The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-03-28
JUDGE BYnUM's SPEECH.


mum q speech, the first delivered
In defense OF the i'm peached ] odges
Mr.. President and Senators-Th-
learned counsel with whom | am
associated have directed me to
speak the first word 10 the defens D.
OF these respondents. ! am to speak
TO the Senate OF North Carolina sit
ting as the ultima Ate tribunal OF the
STATE, presided over by the Li-uten.
ant Governor, In behalf Of the Chief
Justice and an Associate Jus ice OF
the Supreme Court, who have been
arraigned before you charged by
the House Of Representatives with
the com mission OF high crimes and
m isdemeanors In offic-. In Il con
troversy Of such vast import ance-
to the acc used, Involving their rep
utation, their honor and their fut
ure usefulness, aud TO the st ,te the
freedom and Independence Of its
judicisry-lt IN naIuTal that
should fee some em barrAssmeut I'm
assuming this grave and r-spon-
= bic task. But the wish OF the re
spondents and their counsel com
mands my utmost obedience aud |
tn, refore hasten to the perform
ance o. the duty which has b zen
assigned me.
shall not enter into details Of
the evidence which we expect to
lay before you. suffice IL TO say
that upon the law and the facts as
they shall be d"velopt d, upon the
judicial merits OF their case, upon
the duties Incumbent on them by
virtue Of their Office and their hon
est endeavor to discharge those du-
ties these judges rest their defense
And 1 ask each one Of GU to listen
70 me with that patience and atten-
ton which | cannot hope to com
mand by any efforts OF my own,
while open to you as plainly as
can what that defense is.
The honorable manager who open
ed for the prosecution declared In
the beginning Of his address that
rong IL tuences had been employ
I'd to diver the minds Of Senators
from the real issue involved in this
trial aud to create the belief that
the people of the State do not ap
prove of this proceeding; and that
such Influences and sugges ions
could in every INSANE be traced
to those personally Interested in
the defence.
Mr.. President, in view of the sit
uation of the respondents and the
complexion of that bO1y in VIII CHI
this roceeding originated. as Well
as Of this bef,re which 1t Is to b.,
tried the statement of the learned
manager Is, to say the least, sur.
prising Charged With grave offe =
SEES, suspended ty operation OF the
law from their high positions, with
only a handful Of friends in ei her
branch Of the Assembly, while the
friends OF the managers are domin-
ant in both, it is difficult to discern
how the strong influ, noes to which
the hon )rable manager refers cou d
exert their power No considerats
man will say that these judges
have sought by word or deed to pre-
vent a calm, fair, judicial consider
alton OF this case That the real
question be unobscured, that party
spirit, political schemes aud fore
gone conclusions may be abandon
ed, that there may be held here a
trial in which i'm partial justice, =
cording to the Con THU ton and the
laws, shall be administered, is thejr
hope and their reliance, The testi-
mony before the House com mittee
relating to their official conduc
was published and eagerly read
throughout the State. II upon read
ing it the fair and impartial people
of this conservative Commonwealth
have felt constrained to declare
their Arm belief in the integrity
and innocence OF these judges, they
should not be blamed nor shou d
the managers complain; for the con.
viction even Of the guilty Is no. al
ways occasion for rejoicing, while
the condemnation eff the Inn )cent
Is a lasting calamity.
And now, Senators, having hur
riedly gone through the charges
which have been preferred against
these judges, having reviewed
briefly and imperfectly their be.
havior since they came upon the
bench. l invite you to look ba' i
upon their official lives and discov
or, II you can. anything so dark and
criminal as to justify the infection
of the terrible punishment which
would be involved in q conviction
upon this impeachment. Where Is
the crime, where is the wrong they
have committed?
One of them, q son of an honored
father, whose name and fame are
dearer to him than any other pos
session, has scarcely reached the
meridian of life with bright pros.
pect of usefulness before him. The
! other, q product Of our native soil
rugged In his honesty and integet'
ty, full of years and rich in this re
spect of his fellow-men, Is fast ap
preaching the evening Of life. A
Mr.. Webster said of Judge Jay
when the ermine fell upon hi:
shoulders it touched nothing les
white than itself. In the name,
say to you, as the great Hebrew
Judge said to the people of Israel IL
the olden time, "Behold here Am
witness against me before the Lor'
and before His Amounted, who's
OK have takeni Or whose ass hav
takenf Or whom have I defraud
ed? Whom have oppressedl Or Q
whose hand have I received an
bride to blind mine eyes there
withW And I trust the answer Q
this Senate will be like that whic
the people of Israel gave to Ssmu
ell. They said, "Thou hast not d.
frauded US nor oppressed us, neitf
er hast thou taken aught of an
mans hand"
Upon the evidence as 1t is, and q
it will be laid before you, thes