Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-01-07
From william Writ 10 Peter Carr.
RICHMOND, VA, January 5, 1885,

RICHMOND, VA January D. lo5i'
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
have before me a manuscript letter
from William Writ TO Peter Carr Carr
Brook, near Charlottesville, Va" dated
ut Richmond, December u, 1911. which
is very interesting reading just at this
time, when we are electing Judges and
othere officers, and are talking so much
OF the good old times" when the office
always sought the man: II seems to me
sometimes that the men in those days
had nothing else 10 do but TO endeavor
to keep their fellow men from imposing
some high and responsible office upon
them against their will.
Mr.. Writ is speaking Of Dabney Carr
(who was Familiarity known as THE Che
valierO, who had been appointed a judge
of the General Court on March 26, 1911.
and who was appointed Chancellor of
Winchester and Clarksburg on January
%, 1872. facts, by the way. which escaped
the attention of MIR. S. s. p. Patteson
in his sketch Of Judge Carr in the re-
cent articles on the Supreme Court of
Appeals OF Virginia. Whether Judge
Carr was aided in his appointment of
January %. 1872 by what we are prone
to consider the more modern methods
suggested by Mr.. Pope we are not in
formed. Here is the extract:
81 am glad to learn by a letter received
from you this morning by Csbell that
YOU and the Chevalier are coming down
about the 23d. and hope 1t will not pre-
vent that movement for you TO learn that
his election will come on about week
afterwards. 1t is fixed for the S0th Of
this month. but will probably not take
place till the "a Of January. He is TO be OPP
posed by Colonel Pr. Randolph.
Pope says that the members OF the as
scmbly complain that they have never
seen Dabney: they say they must see
him. and Pope says that he must come
down and show himself; he says that he
will give a dinner to Dabney and twenty
or thirty members OF the Assembly at
the Washington Tavern, NOV St Claire
HoteD; make them all drunk together,
and that will fix them In his favor as
judge-a new way OF trying the merits
Of judge-one way. however, of testing
the strength OF his head Pope either is
a good deal alarmed at this opposition,
or affects TO be so in order to hasten you
and Dabney down; the rest of us
think the confirmation safe. although we
wish you here as much as Pope does.
/ have told Pope that j apprehended Dab
ney would be restrained by considerations
election was over. lest they should say
he had come down to canvass. But he
swears that / am ID fool; that the
Assembly Is made of tougher and sterner
stun; that they require to see the candi-
date, and have right TO see him, and
that i will go on with my fne-spun no.
lions OF refinement and delicacy until /
ruin myself and all my friends. Is not
the fellow right? / am half inclined TO
think he Is"
Here is another passage from the same
letter which is well worth quoting:
1.-THE case OF Livingston VS.. Jefferson,
you win see. Is thrown out of court on
the plea to the jurisdiction. 1t was dry
point Of law, but was argued with his
usual interest and ability by Tazewell.
He Is unquestionably the first man at the
bar OF this Stated believe the first at any
other bar OF the United States. Would
that his private and personal worth were
as well known 10 others as they are to
me--or as well known as his talents are.
II Is a public calamity that such light
should remain hid under u bushei."
Appreciation from Sir Hubert is praise
indeed! What more fitting epitaph for
the great Tazewell could be desired?
Yours truly. j. c. L.