The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-10-02
JUDGE HlLtS CLAIMS.
His Anu-clark Position.

His Anti-clark Position.
A COMPARISON INVITED.
The following address sent out by
the Anti Clark men from q meeting
II Greensboro. Sept. 18th, has beer
sent to THE CoMMoNwEALrH Tor pub
iication.
10 the voters of North Carolina
At meeting of Independent Demo
Gratis, held In Greensboro, n. G., Sep.
tember 11th, the undersigned were ap
pointed COMMITTEES to issue an sd
dress to the voters Of the State in advo
cacy of the election Of Hon. Thomas
N. Hill, Of Halifax county as CHIEF
Justieeof the Supreme Court OF North
Carolina, and in opposition to the
slection of Justice Walter Clark to
that position.
We believe we reflect the sentiment
of the virtue and intelligence Of the
State, In maintaining the proposition
that the man who fills the chief judi
-eial cffice in this state, should possess
che highest order of inteliact, person.
Il character above suspicion, and s:ch
high sense OF the duties and require.
ments of this exalted office as Will in
luce him, in the discharge thereof to
hold his personal ambition in abeyance,
and to refrain from the use of the arts
aud wlles of the demagogne and poll
tician. Like Caesars wife, the person
Al and official character OF the Chief
Justice OF great State should be
above suspicion, and his conduct such
as to invite investigation under the
searching rays Of the midday sun. He
should not so deport himself, that his
desire for security, from possible CEN
.ure, should prompt requests that the
evidence OF his action should be des
sroyed or withheld from public scru-
aity. While it is his right as a citizen
to have opinions upon all political
questions, which agitate the public,
yet, these opinions should be the re-
suit OF careful investigation, honestly
o1med without thought Of promoting
oersonal ambition, and not subject to
;hEnge with every change oi patty III
power. The Chief Justice 81 the Su-
preme Court of this State should not
permit his judicial action to be In
duepced against any man, or set of
caen, or any property interest, by pub
I.c clamcr, or popular prejudice, which
has been aroused and incited by the
appeals OF the demagogue. He should
be free from all Influences except an
honorable desire to administer Justice
alike to those in exalted station, and
those in the humber walks of life, to
those whom fortune has favored, and
to those who fight the battle Of hje
amid poverty and want. It is his
province TO administer equal and ex-
act justice, and thus promote, among
the whole, respect and reverence for
the law, and those who expound and
it, thereby restraining and
preventing those personal animositles
and hostilities which arise from array
ing one class against another, and
which are so destructive of the public
interests and the conservative princl-
pies upon which our government rests
We DO not believe that Judge Ci.r.
measures up tothese requirements
It is not the purpose Of this address to
weigh the evidence upon which the
public charges against Judge Clark 8
political and judicial character rest,
nor TO analyze the defense which he
has made. It is, in our opinion, SUI
licent that his conduct has been such
that it necessitated plea IN confession
aud avoidance, and that this plea COM
attention chiefly upon the
ground OF the ability displayed. and
The lack OF frankness and candor which
it exhibited. It he had conducted
himself in the matters covered by
these charges as Chief Justice Of the
Supreme Court of tho State should, no
charges could have been made, and
the skill and ingenuity displayed in
the answer would not have been re-
quired.
To the Democrat who is such from
urinciole, his bolitlcal acts are no less
Every man has the
right to change his opinions upon po-
litical as we'll as upon other questions,
out his change should be founded on
conviction, and when made should not
.e concealed. The man whose politi-
cal alliance shifts with every admins
tration, with the hope that the flood
tide may bear him to fortune and TO
fame, neither commands nor merits
the respec. OF bis felIow-citizens. When
The Republican and Popuijst parties