Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-04-29
THO Days OF Old.

"pensively" lCok at the past, and who
think there were once better days and bet
ter men than it is our lot now to look
upon, yet one cannot help sometimes
turning over the leaves of those obsole. m
records and getting from them-wht t
comfort we may. There was once on a
time man named George Washington,
| whom foolish orator-of, course, from
the benighted South-said would always
be " first in the hearts of his country
men ;" never dreaming Of the unborn
Lincoln, or any other Ulysses than him of
Ithaca. He was soldier who never shed
a drop OF unnecessary blood. He was q
President who, when house was offered
to him-not by set of obsequious tuft-
hunting fatterers (such never ventured
near hlm), but by commonwealth
fused it, and who did not think that the
patronage of the government was of I'M
seated land, on which all the adult settlers
OF his own family were to find a home
He never pensioned e. relative and never
packed court
! Looking at his this Washineton's-
record, we find some curious things as to
4" relatives" and "judges," which it is re-
freshing to read in the light of the present
dispensation. Washington MI rried a
widow, and we believe had no brothers in
law certainly nobody married into the
family in order TO cooperate" through the
|
that time good deal of speculation i'll the
funds, none of his pet soldiers were
caught dabbling in it and dismissed from
Office He did not select as bis advisers
those who had given him the best
| dOuceurs. He chose men of reasonably
! good character to represent the country
abroad, and did not think it necessary, on
the homosopathetic principle of {" si11ilia,
stnp1AbuS," to send to the dissolute Bour-
| t,Of thn N1o1
though childless he had one who stood to
him IN the place of soma nephew, Bush
rod WashlnGton-Who, as a youth had
fought in the battles of the Revolution.
and who was destined in later life lap
pointed by another President) to be, for
more than thirty years. at the right hand
OF John Marshall, Il pillar OF the Federal
judiciary. Soon after the first Presidents
induction to Office, Mir. Washington,
young Virginia lawyer, made modest ap
pllcatlon to his uncle to be appointed
District-Attorney for the Eastern Federal
District of that then unmutiIated common
wealth. 1t was moderate request diff
IDENTIFY made. On the 9th Of July, 1888
we give the date, in order that President
Grant may refer TO it in case any more of
the family are troublesome-Geor
Washington replied
You cannot doubt my wishes to see you
appointed to any office of honor or emolu-
ment in the new government to the duties
OF which you are competent; but, however
deserving you may be Of the one you have
suggested, your standing at the bar would
not Justify my nomination of you in pref
erence to some of the oldest and most es-
teemed general court lawyers Of your own
State who are DESTROYS of this appoint
ment. My political conduct in nomina-
tons, even if I were uninfuenced by prin-
clple, must be very circumspect and proof
against just criticism, for the eyes Of Argus
are upon me, and no slip will pass unno-
ticed that can be improved into a supposed
partially for friends and relatives.
And Washington hesitated, acbno aledg-
ed the force of 81 ust criticism" ventured, /
great and pure as he was, on no defiance
of public opinion, and refused. tits only,
as we are told, different sort Of people
who rush in where angels fear to tread
SO much for nepotism in ancient days
Now for the judiciary. When vacancy
occurs in our time on any bench, and es
peclally the Federal bench, great is tie
agitation of the professional heart Every
lawyer in the land Of the dominant party
thinks himself fit. and every coterie of
local politics is in disturbance. If the
chance presents itself at moment, as now,
when vast pecuniary and corporate inter
ests are on the edge of litigation, new
element Of agitation is invoked, and great
aggregations of delinquent debtors take
the field to influence, generally with sue
cess, the appointments. How was it in
ancient days, when we were as brothers
I'm the brave days OF old ?" In the month
OF May, 1871, Washington then President,
a vacancy occurred in the Supreme Court
OF the United Stateg 70 two citizens of
South Ca~Qlin~-(all honor to the memo
ries Of her classic times still hallowing the
men of to- day)-Edward Rutledge and
Charles COtesworth Pinckney--the Presi-
dent addressed the following most remark +
able letter
GENTLEMEN: An address to you Jointly
on subject of the following nature may
have singular appearance; but that singu-
larty Will not exceed the evidence which
is hereby given OF my opinion of and CON
id2nce IN you, aud of the opinion | en-
terrain Of yonr confidence and friendship
for each other. The office lately resigned
by Mr.. John Rutledge, in the Supreme
! judiciary OF the Union, remains to be
tlIed. VIII either OF you two gentlemen
accept 1t? And, in that case, which Of
you? OF my sincere esteem and regard for
yOu both l wish you to be persuaded that
/ am, yours truly. GEORGE WASHINGTON.
May 2, 179l
And, stran8est of alone reads this az
Nlebuhr did the Roman legends-they
both declined the offer, giving as q reason
that they could better serve their country,
and the Federal Union too, in the State
Legislature Of which they are members
missing, 'pensively" or not on this for
cotton incident of our ancient story,
alike Of him who gave and
those who received this mark of conf
dcnce, may we not be excused for sorrow
ing over the contrast of the past and the
present? Where is the Executive now
who can find two distinguished friends to
be trusted thus? Where, under the atmos-
Oheric influence that makes all, save very
lew indeed, seekers of Offices and jobs, and {
ills every avenue to patronage with scram- '
bling assaiiants, rushing like the mob of
Paris on the Swiss within-where shall we s
ind two partisans who would refuse so Y
nigh an honor for SO high reason? i
~ 7. V0rIG y
A breakfast TabIe Chat =