The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20
Local Bar Adopts Resolutions Protesting Against His Gen.
 frmatiOn By Senate
SENSATIONAL SPEECHES
 ARE MADE AT MEETING
Several Speakers Charge That He Is Unfit for the Place, But Others as Vigorously Champion
 His Cause.

oar for a meeting to discuss the matter of the confirmation of the appointment Of Oscar R. Hundley for the position of fed eral judge of the Northern district of Alabama, the room of the second division of the city court was crowded to it's ut most capacity yesterday morning at Il o'clock
 The meeting was, in a degree, sensa- tional and the speeches warmed up, be- fore the meeting closed, to a state of white heat. The assembly resulted in the passage of a resolution, introduced by Walker Percy, calling upon the United States Senate not to confirm the appoint ment of Judge Hundley for the position of federal judge of the Northern district of Alabama and asking the President to withdraw the nomination of Judge Hund- I've. The vote on the resolution was 42 to 37.
 The meeting lasted for three and nall hours and every minutes time was char acterized by sharp discussion on the ques- ton before the body. The assembly was a thoroughly representative one, nearly all of the most prominent members of the Birmingham legal profession being pres ent. The attorneys who were responsible for the meeting made it known early that there WAS opposition to the confirmation of Judge Hundley.
 There were many speeches made both for and against the confirmation of the appointment, and those who addressed the meeting were outspoken.
 Sharp Discussion.
 The meeting was called to order by Walker Percy, who suggested that John F. Tillman be made permanent chairman, which was done. John P. Evans was made secretary of the meeting.
 Walker Percy was the first speaker and he argued in no uncertain language aaainst the confirmation of Judge Hund- leys appointment.
 Percy First Speaker.
 q think" said MT. Percy, that this meeting is an suspicious one. While we members of the bar represent conflicting interests, and are probably biased one way or the other on certain lines. and likewise differ on many legal and political questions, take 1t that in the matter of the selection of able, learned and fearless Judges there is no difference between us. I take 1t that what we all want is honest and untainted jurors and judges, and I be- licve that in the trial of cases all we ask is fair field and no favors. I have felt that we should all agree upon the qualities any individual for high position must possess, and l do not think that friend ship should figure until after you have determined that the individual in this case, is learned in law and Is fair and inn rartial.
 Now, with reference to the purpose of this meeting-the attitude of the Birming- ham bar on the confirmation of Judge Hundley.
 T take it that there is not man who opposes that confirmation who looks joy fully to a public statement of that senti- rnent, but this is a question which must Le discussed. When the position which Judge Hundley now holds was created hardly member of the par preferred Judge Hundley as his first chcice We all had our first choice, and think am safe in saying that hardly a member of the bar desired the appointment of Judge Hund- ley. but when the President saw fit to appoint Hundley petition was presented to practically every member of the bar asking approval of Hundley. As the Pres ident had made the appointment we ac- qujesced to the appointment with the hope that the judge would fill the posi- tion satisfactorily.
 Fearless and Fair-Mlnded Man.
 T say that all this bar wants is for the President to appoint fearless and a fair minded judge, whether he be a demo- crat or a republican, and we all ac- quiesced to the appointment of Hundley and he entered his office with the good wishes of the bar with the hope that he would fill his position satisfactorily.
 Now, the first point of discretion com ing before Judge Hund1ey was the mat ter of the appointment of receivers of the Southern Steel company. I know that my firm represented a great bulk of the n- terests of the creditors of the Southern Steel at that time, but trust that if I have any bias in the matter you will be- lieve as I state it that 1t Is an uncon- scious one.
 ''On the presentation of the petition for a receivership of the Southern Steel it was requested that the two Adlers be appoint ed One of these men was peculiarly in formed as to the Iron business and the two had ready money to keep the com pany going.
 'if Judge Hundley had appointed the receivers of the Southern Steel company with an eye to the welfare and interests of the creditors no one could have justly uttered a word of complaint It is the duty of judge to determine for himsef what men are best to the interests in- volved, but after the matter had been submitted he announced the appointment of Edgar Adler, E. G. Chandler and Jo- seph O. Thompson.
 Neither Mir. Chandler nor MT. Thomp- son were by experience qualified to run a steel and wire manufacturing business. and if they had been selected from the viewpoint of their competency they would have never been appointed.
 'Chandler and Thompson were personal friends of Judge Bundley, and when they with which they were not informed Judge Hundley departed from the sense of high Judicial propriety and he shocked the good sense of propriety of the members of the bar.
 N.'During the receivership changes were made and other appointments were made. but believe have heard no lawyer at tempt to justify the original appointment of Chandler and Thompson for they aroused in that time of stringency feel ing of. intense anxiety.
 .aGentlemen, 1t is but short step from the appointment of receverships from the