The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-19

tion-Packing the Supreme Court
! The March to Anarchy.
The political sensation of the hour at the
North is the terrible onslaught on the Admin
istration, made last Saturday night by the dis.
tinguished Republican senator from Missouri,
Carl Schurz, In an address before an immense
assemblage ofthe Germans of Chicago. With
out giving more copious extracts from bis
speech than our space allows, it is difficult to
convey an idea OF the unsparing severity with
| which he condemned and repudlated General
Grant, not only opposing his denomination,
but declaring his election If renominated, an
act unworthy of "a free people. Of the Presl-
dents use of the navy to influence the affairs
of San Domingo, Mr.. Schurz says:
There stands the naked usurpation. No
public danger provoked It; no public Interest
| was served by 1t; no public voice called for it.
| The honor Of the country would have been far
better guarded without 1t. Not the shadow
| of valid Justification excuses it. naked
act of usurpation, performed merely to further
a favorite scheme of the White House. And
for this The constitution was violated, and the
peace Of the country endangered. And can
such an act pass without tile most energetic
opposition Of Congress, and without emphatic
public condemnation It would seem so. And
more than this. The same officer Of the gov
ernment who was guilty OF this act is held up
By great many as the man above all others to
be relnvested with the power and honor of the
National Executive. Do you know what that
means?
We are living In country where precedent
often, but loo often, acquires the authority of
law and constitutional rule. What is mere
fact to-day is apt to- be looked upon as lawto.
morrow. II this act of usurpation passes
precedent into our history, future Presl-
dents and their sycophants will fud therein
sufficient proof that President may arrogate
10 himself such power, for President Grant
had done 30, and done so not only with I'M
punity, but the American people, after he had
done so, had again rewarded him with the
highest honors of the republic. And what will
that signify? That henceforward most
fragrant and wilful breach Of the constitution
bv President will be considered no reason
why the same position of trust and power
should not be c0nfded TO him again. And
when the Republican party will meet In ma
tional convention, to select candidate tor the
Presidency, the question will not merely be,
Do We prefer this man to any other that Is
mentioned? but the question will be, Are we
prepared TO sanction executive usurpatton
May the party whose public services form go
brilliant part of the history OF this republic
not end with such descent? If such ques-
tion should ever be submitted to the people,
1t is to be hoped, for the sake OF constitutional
the American.natlon will not hesitate TO give
an answer worthy of free people.
OF the Presidents policy of appointments to
office, Dir. Schurz says:
The cousins and brothersin-law Of the Pres
nf4Joo hn M hop
others; but when he puts them to the public
crib, the Chief of the State teaches his subor-
dlnsles by his example, which Is everywhere
visible, that In his opinion public Office may
be used for selfish ends to make out Of It
what can be made. And who will wonder,
when those subordinates also make OFT of
their offices all that can be made? When the
Chief Of the State takes presents, and then
puts the donors into high offices and digni.
iies, the men so appointed may be very worthy
men, aud the presents may have had nothing
to do with their appointments, but the Chlet
of the State has shown his subordnates that,
in his opinion, an officer may take presents
and then grant bis official favors to the donors
In an official way, and who will then
the high example, also take presents and give
their official tavors to tho donors The New
York papers are making much clamor over
the fact that while Republican conventions
pass resolutions In favor of civil service re-
form, United States marshal declares to o
subordinate officer, whom he has just remov-
ed, that for the removal there were only pollt-
ical reasons, and none arising out of any Off.
cIal shortcomings. Is that surprising when
the chief of the government, after having de-
clared himself In his message In favor of clvi!
service reform, continually aud persistently
removes officers whose official conduct was
unimpeachable. merely for the purpose OF
,t,ty fool 10 IA oil
he. as J have shown to you In one Instance,
carries the trade In consciences so far that the
world laughs at 1t Like master, like man.
We ought to be surprised at nothing. No,
gentlemen, these are not trifles, which show
that from the highest position where model
should be exhibited for imitation, that in
1uence proceeds which undermines all fine
feeling OF official honor.
On the reversal of the legal-tender decision,
he says:
cannot take leave of this subject without
mentioning an event which has made pro-
| found, but, perhaps, not S profound enough,
| impression upon every thinking mind in this
| country, 10 showing the decay OF constitutional
| llfe allude to the reyersion Of the decision
of the Supreme Court concerning the legal
| tender act, In consequence of the appointment
of two new judges changing the majority OF
the court. 1t has been charged that these
| Judges were dppOlulcu tuc very pun pOsc VI
efecting that end. Whether the charge Is
we'll founded or not am not able to say of
my own knowledge. But it Is certain that
| almost the whole country believes it to be but
too well founded, and that events have given
| support to that belief. Neither do attach
much importance to the question whether the
original legal.tender decision was right or
wrong That Is not the question ut Issue.
But what Is to become of the authority of our
courts: what OF the popular respect for the
sanctity OF law; what OF The 6Xity Of constitu-
tlonal principles, II The practice obtains Of
packing the highest tribunal of justice In the
| Republic like ward caucus? Already1we see
the consequences of such o precedent. AL
ready we ind In Democratic papers the pro-
Ject openly discussed of subverling the con-
stitutional amendment embodylng the results
of the war by adding TO the Supreme Court o
sufficient number OF judges sound on that
question, in case the Democrats obtain com.
plete possession of the government. Where
will this Republic land If nothing, nothing Is to
remain untouched by the changing whims of
the unscrupulous partisan rule In anarchy,
under the guise OF law.