This conduct was censured by his party friends, and he immediately
resigned his seat and returned to his constituency, who, knowing and
appreciating the great worth of the man, returned him at once to his
seat under a new election. In all the relations of life the same traits
of character have distinguished him. While at the Bar, his rank was the
first; this, combined with his integrity and great firmness, made him
so conspicuous before the people of the State, that he was placed on
the bench of the Supreme Court--a position he distinguished by his
great legal attainments, dignity, and purity.
The political opinions of Judge Jenkins were in many of their features
unpopular. He was always opposed to universal suffrage, and made no
secret of his sentiments. He was opposed to an elective judiciary, and
to mob-rule in every shape. He despised alike the arts and the
humiliation of party politicians, and was never a man to accept for
public trust any man whose only recommendation to public favor was his
availability, because of his popularity with the masses. He was taken
from the supreme bench to fill the gubernatorial chair of the State,
and no man, not even Jackson, Early, or Troup, ever more dignified this
elevated position--none ever had the same trying difficulties to
encounter.
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