The New York herald., 1874-01-09

The Chief Justieeship-The with
drawsl OF Mr.. Williams.
The President yesterday, at the request Of
Mr.. Williams, formally withdrew from the
Senate his nomination as Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States. In the
letter of the Attorney General which we pub
lish this morning, we have his reasons for the
tadoption of this judicious alternative. He
I was nominated for the office in question with
out solicitation, and without any knowledge
on his part that such thing was contem-
plated certainly q very handsome and deli
cate compliment on the part of the President
But it involved grave mistake, of which Mr..
Williams himself had to be informed, and
very impressively, too, before he could or
would comprehend it otherwise, cordially
thanking the President for the distinguished
honor of the nomination, the grateful re-
cipient would have promptly declined it.
Permitting his ZEAL however, to outrun his
discretion, Mr.. Williams decided to risk
the ordeal of ''the advice and con-
cision he ever made. ''Since that time" he
says, ''the foodgates of calumny, in all direc-
tons, have been opened upon me. My abii-
ties have been disparaged and my integrity
brought in question, and it seems to me that
public opinion adverse to my appointment has
been created which might hereafter embarrass
your administration and, perhaps, impair my
usefulness upon the bench"
For these reasons which are well put and
with perfect consciousness that he has per-
formed, with clean hands and an upright pur-
pose, all the duties of the various public
Offices in which he has served and trusting to
his vindication by time, Mr.. Williams relieves
the President and himself of great difficulty
by withdrawing from the unpromising contest
with an adverse public opinion. ''The food
gates of calumny'' when opened upon q man
'.in all directions seldom fail to arouse his
indignation. This natural outbreak from
the head of 'the Department of JUS
tice," therefore, may be passed over without
further remark, beyond the opinion that the
judicious jurist upon this point would have
expressed himself in milder terms. sBut,'
says Mr.. Williams, '.my abilities have been
disparaged" To disparage, according to
Webster, is Ito dishonor by comparison
with what is inferior; to lower in rank or
estimation; to undervalue; to bring reproach
on; to vilify; to debase." Accepting the
definition to undervalue, this is the issue upon
which, in respect to the abilities of Mr. Viii
liams, an adverse public opinion has ship
wrecked him with this nomination for Chief
Justice. 1.-The hoodgates Of calumny'' did
not harm him in the Senate If, like Ma
homet's coffin, his nomination remained sus-
pended between heaven and earth, it was be-
cause the Senate shared in that adverse public
opinion which pronounced this nominee un-
equal to the requirements Of the Office.
One word more upon this unfortunate
nomination and we shall dismiss it. In regard
to the man wanted for the important Office of
Chief Justice, cline upon line and precept
upon precept" from the Independent public
press, in fair reflections of public opinion,
have been submitted to the President and
urged upon his consideration, from time to
time, since the death of the lamented Chase.
For example, had General Grant listened to
the calmly considered, seasonably uttered and
friendly suggestions submitted in many
articles from this journal upon this matter, he
| would have escaped the embarrassment of the
nomination of Mr.. Williams. 1t will be we'll
for 'tall is we'll that ends we'll IL profting
from adverse public opinion as first made
manifest through the public press. and next in
the Senate, in the case Of Mr.. Williams, it will
be well, we say, if the President in his second
choice for Chief Justice shall give us nomi-
nation which will challenge general endorse
ment from the public press and the country,
and which will not chang fire. in the Senate.