The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-23
The Georgia Reconstruction Bill Signed
by the President.
Lively Fight in the Executive Ses-
sion OF the Senate.
Dvarts Running The Attorney Gen.
erals Office.
Judge HOar's Nomination 60
be Withdrawn.


WASHINGTON. Dec o. 1869.
An Exciting Executive Session Of the Senate
Fight Over tho Circuit Judaes-Evnrts Said
20 BIO Running tho Attorney Generals
Onhco-H0nr's Nomination 10 be Withdru vn.
The Senate to-day had an executive session of
longer duration than any since tho famous discus
sion on the oustlng OF Stanton. Scenes about the
Senate wing OF the Capitol bore the aspect of those
disoordant times. and IN anxious throng struggled
about the corridors eagerly asking after tho news. it
was dangerous undertaking Tor any Senator to snow
himself In public, for he soon found himself tho
centre OF an interrogatinQ crowd. After hint or
two as TO what was gong inside, at haii.past one
the Senate began It's confidential deliberations A
number OF nominations were reported from the
Finance, Military and Post Offico committees and
promptly acted upon. When the report from ihe
Judiciary Committee was called the fight com.
menced. AT five O'Clock the debate be-
came quite lively, and the friends OF the
parties over whom there was contest
came TO the rescue by delivering lengthy speeches
and thus protracting the deliberations as to pre-
vent decisive vote. by seven O'Clock the ardor OF
the Senators was materially affected the subject
OF dinner, and large number were otherwise DIS
turbed at the rapidly approaching time OF the
had made arrangements to set out for their
homes. The refec tory during the evening was wen
patronzed and pa ges were lying about transporting
to the Hobbies sandwiches in abundance. Honorable
Senators paraded In the private lobby with huge
sandwiches In their hands and which they attack cd
with ferocity that indicated their labors were
arduous ana appetlzlng. on several occasions the
do0rkeepers were sent skirmishng about the build
Ing to drum up the Senators come to time on the
vote.
After the unimportant nominations, over which
there was no contest had been disposed OF, Senator
Trumbu, from the Judiciary Committee, reported
back oil the nominations OF the circuit judges except
Pearse, with the Recommendation that they be con-
nrmed. They were taken up in the regular
order OF their circuits and Messrs. shepley,
OF Maine for the First circuit; Woodruff. OF New
York. Tor tue Second circuit; McKennan of Pennsyl-
vania, for the Third circuit Witty, OF Michigan for
the Sixth circuit; Drummond OF Illinois, for the
Seventh circuit, and Dillon, OF Iowa. Tor the Eighth
circuit were confirmed without opposition. oDjec.
ton was made To the names OF Wood and Sawyer,
and they were informally laid over.
The recommendations for the appointment OF the
Circuit Judges called Tor by resolution OF the senate
were sent In yesterday afternoon by the President,
and in executive session referred TO the judiciary
Committed The committee held meeting this
morning. at which these were examined. Whatever
may have been the character OF the recommends
tons they were not exactly what the committee
expected to receive. 1t had been currently stated
ana it seems partially believed. not oniv by the judi
ciary Conrntttec,r BUS by many Senator'S, that the
late Attorney General, william NJ. Evarts, had great
deal TO do with the appointment or the Circuit
Judges The story was that Evarts picked them
out for his cousin Attorney General Hoar, and that
the latter had pressed their appointment upon the
President. The committee, therefore, expected to
ind traces or Evarts' manipulation upon every
recommendation In this they were disappointed,
whether agreeably or not is not KNOWN but, at all
events, no direct trace Of Evarls could be
found. The unfortunate judges who have been
kept in chancery for several days. mainly
on this account, were emancipated and
put through, that is, with the exception
of Sawyer, Wood and Pcarse. This supposed con-
necton of Evarts with the appointment OF the cir
cut judges probably grew out OF the general i'm
preston which prevails here that Evarts, to use u
familiar term runs the Attorney Generals Office.
II IL stated that Judge Bond telegraphed from
Augusta, Me- to General Butler certain charges
against Pearse which were mode the groundwork Of
opposition to him, and which resulted In his case
being laid over for the present Among these
charges to the effect that Pearse encouraged
enlstments in the rebel army during the rebellion
Pearses friends say that the person whom Pond is
after IS named Perry. aud that he Is ready to bring
forward the person who originated this charge TO
prove that nc is not the person referred to. Sena
tor Spencer, OF Alabama, objected to Wood,
but subsequently the objection was withdrawn
aud Wood was confirmed. Sawyer was objected to
by several republican Senators from the Pacific
coast and with Pearse was laid over for future
action.
The Judiciary Committee reported back the nomi-
nation OF Judge Hoar for Associate Justice OF the
Supreme Court without any recommendation, Tue
committee being divided ON the subject Mr.. Sumner
moved that he be confirmed and proceeded to deliver
quite n euogy hts friend from Massachusetts. lie
called att ention TO Judge oars antslavery record
and spoke OF Hoar's father having been prosecuted
in South Carolina for his opposition to slavery. The
son had walked in the fathers footsteps, and this
was testimony which should not be lost sight OF by
republican Senate. Sumner also paid high tribute
to Hoar's legal abilities and requirements and
gave 1t rs his opinion thai he would be al
acquisition to the Supreme bench. Senator Carpcn-
Ter, Of w iaconsin, member OF the Judiciary Com
mittee attacked Hoar, and the fight commenced In
earnest Carpenter did not think Hoar as great q
lawyer as he mad been portrayed by sumner nor
WAS he altogether certain about Hears status
as sound republican. Tlayer stated thar
Hoar was against impeachment, and had
expressed the opinion tnat the acqnttal
OF Andrew Johnson was the pest thing that could
have happened. long, exciting debate followed,
IN which nearly all the Senators participated. 1t
became evident TO Hoar's friends that IL vote was
reached he would be rejected by large majority.
They therefore urged that he DO laid aside, and init
mated that II this was done his nomina-
ton would be Withdrawn. This arrangement
seemed satisfactory and was accordingly made.
HAD q vote o vote been taken on Hosrs coniirma-
ton It is understood it would have resulted about
as f0llows:-
YEAs-Buckingham. Cattoll, Cole, Corbett, Cragin
Morrill, OF Me-, Morton, Patterson, Pratt Ramsey
Scott Sherman, sumner, Wiley. Warner ana VIII
son--l0.
NAYs-Abbott Bayard, Brownow, Carpenter
Casseriy, Chandler, Conklin2. Davis, Drake. Ed