New-York tribune., 1873-12-10
A CONSISTENT BODY.

A CONSISTENT BODY.
Much as the United States Senate has been
criticised of late years, there is certain sort
of consistency in its public acts which cannot
fail to excite the admiration of the impartial
observer. Whatever may have been its faults
or its failures in other directions, it has never
failed of proper sense of its own dignity
and its superiority to tho public judgment.
Oftentimes misapprehended and misjudged by
its cotemporaries, the calm and unprejudced
pen of the historian will set it down as
a singularly harmonious and homogeneous
body in the respect Of being true to itself
and its own reputation, in the face OF popular
clamor. 1t will be recorded of it that when
Charles Sumner gave Offense to lt--and when
we speak of the Senate, we mean OF course
the majority, which is absolute in its councils
il summarily depOsed him from chairman
ship for which in the judgment of the people
he was the best-ftted statesman In the
country and put i'll his place Mr.. Simon Cam
eron, whose lite and character and public ser
vices gave no Offense to the majority in that
body. Also, that when one of their num-
ber was found by an investigating COM
mittee guilty of corruption, and there was
a popular demand for his expulsion, the
Senate, mindful of its own dignity and
Jealous of dictation, occupied itself with a
resolution of censure till the Senator's term
expired, and let him 20 unharmed. Also, that
when another, Christian statesman, was
proven guilty of an attempted bribery OF a
Legislature they rose superior to the testi-
mony and let him out at the expiration OF his
term without a word of dissatisfaction at his
conduct Also that when other honorable
Senators came into that body followed by evil
dence that they had bought their seats, the
Senate stood upon its dignity and held that
the certificate of election was clean bill OF
health.
Ii may be said of it too that in confirming
nominations 1t has maintained the same con-
sistent record. In only one notable instance
has it refused to confirm Presidential ap-
pointment, and that was a case where It's own
dignity was involved. When the President
nominated Judge Hoar of Massachusetts, to
the Supreme Court Bench the Senate rose in
opposition Judge Hoar was an able lawyer,
a learned, conscientious, and upright man, and
the people commended the appointment as
one of the best that could have been made.
But Judge Hoar had, when AttorneyG eneral.
declined to consider the Offices in his
appointment as patronage to be ap-
portoned out among Senator'S and mem
bers of Congress, and had insisted on the
old fogy notion that candidates for Offices at
his disposal should have qualifications. 1t Is
said, but it is almost Incredible that he had
gone so far as to snub some prominent person
who demanded an Office for friend. OF
course the Senate would not confirm such a
nomination. How Icould it consistently with
its own dignity And what is more neces-
sary to preserve than the dignity of the Sen
ates Other judges who respected the dignity
of that body have been confirmed, and a
nomination for Chief Justice awaits and un-
doubtedly will receive confirmation all of which
are worthy both appointing and confirming
powers, and perfectly consistent with the char
acter of both. 1t was quite in keeping with
the habit of the Senate likewise to confirm
the nomination of Mr.. Alexander r. Shep
herd as Governor of the District of Columbia
without comment or question. 1t was under
stood that Mr.. Shepherd had violated the law,
and it was charged that his administration
was corrupt but he had great respect for the
Senate, and entertains literally. Under such
circumstances tuo Ocuato uiu HotniHS moio
than assert itself in disregarding the public
and confirming him.
II was the Senate that undertook to degrade
Charles Sumner and honor Simon Cameron ;
that refused to confirm E. lockwood Hoar
and finds no objection to George II. Williams; /;
that let one Patterson go out with Credit Mo-
bier profits in his pocket and a shameful
record at his back, and another Patterson come
in with proofs indisputable that he bought
his seat that let Pomeroy go Off after an
open attempt at bribery. without SO much as
a censure that never SO much as rebuked
Harlan for taking $4,000 bribe from great
corporation that rarely gives heed enough to
evidence against its party TO investigate, and
never investigates but to whitewash-it was
tbis Senate, under its illustrious leaders, Conk-
ling, Carpenter Chandler, and Cameron, winch
yesterday agreed unanimously upon Matt Car
penter As its iittest presiding officer
And it is a party of moral ideas that rules
it. A party that through all its organs
throughout the country has jecred the nomi-
nation of Fernando Wood for Speaker be-
cause he took the back pay. clean party
selecting Matt Carpenter for the third place
in tho nation An honest party protesting
that it opposes tho Salary Grab and glypg