Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-10-16
Vale Replies to Richards.
September "a, 1908

, Robert H, Richards. Esq, VIII
. mington, Delaware-Dear Sir
The receipt of your letter, of tn
ISth instant is acknowledged.
The passing of public judgmen
on the qualifications and attain
ments of professional brother i.
not to be commended. Persona
regard may cause unmerited praise
of mediocre accomplishments, as
calculating self-interest or over
weening self-arrogated superiority,
born of vanity, egotism or conceit
may lead to the under estimating Of
great ability or the belittling OF
average qualifications.
Incompetency imposes It's own
penalties Notwithstanding the favor
Of friend or event, and ability brings
its reward in spite of adverse criti-
cism or circumstances.
FOrtultous circumstances, infu-
entail friendship or favor of politi-
cal party may accelerate the early
success of mediocre ability; so also
an expression of contempt for the
competency and qualification of
of another, coming even from those
who have been thus elevated and
have thus succeeded, may increase
the burden and temporarily retard
the professional progress of his vic
tim. Neither your utterance of
scathing and scalding scorn, of the
qualification for the office of attor-
ney-general of him whom you char
acterize as friend, nor my ex-
preston Of confidence in his integ-
rity and ability to discharge the du-
ties of such Office with fidelity and
credit can add to or detract from
the fact, that as lawyer he possesses
all of the qualifications prescribed
by the Constitution and laws ofour
State, and that as man his charac-
ter, competency and republican
ism have been determined bv the
regular convention of our party.
These general considerations
shout d make me hesitate to comply /
with your request, but my sympathy
for the victim of your cruel, if not
vicious attack and my indignation
at the manner and circumstances
under which it was made, leave no
alternative than to express my re-
of it.
You ask whether I agree or dis
lgree with what you call your "po-
ition. I answer, mo, 1t is
10Th ungenerous and unfair, and
S lacking of consideration of an.
'ther's welfare as it is devoid of
he sense of propriety and Of graf
tude to party and man I consider 9
neither fair nor generous under I
be profession of friendship to stab
l the vitals the object OF that
iendship. Consummate disregard +
n the welfare of a friend is dis l.
osed to publicly attacking his i
ompetency in the trade by which
is daily bread is made. 1t is an OBJ +
Use sense of propriety that publicly +
-rogates to itself the function of y
lssing on the qualifications of a
to office. The man of
attitude, who has been elevated TO +
secure position in his profession ~
Z favor Of party and friends would &c
-use long before denouncing the DC
oice of his party as his successor II
ID insulting his friends response
2 for the nomination. u
Should not the sense ofobligatiOn W
party and appreciation for the
ective and faithful services rem Fl
red to you by your able assistant 81
re called you from the Falls of A
agara to'the floor Of the conven- III
n, there to stand with me and
) friends to seek his nomination, RI
by so doing, possibly the debt Nj
friendship could have been paid on
the manner you seem to dis cl'
arge such obligations, and you Ge
aid have been relieved of the en-
incident to passing up :
the qualifications of the man St'
'sen by the party that elevated lie
1.
You ask whether l Consider his En- IN
fessional attachments such as to Dil
llify him to hold and perform ?, ,
duties of the Office of attorney |1
-eral. My affirmative answer -.
st be based on limited personal TlI
ervation, but the opinion of La
Sc who have known him since one
admission to the bar confirm it. re
years Of criminal practise we
uld to some reasonable degree
me to become a prosecuting Of
+. COmDariSOuS are both insid HF