Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-04
TO THE EDITOR.
WORDS or WISDOM TO A NswLy-AP-
POINTED JUDGE.
Extracts from Sound Letter WRITTEN ny
cs-Judee--May BE Read with
Profit by All.


To tAr Editor Of DC Dtsi'Gich'
VIII Won kindly publish tho following
.xtract from a letter written by nudge OF
eighteen years experience on the Deneh an
The Circuit Court ana Cont OF Appears 10
. Judge recently appointed! T.
Wv, mr. dear old friend. !, who have
srn.s Won better and longer than any man
sa.s living. want 10 say this TO you; You
have in Won some of the best elements Oh
character 90 make q good lNdge.
T,rst of all. Won have good heart ana
profound sense Of right and justice;
Second. Won have strong, practical !, sense
Third. you are man OF incorFup"oie III
tcgrity.. sCb,;e,;an
F,i;h. Won are as free from prejudice,
fear favor. OF affection 20 inhuencc Won ~
any man ever knew. and j beleNe nnt t
tbc courooe of your convictions, anu VIII
always dare 10 do RIGHT u.,
Won nav not De o. learned IN inc Jaw AZ
Wilton Green or William I. joyres or
Others, bus you Know enough 20 - ,ie
scales Of lusiirc evonly., ana 70 auihlhls-
Ter Justice hrasely and consclen;io1siy
WITH no fear of man. but in the fear vi God
alwavs before Won.
Tbcse are the elements o. character to
make good and useful Judge. ana you
have al these IN q remarkable degree.
The great Lord Chief Justice o. En@lanu
who hold his position under several dy mas
tics who was on the Kings bencn longer
thnn any other Judge, and maze next 20
Lord Mansfield the greatest and most en-
xiatie reputatiOn-i mean Lprd 'blel-
Justice Holt. once said this on an IN
mort ant occasion " / always TcJolce "heh
\ see n tribunal filled with a MAJ OF an
MN IL and InfcXiblc temper. VINO IN 'ho
Z r
come all private fear. resentment, Soilcitl-
ton. or even pity itself whenever pas
s on enters into O 81 utence or decislon 80
fer will there be in 70 bnc'ufc OF lhJu9-
tice. So that justice discardS party iIlcnu1
shin. kindred, and Is therefore repre seAteo
as blind. that we NAV suppose heT thoueh'S
ar. wholly intent on the equity Of n cause
without; being Influenced or PreIuhceu 10y
Objects foreign To- I"
Nnw ! commend these noble words OF
the great Lord Chief Justice Oh England
Road and ponder them.
Apd now let me say another thing you
viii be undel the critical eye oil the wnole
bar of y0ur circuit, and You hold your
term Of ONCE ONLY until the next Leelsa-
ture meets. You must therefore be very
oar. fuI not T. antn~OniZe any ~ the men,
lcrs Of the bar aealnst you. Have no ~
ro,it.s among tacm. Never LET 10 be said
,hot nuv member OF the bar has special IN
fucuce over YOU. BE utterly Impartial be
tween them oil. When on the bench say
nothing except when called upon 10 de-
c.de. BE a patient listener. Cohs.ueT
we'll before you decide. lake mp no pre-
conceived opinions in any case. Jump L.
no conclusions OHhand. Want until you
have heard the whole case, and LEI the
polar star 10 guide YOU be this always
@wbat is richt and just between the par
ties" Never show temper. Never take
nm interest on either side. Always Keep
cool. no matter who may he oXcltcd.
Maintain at all hazards the dignity
and decorum of The court. keep perfect
order and silence n the court-ro m Chech
nj once. and firmly. any excitement or per-
sonslties between counsel; protect wit
neeses from the brutal and cowardly AS
saults sometimes made upon them oy
counsel. let il be known IN every court
where Won preside that a courthouse Is moi
a bear-gardon TO Rmuse the public. bnt
great arena for courteous debate ana chi
valrous conduct, whore 10 snort cuts nor
suhterfuges can prevail, but where the
manly contact Of honest minds and earnest
thought and Investigation are employed 10
establish the very right and justice OF a
cause.
Never forget the dignity Of your position
whether on or on the bench. BE approach
able to oil men. even the humliest; Toe not
too familiar with any, even the greatest.
Let every man say of YOU ~ YOU 90
through the walks Of your judicial life.
There IL a man of incorruphoie In
tegrity."
do not mean that commonplace in
tegrity which it is no honor 80 have but
disgrace TO want. Tut / mean that hugh
sense Of honor aud courage TO do night IN
the face of all opposition, dGi incorruptl-
bic integrity which can never be IN
peached. and which VIII make man gladly
die as a martyr IN the cause OF right.