New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-05-14
POLITICS IND JUDGES.

The World mistakes the position and views
of The TRIBUNE so far as to say:
ave wish to recall attention to the great excellence Of
the Democratic nominations. This is generally con-
coded that THE has told its Republican readers
that they should have hesitation in voting for the
Democratic candidates. If they prefer them. In compar-
ing the two tickets the only point OF superiority 1t
claims for its Is that OF the rival candidates for the
ChiefJ udgeship Judge Seden has already had expert
ence on the bench, while Mr. Church has not I'VE hold
it says that the Chief Justice OF highest court
should be better known as Jurist than as politician
This is play upon words. man may DO q
great lawyer, and yet take an active interest In
public affairs What a Chief-Justice Daniel Webster
would have made! He the first lawyer Of his time
notwithstanding his devotion political pursuits THE
TRIBUNE commended the appointment OF the politician,
Chase the Of the veteran jnris ney The
greatest Of all our jists John Marshall was politician
when President Adams put HIM on the bench John Jay
better known az a politician than as a jurist
when President Washington appointed him to the same
exalted position 1t rather betokens narrowness OF mind
of public spirit than judicial turn of mind for
man to take lively interest In public affairs. Does Mr.
Greeley's addiction to politics make him less capable
Journalist Was the late Dean Rchmonda less able rail-
road manager because he was better known as polti
Giant Is not the politician, Bryant, our most eminent
poeti In republican country, we are all politicians
but that hnderance to excellence in other pursuits"
We demur to the assertion that Bryant is
"our most eminent poet" We consider JOHN
GREENLEAF WHITTIER our great poet.
We never objected to Mr.. Church that he
was an active Democratic politician. Our OBJ
lection is that he is not an eminent lawyer
Were he "the first lawyer of his time,n as
Daniel Webster was, we should consider him
emnently fit for Chief Justice. But he is Mt
so we don't.
John Marshall was great lawyer as well as
an ardent politician. Hence his selection as
Chief Justice was a good one, if old John
Adams did make it.
John Jay was not a great lawyer, and there
fore did not prove success as Chief Justice.
Had he shone on the bench, he would not so
soon have been induced to leave it.
1t is not the mere lack of Judicial experience
that renders Mr.. Church less fit for Chief
Justice than Judge Selden. 1t is his failure to
achieve eminence in his profession.
Suppose The World had been impelled to
name, two months ago, the twelve ablest jurists
in our State, who believes that the name of
Sanford +. Church would have figured in its
listf But need we say moref If the people
see fit to make Sanford f. Church Chief JUS
tice rather than Henry X. Selden, they will
virtually say that they think more of a mans
politics than of his special fitness for this ex-
allied trust And that. in our judgment, they
should not say.
Mr.. Church is very bitter partisan. He
was made Chairman of the Committee on FL
nance in our late Constitutional Convention
of course, by a Republican President of Re-
publican body. Few men would have per-