The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-09-10
SAMUEL D. IRWINs LETTER
Setting Forth his Claim to the Ju-
dicisl Nomination.

Following is Mr.. Irwin's letter, as
published in the Warren Mirror Of
Sept. 4, 1890, setting forth his claim
to the Judicial nomination in this
district:
To the people Of the Tnirty-sercnH judicial
District.
The Judicial Conference of this district,
after numerous sessions and about l2C0
ballots, has adjourned without being able
to make a nomination.
This unfortunate result makes it proper
TO explain to the people of the district the
part taken by the Forest county represcn
tatives in the conference, whose results
have been so futile, and to submit to their
candid consideration and disintercsted
Judgment some of the reasons that have
determined our cause.
was presented by the vote of Forest
county, UNANIMOUSLY expressed at her
republican primaries, as her candidate for
president judge of this judicial district.
As the senior lawyer of the two candidates,
as the senior member of the bar of Forest
county, as twice her district attorney, and
rs a veteran of the war of the rebellion,
had at least some personal claims to fair
consideration of any candidacy before the
district conference. Our confereos were
ever disposed to fairly consider the Just
claims of the Warren candidate.
On the other hand, the position assumed
by the Warren candidate from the start
was that his nomination alone was the
necessary outcome of the conference. 1t
was given out TO the public that, whether
nominated or not, he would after few
ballots be a candidate before the people for
the election, and at a later stage in the ses-
sions of the conference one of his conferees
in debate said in his presence without re-
buke or disclaimer, that they did not care
what the conference might do, whether
nominated or not, he would be a candi-
date. Early in the campaign his friends
sought to deprive me of my right TO ap-
point my conferees and to appoint con-
ferees in his favor.
After assuming this attitude towards us,
| that made it difficult if not impossible for
us to nominate him with any degree of
| self respect, we might be justified in re-
fusing his nomination. But we choose to
| place our action above personal consider
ations. We have put our claim for the
| nomination upon the broad ground that
! Forest county is entitled to it. Her voters
have been so steadfast in their allegiance
| to the party that twice has she been rec
|
| Warren county has been favored with
president judge for the past thirty years.
Forest has never had the office. While
| Forest is the smaller county, that is not
valid reason why she should not be allow
ed the nomination. Warren has establish
ed the right of smaller counties to equal
claims for recognition by precedents too
many to be disregarded by her. She en-
forced the claim of the smaller county
against Erie for twenty years for the office
of president judge in the persons of Judges
Johnson and Wetmore, and in the congress
for many terms in the persons of Judge
Schotield and Col. Watson. She is now
assuming the same claim against Venango
county in asking the denomination of
Senator Allen, and against the larger
counties of Venango and Mexican in the
candidacy of Secretary Stone for nomina-
ton to congress.
After all these examples it is with
another poor grace that the claim of Forest
county should be ignored on the ground
of her being smaller county. Yet this is
the only substantial reason for refusing
the nomination of her candidate.
If other reasons were needed to Justify
our position they might be found in the
general opposition to the nomination of
the Warren candidate which our conferees
observed among republicans of all classes,
in Warren county, whose fealty was be-
yond question, and whose character enti-
lied them to our confidence and esteem.
When it became apparent that the War
rem conferees would not nominate mo- and
that we could not nominate their candi-
date, our conferees made every reasonable
effort to break the deadlock. They offered
to submit the determination of which of
us should be nominated to the republican
members of the bar of the two counties OF
the district The force of this offer will be
apparent when it is considered that the
Forest bar is composed of five republicans,
publicans. Yet this fair offer was rejected.
Our conterees also submitted a plan for
breaking the deadlock by the nomination
of some candidate outside of the two be-
fore the convention, who would be NUT
ually satisfactory to both counties, and by
his character and standing would command
the respect and support of all republicans.
This plan was also refused without any
proposition from the other side. Our peo-
pie were led to make this latter PROPOSE
ton by the consideration of the high and
sacred character of the office they were
, seeking to fill, and the further considera-
ton that no man should have a mortgage
upon the judgeship. If this plan had re-
suited in the nomination of Secretary G.
J w. Stone, Judge VIM. ID. Brown, Hon. T.
l.. Davis, or any well qualified person
upon whom all could unite, / should have
: bowed to the result and yielded my claims
: with entire satisfaction.
: While doing everything we honorably
could to secure the nomination for oui
county, we were willing for the sake o.
A.. the public good and the good of the party
to yield our claims in favor of a man
whose character, learning and fitness
would adorn the bench; we would no
!, sacrifice her claims for any other. W.
9 thought and still think, that nomination
. should have been made by the confereucI
I for the good of the party and the credit o
r the district. While so thinking, we sub
" NIT to every candid voter Of the district
? in either county, that we could not hav
l. done more to bring about this happy re
r suit than we have done, without an abso
. lutte surrender on our part against GU
best judgment and a proper respect for tn
d rights of our county, her candidates ant
" conferees.
4. Although the conference has adjourned
our conferees are still the representative
Z of Forest county 10 secure judicial nom
IS ination. As such representatives they ar
v willing TO recOnyene the judicial confer
; ence and make such a nomination as pub
J. tic sentiment may determine will receiv
+. unanimous support. The time has com