Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-07-26
HANFORD RESIGNS,
HOUSE QUIZ ENDS
SEATTLE JUDGE QUITS FEDERAL
POSITION AND PRoBERS
VOTE TO CONCLUDE.
jURlST MAKES STATEMENT
Says Almost Constant Strain Under
Which He Has Worked So Long
Has Taxed but Not Exhaust
ed Powers of Endurance.

Washington, D. C.-Chairman Henry
ID. Clayton of the house judi
ciary committee, announced that he
considered unnecessary further i'm
peachment proceedings against Fed
eral Judge Hanford of Seattle, who has
just resigned. Chairman Clayton de-
clared that while congress has the
power to try a federal official for i'm
peachment even after he has resigned,
he did not believe that course neces-
sary in this case.
Hanford in his resignation to Presi-
dent Taft gave i'll health as his reason.
Chairman Clayton instructed the
subcommittee, now in Seattle taking
testimony in the Hanford case, to dis
continue it's work He received the
following message from Representa-
tive Graham, chairman of the sub
committees:
Vote to Discontinue Quiz.
Judge Hanford has just forwarded
his resignation to the attorney gen.
eral. We are not quite done taking
testimony, but nearly so. The sub
committee is unanimously in favor of
disseminating the taking of further
testimony"
In this statement Chairman Clayton
cited the precedent of the case of Sec
retary of War Belknap, who was i'm
peached and tried by the senate after
his resignation had been accepted by
President Grant. The articles of i'm
peachment against Belknap failed to
receive the necessary two-thirds vote
in the senate. In the conclusion Mr..
Clayton said:
Object Is Accomplished.
"The main object of the impeach-
ment, being to get rid of an unfaith-
full officer, having been accomplished
in this case by the resignation of
Judge Hanford, if it is true that he
was unfaithful, there seems to be no
necessity for impeaching him in order
to disqualify him from hereafter hold
ing any office Of honor or profit under
the United States. take it that no
president will ever appoint him, and
no constituency would ever elect him
to office of honor or profit. OF course,
there will be no formal action on the
part of the committee on the judiciary
until report is made by the subcom-
mittee which I appointed to investi-
gate the alleged misconduct of Judge
Hanford"
Hanford's Statement.
Judge Hanford's statement to the
public follows:
"The almost constant strain under
which l have worked for more than %
years has taxed but not exhausted my
power of endurance. 1 am not likely
to have a vacation of rest, but a
change of occupation will be a well
come relief. 1 intend to practice law
in Seattle. In the investigation which
has been conducted by a subcommit-
tee of the house of representatives
much testimony has been given by
witnesses who know me and by others
who do not. / am grateful for the
commendation of those who have
spoken and written in my favor-and
as for those who have maligned me,
l only wish to say that / would be
ashamed of myself if l had not in
Cured the enmity of such people as
they are. A judge is never so sure of
being right as when his work has been
criticized unfairly. Without boasting,
in view of all that has been and may
be said of and concerning myself and
my work, am glad that my record is
what it is"