The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-02-02
WASHIN G. I @ N.
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB, 2, 1914.

FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. 2, 1874
REJECTION OF HON. ]. C. SPENCER.
We learn that to-day the Senate rejected the
nomination of Mr. Spencer, as Judge Of the U. S.
Supreme Court, in the place of the late Judge
Thompson The grounds of this, as well as
other reflections, are yelled in secresy; but ii is
impossible 10 resist the belief that the spirit of
party has dictated il. No one will believe that,
If Mr. Spencer had been Wing, faithful to Mr..
Claws pretensions to the Presidency, he would
have been rejected by the Senate. Mr.. Spen-
GERS great abilities, energy Of character, and la
borious habits, would have entitled him to any
situation in the Union, TO which he was nomi-
mated Never, in the history of the Government,
have such able and competent men been rejected
by the Senate, as during the administration Of
Mr.. Tyler 4; and this, TOO, by party, who es-
chewed putting in or putting out men for opin--
ions sake merely. We fear that the elevated
liberality and Justice which once characterized
the conduct of the Senate towards the Executive,
is now matter of history-and party, on all
sides, is the criterion, and only criterion, Of their
high appreciation to oalce.-Spectator.
The editor Of the Spectator has probably for
gotten the time when his own party refused to
act for whole year, upon nominations made to
the Senate by the President, Mr.. Adams, for the
avowed purpose of leaving vacancies to be filled
by their own President. If he has, however, ,ue
have not; and we well recollect that among
those nominations was that Of the Hon. ]. j.
Crittenden of Kentucky, as Judge of the Supreme
Court, IN the place of Judge Trimble, deceased
The vacancy was thus kept open to be filled by
partisan of the true Jacksonian dye, and it was
SO filed after General Jackson and his party
came into power Two members of the present
Senate were then members, and voted with the
majority, to keep vacancies open these are, Mr.
Benton and Col. King. Perhaps their recollec-
tons may extend back to those memorable days
Of" putting in or putting out men for opinions
sake"
But in regard to rejecting able and competent
men by the Senate-does the Spectator allude
to the rejection Of Mr.. Wise as Minister to
France, Gushing as Secretary of the Treasury,
Profit as Minister to Rio, Snethen as Solicitor
of the Land Office, and Judge Porter as Secre-
tary of War, as the able and competent men
who have been rejected2 If rumor in some
cases, and the journals in others, speak true, the
Spectator must differ very essentially from very
large portion Of the Senate as to the ability and
competency of these men; for as both political
parties voted against their confrmation--in one
case at least if our surmise is correct, the vote
in the negative being unanimous-it can scarcely
be supposed that "party" was I" the criterion
and the only criterion of their appreciation" or
disapprobation.
We would ask, was "party" !" the criterion,
and the only criterion, Of their high appreciation"
of Mr.. Spencer as Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr.. Legare as Attorney General. Mr.. Upshur as
Secretary Of State, Mr. Wickliffe as Postmaster
General, Mr.. Nelson as Attorney General, Mr..
Blythe as Collector Of the Port of Philadelphia,
and others we could name? w are not a little
surprised that the Spectator should thus attempt
TO impugn the motives of the great conservative
branch Of our Government.