The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-14
REPLIES TO GLENN
W. ]. Saunders Makes
Statement for Friends OF
Major Stedman.

To the Editor: In justice to the
friends of Major Stedman and in JUS
tice to Mr.. Glenn himself l feel that
some explanation should be made III
regard to Mr.. Glenn's card which APP
peared in the News and Observer of
last Thursday. The circular referred
to did not state that Mr.. Glenn signed
a letter with Judges Purnell and Boyd
asking Governor Russell to appoint
himself Chief Justice. The circular
simply stated that Mr.. Glenn with 9TH
ers signed the letter to Governor Rus
sell, asking him to appoint himself
Chief Justice of the State of North
Carolina This Mr.. Glenn in his card
admits 1t was also stated in the
same circular that Judges Purnell and
ROvd wrote letters of similar nature.
which letters appear in full in the
same circular. The letter written bv
Mr.. Glenn to Governor Russell was
printed in full and in this letter Mr..
Glenn said:
1T is rumored currently that
you will resign as Governor ana
be appointed Chief Justice OF
North Carolina vice Judge Fair
cloth
"Recognizing your ability as a
lawyer, we respectfully recon-
mend your accepting this high
place. We address you this letter
as lawyers, looking only to having
upon the bench in North Carolina
men learned in the law You are
so recognized in the State. and in
the interest of ourselves and in
the interest of the law itself. we
respectfully say to you that we
trust you will accept the appoint
ment as Chief Justice for the
State
1t was stated in the circular that the
letters could be found in the News and
Observer and Morning Post of January
5th 1901. This circular was attacked
as being untrue and we were requested
to examine the record and certify as
to it's genuineness, this we did and the
circular so issued was signed by Will
liam J. Saunders, p. w. Dowd. Alf. A.
Thompson, John c. Drewry, ID. b.
Harrison, Armistead Jones. M. L.
Leach, j. G. Caddell Z. p. Stone. G. b.
Barbee, w. J. Saunders. and Thomas
Burns. It will be seen from the above
that the circular was neither secrete
nor false and was prepared and is
sued solely upon the responsibility of
the gentlemen signing it. Mr.. Glenn
States in his card that he asked Gov
ernor Russell to appoint himself Chief
Justice because he learned that Rus
sell would hold that the constitutions
al amendment was unconstitutional.
Just how he knew this he does not tell
us. | am not a lawyer, but have al
ways understood that a man who will
agree to decide any case, a particular
way, before the case is heard by him
is unfit for a judge. AS to the pro-
priety of Mr.. Glenn's trying to get
Russell to appoint himself Chief JUS
tice. l have nothing to say, other than
that the Democratic party at that time
thought it ought not to be done. as Mr..
Josephus Daniels SO we'll said in an ed
itorial in the News and Observer of
January 4th. 1901, quoting:
"Why should Democratic law
yers take a hand in selecting a
Republican Chief Justice. 1t is
not the duty of Democratic law
yers to make a choice of rotten
fish. Let those who peddle rot
ten fish perform that duty"
VIM. j. SAUNDERS.
Raleigh, n. c., June IL, 1904.