Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-03-12
THE CIRCUIT JUpcEsHIP
Correspondence of tn Alexandria Ga2st'e.
Rlnhmnnd Va. March III.

4 correspondence Of tn Alexondrih oh1st'e'l
Richmond, Va. March ii.
Now that Governor Swanson has either
cleared the circuit jadgeship situation In
the Alexandra circuit or still further
nuddled 1t By designating Judge Barley
to hold the courts in that circuit pfooa-
oily I'LL the legislature meets next jan
uaty, or possibly for much shorter timo
a few rumors whispered around the ex-
eculive mans 90 here may be OF interest
to the many readers OF the Gazette L
say rumOrs, for they may be but rurnors,
bat pu.ting two and two together they
appear TO bear strong semolsnce 70 facts.
When the rssiguauon OF Judge Niesl was
received by the Governor 1t was prompt
" accepted. Then followed q strong
petition urging Mr.. j. NJ. johnson, Of
Alexandra, for the vacancy. This bore
the endorsement of the Prince William
bar, most OF the members OF the Alezsn'
dria city and county bars and some OF the
members of the Fairfax county bar,
added TO which was paper bearing the
signatures of nearly thousand business
men and prominent citizens Of Alexan-
dris requesting the Governor &c appoint
Mr. Johnson. The latter 1t will be re-
membered was hot supporter Of Gov.
Swanson aud had no political claim upon
him, but the petition bore the names OF
hundreds Of the Governors friends, 30
this Was q poser. Politics, 1t is said, at
oace got into the thing and the Govern
or vas requested by some OF his per-
sonal friends In Alexandria not to make
an appointment Of judge till after the
primary to select congressional candi-
date should have been held. Letters, some
almost threatening 10 tone, II Is said also
reached the Governor from Alexandra
warning him MOTTO appoint Mr., johnson
to the position, for political reasons alone.
however, and one OF these letters II Ia said
told the Governor that the writer had
been his warm friend and supporter and
had worked in and out of season for him
but that II he appointed Mr.. johnson
Judge at this time then he must consider
their friendship at an end. Then OF
course the Governor was betaesn the
devil and the deep sea and other names
were considered. II is said that Mr.. 3.
G. Brent, of Alexandria, was suggested
but that the Governor declined to APP
point him, as Mr.. Brent had. not been
endorsed either by the bar or citizens OF
Alexandria, Judge ]. NJ. Love vas al.
so mentioned and it was said had the
endorsement Of Mr. R. ". Moore aud
some Of the other members Of the Fair
fax bar. Judge Love, however, was
not considered circuit judgeship timber
and had no political claim upoa the
Governor, as he had opposed him In both
his contests for Governor. Mr. Walter
Oliver, Of Fairfax, who had been sup.
porter OF Gov. Swanson, wss also men
toned, but he was not seriously consld.
cred, as he ia too young in the legal pro-
fesslon and lacks experience in that line.
Thus had matters stood from the fourth
of March, the day Of Judge NicoPs res
iguation, till today, when the Governor,
with, it is supposed, the intention of
getting out of the whole business desig-
mated Judge Barley, of the Corporation
Court of Alexandria city, to hold the
courts In that circuit till the legislature
elects a Judge 10 place of Judge Nlcol.
But the auestion is, Can he keep on 2
Another rumor is that a movement was
started to induce Judge Barley TO accept
the appointment of circuit judge and
have Justice q. B. Cation, Of the Alex
andria Police Court, appointed In bis
place, but that Judge Barley preferred 10
iemaln where be is. As said before
ali of these may be but rumors. but re-
membering what q former Mayor OF
Alexandria once said about politics,
there may be more or less truth 10 them.
Q.