The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-08-11

profession, an honor TO the
bench and a credit TO our Partv
that scaS responsible for their
election.
Sentinel, Dec. 81, 1897.
"Lewis, Donnel, Anthony, Pollock and
Copyngham, were all able men, and rank ed
with the ablest judges in this state, and it
was not necessary 10 have a self appointed
committee Of the bar of the district to 90
outside to find them either. In those days
the bar Of this district would have resented
the insult, and the people who had to foot
the bills would have repudiated their action
We must take issue with the Columbian
when il says that ''nsither Conyngham,
Woodward nor Elwell were Office seekers"
Conyngham was able to take care of him
self with the politicians at any time. When
Governor Johnston appointed Judge Jessup
to succeed Judge Conyngham, it was this
same Judge Conyngham, who, in order to
defeat his successor, drew the bill to make
the judiciary elective which was passed in
1851, and this Judge Conyngham whom the
columbian" says was zone of the best
judges the state ever had," succeeded in
having himself nominated and elected and
forced Jessup off the bench, even though it
was necessary to wipe out by legislative
enactment our then system of choosing
judges. Among all the men who have
brought dignity and honor to the bench of
this state, Judge Conyngham was the one
man who knew how to get on the bench,
and when on, how to stay there.
Judge Woodward was brought into this
district by influences that was anything but
creditable to the local bar. What these in
fiuences were we may state in the future
When in 1862, Judge Elwell was invited in
the same selfish interests prevailed; but it
will be noticed that no effort was made along
that line ten years ago, and only because it
did not suit the convenience or interest of
the prime mover in the schemes of getting
Woodward and Elwell in the district. Now
the same old influence is at work, but that
1t has run up against wall there is no aues-
ton.
Judge Elwell may or may not have known
the motives of the schemer who succeeded in
getting him on the ticket, and finally on the
bench of this district. But that he was
ambitious for political and judicial prefer
ment, all know. This was no discredit to
him. In 1866, while on the bench, he was
our candidate Tor Congress, and actually
canvassed for votes. In 1874, he, as we'll as
Judge Woodward, was candidate for Judge
of our Supreme Court, and expected the as
sistance of supposed friend here at home,
TO assist him in his ambition. But Judge
Elwell then learned that the support Of the
tricky politician was a weak staff to lean on
in time of need. Woodward was the nomi.
nee, and Judge Elwel and his friends bit
their tongues in their disappointment. In
the face of all these facts, the "Coumbian''
says, "neither Conyngham nor Woodward
nor Elwell were Office seekers. The Office
sought them, &C." This is history and we
know that the editor Of the columbian
is familiar with some of the facts. To say
that all OF these men were not keenly alive
to the main chance, when it come to ad
vancement would be false, and that they all
did not realize their fondest hopes was nc
fault of theirs. ."--"Sentinel,'' Aug. S, 1898
The foregoing extracts from the
Sentinel are reproduced here, first,
to show that only six months age
that paper strongly endorsed the
custom of making the selection o.
Judge from outside the district
and secondly to refute some of the
allegations contained in the second
extract.
The Sentinel does not seem tc
agree with itself. If it was right il
December last, when it said thai
the bar of the district upto 1883 Sc
lected strong lawyers from outside,
and "that under this practice W.
were blessed with Judges that were
an ornament to the legal profession
an honor to the bench and credi
to Our party that was responsible,
for their election" it must be wrons
now when it says that these Judge
were selected by a self-appointec
committee, and that Judge Conyng'
ham sneaked himself on the bench
by a bill drawn by himself in th'
legislature, and that Judge Wood
ward was brought into the district
by influences that was anything but
creditable to the local bar," ane
that Judge Elwell was invited