The news & observer., 1897-03-12
Gov. Russell Will Not Succeed
Judge Seymour.
NOR WILL CHARLES PRICE
SENATOR PRITCHARD HAS WRIT.
TEN HIM A LETTER.
MUST LIVE IN THE DISTRICT
Tom Settle to Have NO Office Under
This Administration if Senator
Pritchard Can Possibly
Prevent 1t.

Capt Charles Price, Of Salisbury is in
Washington trying to convince Senator
Pritchard that he ought to allow a
Southern Railway attorney to succeed
Judge Seymour on the Federal bench
and that that attorney ought to be Capt.
Charles Price.
But Senator Pritchard doesn't agree
with this view of the matter, at leust he
didn't Wednesday and he 50 wrote the
Captain. He told him, in the first place
THAT he couldn't permit the appointment
of any man who was not a Republican in
good standing, and he intimatcd that he
didn't think Price was In the second
place, he told the Captain that he would
never consent to the confirmation Of
any man not a resident in The district.
4 similar letter was also written to
Mr.. Thomas Settle. And in this cOnnec-
ton my informant tells me Mr.. Settle
will not get anything under this admins
trati0n il Senator Pritchard can pre-
vent it.
Now the question naturally arises
Price and Settle out of the race, who
will get the vacant judgeship?
1t is admitted by all who know any
thing of the situation that Gov Russell
can have il If he wants it. But he does
not want it; or rather he will not accept
it. | have this on good authority. His
friends will not consent for him to give up
the GubernatOrial chair to which they
have elected him. 1t is true that as
Governor he gets only $1,000 year for
four years, and as judge he would receive
$4,000 a year for life, with very little TO
do, but prominent Republicans say Judge
Russell is a rich man and the salary
should not be considered. This eliminates
him from the race.
There is now left the following candi-
dates for the President to choose from:
w. II. FAIRCLOTTI, Chief Justice Of
the Supreme court of North Carolina.
w. S. OBJ. ROBINSON, of Goldsboro,
Superior court judge, Of the Fourth Judi
cial district
Il. w. TIAIBERLAKE, of Louisburg.
Superior court judge of the Third Judi
cial district
Il. R. PURNELL, OF Raleigh.
G. A. COOK, of Warrenton.
OF these it is believed that Chief Justice
Faircloth stands the best chance. The
only objection urged against him is his
age. But for this it is thought that his
nomination would be certain. His friends.
however, say that there is no ground
whatever for any objection on this line.
that he is mentally and physically in his
prime and would most admirably fill the
position so long held by Judge Seymour.
If these views prevail, and there is
strong reason to believe that they will,
Notwithstanding that the other candi-
dates are making a mighty effort to land
the prize, this will leave a vacancy on
the Supreme bench to be filed by Gov
Russell. And this plum, it is said, would
go to Mr., J. G. L. Harris, who has for
many years had ambitions in this direc-
ton.
Mr.. Purnell is now in Washington
nursing his candidacy for the vacant
judgeship and the other candidates have
representatives there seeking the first
opportunity to get a word with the Presi-
dent on the matter.
The Price and Settle letters are CON
sidered here as another set back to the
Southern Railway