The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-20
Earnest Resolutions Are Passed.
 --s-- @ ASKS TIE PRESIDENT TO WITHDRAW HIS NAME Walker Percy and Kinds Peevy Have Tit.
 --s-- speakers at sreesing Fer and Against conftrmstIoa of Hantsvsile Man and the Vote
 is Close.

Birmingham. Dec. 1s.--(speciall---In a meeting today that was not only well attended but senpationaf in the extreme, because of the influence or the men participating. resolutions were adopted opposing the confirmation or Judge Oscar R. Hundley, as judge or the Federal Court for the Northern District of Alabama. and calling on the President of the United States to with- draw the nomination..
 Walker Percy, one of the most prom tnent attorneys of Birmingham. led the fight for adoption of the resoiu- tions while Sterling A. Wood took the side of Judge Hundley
 The meeting began at II o'clock and continued until after o'clock The discvssion was sharp and pointed. The vote on the resolution was rather close. 42 to 37.
 The discussion became personal ar times and walker Percy and Hinds Peevy. through nnisunderstandins. came near approaching one another but there was no physical conflict.
 The resolutions were verbal and were put by Mr. Percy as follows:
 sI move that the members of this bar, after deliberate consideration. af- ter mature reflection, have come to tho conclusion that the confirmation of 0. R. Hundley as judge of the Northern District of Alabama. is undeslrablei
 "'rhat we request the President or the United States to withdraw his ap- pointsnent and, in the event. it should not be withdrawn, we request the Sem ators from Alabama to use their best efforts to defeat this confirmation"
 Walker Percy Presides.
 The meeting was called to order by Mir Percy, who was one of the sigrers ! of the call for the meeting. He said that 1t was understood that this was a meeting of the bar of JeRerson coun- ty and while the spectators. the room being crowded. were welcome, it was taken that they were not expected to take any part in the deliberations. He nominated J. P. Tillman to preside over the meeting. John P. Evans was appointed secretary and a stenographic account of the meeting was taken.
 A roll call of the members Of the bar followed at the suggestion of Sterling A. Wood.
 A number of prominent eitl1ens weTe present, among them Capt. Frank F. O'BrIeu, father-in-iAw of Judge hunns ley, Frank H. LAthrop. D. c. Chandler Probate Judge e.sE. areeaes John Tow- ) CTS, editor nf The Blenan9haxA Times ? a Republican Daper. Judge C. Q. Ne- smith ansa ofherss There were eighty nine lawyers present when the roll easll took place.
 The frat speaker was Walker Percy. who said the meeting was an suspicious one.
 "while we reprensnt eanfsicting inc terests," he said s.1 take take it that in the matter of selecting able, fearless judges there is no difference between us. take 1t that what we all want Is honest, capable jurors and honest, fearless judges. I for one have ale ways felt that we sbould have more regard for a mans qualities than for his individuality when it comes to se. lecting a man to sit upon . bench
 ''In reference to filling the judgeships on the State bench in the futuresl I 1 mean to take that position.
 aA1id now with reference to the pur- pose for which this meeting was called I have reference to the confirmation of Judge Oscar Eund1ey for the Federal Court in the Northern District Of Ala bama.
 T take it that when that position was created hardly man here select ed Oscar R. Hundley as his first choice. To many of us Mir. Hundley had been known, not intimately but pleasantly. when the President of the United States saw fit to appoint Mr. f1lndley, a petition was presented to practically every man here, asking him for his approval Of Mir. Hundiey's appoint ment. take 1t that nearly every rndn here, believing that Mir. Hundley Would be confirmed, signed the petition.
 T knew MT. Hundley probably bet ter than many of you. He was young, sprightly of mind, and pleasant fel- low. had been told that the people of his county had fancied a dislike for him because he removed his political faith and went over to the RepublI- can party.
 But those matters when this ap- pointment came up were matters poe iitical, When Judge Eundley was ap- pointed, I take It that most people thought the matter closed. He was received in Birmingham with a friend. iy feeling.
 "When Judge Hundley frst opened court he seemed to despatch business that argued well for the future. The first discretionary matter over which Judge Kundley ruled was in the mat ter of appointing receivers in the Southern Steel Company. It is proper for me to say that my firm represented the bulk of the interests involved at that time. I trust that if I have any bias 1t Is an unconscious bias.