The weekly Arizona miner., 1870-05-28
THE DAYS OF OLD.
From the New York world.l


 Although professors of physiology do sheer at those simple-minded folks who "pensiyely" look at the past, and who think there were once better days and better men than it is our lot now to look upon, yet one cannot help sometimes turning over the leaves of those obsolete records and getting from them what 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 countrymen;" never dreaming of the unborn Lincoln, or any other Ulysses than him of Ithaca. He was a soldier who never shed drop of unnecessary blood. He was President who, when house was offered to him-not by set of obsequious tuft-hunting tiatterers (such never ventured near him), but by commonweaith-ref 1t, and who did not think that the patronage of the government was of unseated land on which all the adult settlers of his own family were to find home. He never pensioned a relative, and never packed court
 Looking at his-this Washington's-rec- ord, we find some curious things as to "reIa- tiyes" and "judges,n which it is refreshing to read in the light of the present dispensa- ton. Washington married widow, and we believe had no brothers-in-law--cert nobody married into the family in order to "operate" through the connection: and while there was about that time good deal of speculation in the funds, none of his net soldiers were caught dabbling in it and dis missed from office. lie did not select as his 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 home opathic principle of "simlia sim1B,as,n to send to the dissolute Bourbon court of the Escurial an adept. But, though childless. he had one who stood to him in the place of son-a nephew, Bushrod Washington who. as youth, had fought in the battles of the Revolution, and who was destined in later life, (appolnted by another President) to be Tor more than thirty years at the right hand of John Marshall, pillar of the Federal judi. ciary Soon after the first Presidents induc ton to office, Mir. Washington, young Vir- ginia lawyer, made modest application to his uncle to be appointed District-Attorney for the Eastern Federal District of that then unmutilated commonwealth. It was mod crate request, difhdently made On the 27th of July, lI89-we give the date in order that President Grant may refer to it in case any more of the family are troublesome George Washington replied:
 You cannot doubt my wishes to see you an. pointed to any office of honor or emolument i'm the new government to the duties of which vou are competent; but, however deserving you may oe of the one you have suggested, your stapding aI the Oar would not justify my nomination of you m preference 10 some of the oldest and most esteemed general court lawyers of your own State , who are desirous of this appointment. My polit- Icai fonduct Tn nominations even if were min huenced by principle must be exceedingly cir euinspec and proof against just criticism. for the eyes or Argus are upon me, and no slin win noss uhnoneed that can be improved into a snnnosed partiality Tor friends and relatiyes
 And Washington hesitated, acknowledoed the force oi just criticism,n yentured. great and pure as he was, on DO defiance of nnbIie opinion, and refused. It is onlv. ss we .re told, different sort of people who arusb in where angels fear to tread.n So much for nepotism in ancient days!
 Now for the judiciary. When vacancy occurs in our time on any bench. and esnec- ially the Federal bench, great is the agitation Of the professional heart. Every lawyer in the land of the dominant party thinks him. self lit, and every coterie of local politics ia in If the chance presents itself at a moment, as now, when vast pecuniary and