of
enquiry to Governor Hoadly to ascertain
whether, in case l resigned, he would
appoint Mr.. Jones to fill the vacancy, as
could cheerfully recommend him; Gov
ernor Hoadly hesltated and wanted
other endorsements as you say. These
endorsements have no doubt Mr.. Jones
could have obtained; but In the interval,
the matter having become public, was
beset by many friends, who dtssuaded
me from taking the step, principally
with the plea, that as the winter was
then already we'll advanced, could
manage to get along with the Office,
during the balance of 1t, and during the
ensuing summer and fall season, and If
i had then to resign the office, 1t would
be easily enough TO do 80. lam sorry
now that followed their advice, well
meant and kind as 1t was, not In the
least expecting that politicians would
get up rumpus about matter 30 un-
RVOidabIe.
CYOu denounce my proceeding as
treacherOu5 to the Democrats who elect
ed me twice as Prosecutor, once 80 Com
mon Pleas Judge, and twice as Probate
Judge. Examine the files of the DEMO.
Graf, during the time | held these re-
5pectiVe Offices, and you will see
did not faithfully, and to the
of the people Of the county
Of Stark, generally, discharge the duries
1evOlving on me In these respective
official positions. But you have forgot
to mention, that the Democracy of the
State Of Ohio, in their State convention,
also hOnOred me by placing my name
On the Douglass electoral ticket Of the
State of Ohio, In 1850, as q delegate of
The State at large, when you aud your
paper were In the service Of Bracken
ridge and helped to defeat the election
Of Douglass, we'll aware that the conse.
luence would be the war Of secession,
whilst Union men sought to save the
Union and prevent the war, by the elec- |
ton of Douglass. The Republicans, as
well as the Breckenridge men, sneered
at us and our fears of war, by calling
Us, Douglass men, as the "Union Savers"
Soon the Republicans were GLAD to &C.
cept US, myriads Of myriads Of Douglass
Union men, to help save and restore the
Union. Aud you forgot to mention, that
during the war, as true Douglass
Union man, assisted, as well as could,
to save and restore our glorious Union,
assalled by many In the North as well
as by the armies Of the South. And
beg you to bear In mind, that since
the close Of the war l was elected to no
political Office; and when elected as
Judge either Of the Common Pleas or
Probate Court, l was supported by many
friends, belonging to the different polit-
icsl parties; and It is well known, that
In the campaign, when l was a candi.
date for reelection to the Probate
Judgeship, there were Vaccinations got
MP against ne among Democratic lead
a.n 70 daRaaf na hanauan L sunnA rak