The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-27
ADDRESS
To the Democratic Voters of Alabama
in Behalf OF
CHIEF JUSTICE SRMU6L D. WEHKL6Y
CANDIDATE FOR E-ELECTION
Statement of His Record and His Claim for IndOrse
ment by the People
IDATE FOR REELECTION

10 the Democratic Voters of Alabama:
The friends of Hon. Samuel ID. Weak
ley. chief justice of the supreme court
OF Alabama, presents lids name to the
democratic voters of the state, as IL
candidate for recollection subject to the
action of the democratic party.
In asking the support of the demo-
cratic voters of the state, it is proper
that those of his friends who have been
most intimately associated with him in
social business and professional way,
and who are best qualified to speak of his
attachments, and capacity to fill the po-
eition, should present this statement to
the voters who will participate in the
democratic primary on August ~
Chief Justice Weakley WAS born in
Morgan county Alabama, ON July 16,
1860. of parents both of whom were born
and always lived DIN this state He is
now in the forty-siXth year of his age,
and is in the prime of a vigorous man
hood He was reared in Florence, and
was educated at the State Normal col
lege at that place graduating from that
Institution in 1879; for a short time there
after he taught in the public schools
of Lauderdale county. He read law in
Florence, and was admitted to the bar
Oh 1880. He began the practice of law
in Memphis Tenn, where for several
Years he held the office of assistant at
1887 he removed to Birmingham, where,
until he became chief Justice, he en-
gagged without interruption in the gen.
eral practice of law, embracing every
variety of legal business and requiring
his appearance in all the courts known
to on judicial system.
Judge Weallley's career as a lawyer
was one of continued and unbrolen sue
oess although burdened with the du-
ties of an exacting profession, he al
ways took an active interest in public
affairs, and though never candidate
for office he was at all times at the COM
lnand of his party for service on COM
1hittees, on the stump, or wherever else
he might be called. He is an active
member of the State Bar association.
and of the American Bar association,
and was a delegate from this state to
the Worlds Congress of Jurists and
Lawyers at st. Louis in 1901.
sWhen the position of chief justice of
the supreme court of Alabama was made
vacant by the death of the lamented
Mcclellan. his name was presented, by
his friends to the governor for appoint
nient to the position. In the short time
which elapsed between the occasion of
the vacancy and the appointment of a
successor, it was impossible to make any
general canvass of the state or evenl
communicate with all of the friends rof
Judge Weakley who would have endorsed
him. 1t was believed that the governor.
Who was charged by law undeg his OFF,
cia oath with the duty of, fnaking the
appointment. would do 81 with full
realzation of the Importance of the Of
flee and would give respectful consid-
Grafton to sueh.r Recommendations as Mr..
W oak ax s.. friends could submit, and it
" ssiIso believed that Il governor might
~ M
VWn knowledge of the qualifications of
an applicant; for Mr.. Weakleys emil
rient fitness for the place was well known
to the governor, who had heretofore
named him to decide an important case
On which the judges of the supreme court
qualified to sit were equally divided in
opinion, and his fitness for that duty was
not questioned in any quarter
1T is to the credit of any man that
his neghbors think well of him, and
so 1t was that over 200 lawyers in Jeffer-
son county. embracing fully ninety per
cent of all the lawyers and every Judge
In the county united in a petition to the
governor asking that Judge Weal1ley be
appointed to the vacancy. But the mat
ter was not allowed to rest here endorse
ments of the application made in his
behalf were filed by circuit judges, city
court judges, county officials, members
Of Congress, ministers of the gospel, and
many business and professional men
throughout the state. He was also en-
dorsed by lawyers from Lauderdale,