Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-10-03
sOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE NEW
CHIEF JUSTICE.

ALI. DOTEN . . Edifor ne
SOMETHING MORE ABOUT THE NEW
CHIEF JUSTICE
We said some months ago. when we
first heard the name Of Roscoe Conk-
ling. Of New York, mentioned a. .
possible appointee to the seat In the
United States Supreme Court then 10
Gently made vacant by the death Of
Chief Justice Chase. that 1t would 30
unwise In the President to appoint
such a man. When we read In the
telegraphic dispatches . few days since
that Mr.. Conkling had been offered.
and had accepted the high Office, we
said 1t was an unfortunate selection,
and In our opinion should not have
been made. One Of the reasons which
we gave vas the unfitness OF tho new
incumbent, either by association or
habits OF thought, for the responsible
position which he has assumed. And
in saying this we are backed BY both
personal knowledge and the public life
of the New York Senator. As We said
in our late article commenting on his
appointment, Mr.. Conkling Is q young
man. Ho will be forty-four years OF
age on the 30th day Of the present
month. He has never practiced law q
day since he was twentyelght years Of
age-has never held q judicial office.
Elected Mayor Of Utica In ls5S, and
Immediately thereafter to Congress,
his whole life has been passed amid
the turmoil Of political strife and the
corrup.ions Of political management.
Gifted with brilliant powers Of orato-
ry, his best achievements have not
been due to thought and culture, but
to q pleasing manner and a strictly
partisan course. OF Mr.. Conkling's
record as a Republican Representative
aud Senator, we have but to say that
he has ever been found with railway
corporations and In favor Of their
schemes. With his action In the last
Congress we have a right to find fault.
He voted for and took the salary grab,
and that alone, in our humble opinion,
is enough to condemn him. But We
deny the claim Of a cotemporary, that
Conkling stands In the front rank OF
the members Of the legal profession in
New York State. He does not now;
he never did. He has never been so
esteemed; nor has 1t before been
claimed for him, even by his most par
tial friends, that as a LAWYER he was a
marked success, or ven more than or
dinarily we'll read in legal science.
Mr.. Conkling Is politician. essential
ly so /; and not only a politician but a
demagoguc. He belongs to the Butler
Ian school Of political successes and
we reiterate our opinion that the APP
pointment should never have been
made. New York State alone boasts
halt n hundred ADLER lawyers and pro-
founder thinkers than Roscoe Conk-
ling. and within the Republican party
there can be found ten times that
number better fitted for the respon-
sible position of Supreme Judge OF
this nation. We believe the President
did right In appointing Republican.
IL was due to the party ; but many
filter men than Conkllng could have
been found. What We claim
Is, that the President In making
this appointment has departed
from the pledges which he vol
untary gave to tho public soon
after the death Of Mr.. Chase, and In
stead Of appointing an eminent law
yer or a profound jurist has selected a
mere politician. or Mr.. Conkling's
private life we will not speak. His
public career Is a matter Of record,
and will bear us out when we say that
It not only shows his unfitness for the
position he has just received, but
proves him to DO more Of a demsgogus
than a statesman, and more Of a poll
tician than a lawyer or judge. II he
should worthily fill the high Office Of
Chief Justice. lone will be more ready
to do him justice than We. In this
connection we will add once for all,
that in our opinion the President Of
these United States, In appointing Mr..
Bingham to the Japan Mission, and
Mr.. Conkling to the Chief Justiceship.
both Of whom are salary grabbers,
has acted In direct conflict with the
wishes Of the people and of the Re-
publican party as expressed in nearly
every State Convention which has been
held since last March. And for this
reason II for none other, we condemn