The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-08
HE SETTLES QUESTION
WHILE ATTENDING THE DEWEY
CELEBRATION AT NEW YORK.
POL0GIZES FOR HIS DELAY IN MATTER
Mr.. Muller Declares that he Has Risen Above
Considerations of Race and is Emu
Iating the Example Of his
Noble Predecessors.

To the Editor:
During the entire summer just passed
/ was engaged at the University of
North Carolina in mastering the science
of jurisprudence as outlined by my pre-
dessors, Messrs. Coke, Blackstone,
Kent, ct al; incidentally i'll preparing
myself to stand for admission to the
bar of the state, and i'll fitting myself
to pass ON certain public questions that
/ foresaw that | should be called upon
to settle.
On the 9th of September, 1890, |
was admitted to the bar by the SUI
preme Court and immediately left for
New York to attend the Dewey fes-
tiyities and relax my mind from the
lab0rSs of the summer. | nave found
time, however, during the two days of
the celebration to thoroughly study the
proposed constitutional amendment iii
North Carolina, and &I find without
much surprise that it is clearly in con-
fiict with the provisions of the consti-
ton of the United States. | ought, per
haps to have studied the proposed amend
ment and TO have settled ats fate, one
way or the other, earlier but, as
have said. / was busy during the sum
mer. Therefore, l trust the people of
the state will pardon any seeming dere-
LECTION of duty on my part. have
disposed of the matter iii ample time
to save them the necessity of holding
a futile election by indicating the de-
cision of the United States Supreme
Court should a question of the con-
stitutionality of the amendment ever
come before it. This celebrity / admit
to be at variance with the slow aud
plodding methods of some so-called law
yers who must perforce feel their way
with infinite labor, while genius can
grasp the heart of the matter without
taking its eyes off the parade.
am not insensible, sir, that there
are some persons SO suspicious by ma
ture that they may question the dis
interestedness of my motives and there
may be some so abject and mean as
to insinuate that my course has not
been dictated by the purest patriot
ism. 1t will not be the first time that
my conduct as a public man has been
misunderstood or that / have been ma
ligned because of my efforts to save the
country. Because l found it necessary
to the consumlnation of my Work of
reform to accept office, and did accept
it after exhausting all honorable means
to avoid a pinnacle so distasteful to a
man of my retiring disposition, | was
accused by some base men IF wanting
office. i should not be surprised if
these same traducers go the length of
asserting that my opinion as u jurist
has been colored by desire to remain
in office, an impntation that / shall
spurn with the lofty scorn that BELTS
my character and the falsity of the
charge.
That | shall encounter any difficulty
in maintaining the position | have
taken, | do not for a moment believe
even should some be so rash as to- dis
pute the correctness of my conclusions.
am sure that the people are with me.
They are not forgetful of the things |
have done for them nor unnindful
of the things | have told them before.
The people know that / have often ex
posed conspiracies against their welfare
and their liberties. The people will un-
derstand that i'll this my Judgment is as
infallible as in the past and my mo-
tives as disinterested. While | shall
feel a deep sympathy for any of my
brethren of the bar who undertake con-
clusions with me upon the legal ques-
ton involved, and should prefer to
spare them, can not allow my personal
feelings to swerye me from the path
of duty when called to champion the
rights of the people
| trust. sir, without seeming egotis-
tic, | may remind the public that this
will not be the first time in my career
that | have risen above racial divisions
aud animosities and have felt impelled
to- take the side of the weaker and
darker skinned of my felIowmen. 1t is
the duty and province of the public man
to ignore the color iine In this | can
not claim to be the pioneer in the state
Other wise and patriotic men pursued
the same course just after the civil war;
j do not claim to do more than emu
late their pure and nselfish example.
/ am proud to feel that the mantle Of
Tourgee, of Littlefield, of Deweese, has
descended upon my shoulders | shall
endeavor to show, in the future as in
the past that | am not unworthy to
wear it. Panoplied in such armour
the darts of the demagogue and the
slings of the slanderer will be powerless
to reach or injure me.
This much ] have felt it my duty to
say now to relieve the suspense Of my
fellow citizens. Ii, as result of it,