But with Judge Turner I have not yet done.  I have a long story still to relate with respect to him.  After my election to the Legislature was ascertained, he became exceedingly solicitous to prevent in advance my exerting any influence in it.  He expected that I would attack him, and endeavor to secure his impeachment, and he wanted to break me down if possible.  He accordingly published a pamphlet purporting to be a statement of the charges that I preferred against him, which was, however, little else than a tirade of low abuse of myself and the editor of the Marysville Herald, in the columns of which the conduct of the Judge had been the subject of just criticism and censure.  There was nothing in the miserable swaggering billingsgate of the publication which merited a moment’s notice, but as in one passage he stated that he had attempted to chastise me with a whip, and that I had fled to avoid him, I published in the Marysville Herald the following card: 

    A card.

Judge William E. Turner, in a “statement” published over his signature on the 12th instant, asserts that he attempted to chastise me with a switch, and that I fled to avoid him.  This assertion is a shameless lie.  I never, to my recollection, saw Judge Turner with a switch or a whip in his hand.  He has made, as I am informed, many threats of taking personal vengeance on myself, but he has never attempted to put any of them into execution.  I have never avoided him, but on the contrary have passed him in the street almost every day for the last four months.  When he attempts to carry any of his threats into execution, I trust that I shall not forget, at the time, what is due to myself.

Judge Turner says he holds himself personally responsible in and under all circumstances.  This he says in print; but it is well understood in this place that he has stated he should feel bound by his oath of office to endeavor to obtain an indictment against any gentleman who should attempt to call him to account.  Shielded behind his oath of office he has displayed his character by childish boasts of personal courage and idle threats of vengeance.

    Stephen J. Field. 
    Marysville, Dec. 21st, 1850.

There were also annexed to the publication of Turner, letters from different persons expressive of their opinion of his general bearing on the bench and courtesy to them.  Among these was one from John T. McCarty, the candidate against me at the recent election, in which he spoke in high terms of the Judge’s conduct on the bench, and assailed me as his calumniator, applying to me sundry coarse epithets.  In answer to this letter I published in the Herald the following card: 

    John T. MCCARTY.