, 1873-05-10

a11A Au4UltANA AO1 p4uAG AA6
| sought refuge in q position On the Supreme
Bench, even in the capacity Of an Associate JUS
! tice. Senator Howe was nearly in the same posi-
! ton. Tho threatened German revolt from the
| Republican party in Wisconsin Was regarded az
strong enough to elect Democratic Legislature
| which would return 8 Senator from that State,
| and Mr. Howe labored to escape from the OBJ
| ecurity Of private life by also intriguing for a
| Supreme Bench position. On the San Domingo
question, at one timo; he WAS counted in the op-
| position to- this Administration scheme, along
] with T1umbull, Schurz, Ferry, Of Connecticut,
and Sumner. When the movement was made in
| caucus to depose Sumner from the Chair
manahip Of the Committee on Foreign
! Relations, Howo gave Sumner to UNDER
| stand that he would never vote for Or
! support in any way such q contemplate scheme
| His subsequent action as Chairman OF the Cau-
! Gus Committee which performed the dsreputa-
BILE net and his course on San Domingo annex
| alton, we're as much Of surprise to all who
| Witnessed them as was that which WAS felt when
Senate last spring; and came ont in violent
! speech in favor Of Grants denomination at
| Philadelphia. His whole political course for
| two years has been actuated by desire to
clothe himself with the political er:nine by ex4
! cessiye obsequionsness to the Executive. By
reason OF the action Of the Senate increasing the
| salaries of the Judges OF the Supreme Court one
year ago all three OF the Senators at that time
disqualified from receiving this judicial appoint
ment by reason Of the constitutional provision
which prohibits the appointment Of Congress-
! men to Office, the salaries Of which may have
been increased during their respective terms.
| Edmunds is still disqualified by this provision,
as the timo for which he wns elected, and during
| Expired. Conkliug and Howe have ente1edu upon
! new terms, however, and, in contemplation Of
law, escape the constitutional restriction in this
! direction
So far as Conkling is concerned, having just
been reelected for term OF six years COM
menclng from the 18th Of March last, it is doubt
| full if lie now wishes the position. This long
lease OF political life has given him an ambition
several Eastern politicians, who believe that tho
President must come from the East in 1876, be
believes that he is the nan- Besides, when
Judge Grier died, that vacancy was filed by
the appointment. Of Ward Hunt, an uncle OF
Conklings. and citizen OF New York, which
latter fact in ITSELF by reason Of locality, would
make selection Of Conk1ing impracticab1e.
So far as Howe is concerned, he would like
nothing better than this appointment. He has
strong influence to back him. His colleague,
Senator Carpenter, Is in favor Of Howe, because
that would create an Immediate vacancy in the
Senate, which would be filed by Gov. Washburn,
of Wisconsin, who ia now an uncomfortable COM
petitor for Carpenters place in 1876
the vacancy. Politicians from that section urge
that the President make Associate Justice Miller
Chief Justice, and then assign some representa-
tive Southern Republican like Judge Settle or
ex-senator Pool, to the vacancy thereby occa-
aioned.
When the President WAS in Chicago, he con-
suited with several Of the leading citizens there
With regard to this vacancy. He admitted that
it Was the most difficult and Important appoint
ment be had yet to deal with, and ho said he
a1ra mt,