The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-15
Our Republican Court and Its Ladies.


Gazette gives an insight into the causes that led
to the general indignation against the Presi
dent, for his nomination of Williams for Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court, showing that
the women of our Republican Court must be
! consulted in regard to these matters, and that
old.time simplicity has departed forever from
the "best government the world ever saw.'
Here is the letter, with its rich and racy dis
closures: ~ 70. :"
.q - WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec.l23.
For the first time in many years the monde.
script element called society has busted itself
with might and main over one ofthe Presidents
nominations. Never has disloyalty to party
been 80 open Or defiant among men as has been
the fierce rebellion in the families of Cabinet
officers, Supreme Court Judges, numerous high
officials, and loyal Senators against the nomina-
tion of Mr.. Williams for Chief Justice. And
this particular rebellion under consideration
broke out and ragged hotly, not because the
women who led it or the other women who
made up its rank and file we're troubled with
any misgivings about Mr.. Williams fitness for
the high place to which the President has
nominated him; but something far more i'm
portant in their estimation than any such
trfing consideration fired their hearts and
made their eyes flash. Did not this action of
the President, if indorsed by the Senate. make
woman of whom they have long been jealous
"the first lady in the land?" For be it known
to those who are so blessed as ever to have to
do with the inner circles of hollowness which
here in the capital arrogate to themselves the
exclusive right TO the term society" that the
battles which have long ragged among the "Su.
preme @ Court ladies'" the cabinet ladies'"
and 'House ladies" have been fought through
and the wife of the Chief Justice is the "hrst
lady of the land, ~ since the wife of the Presi-
dent need not return calls. Upon this first
lady all others in society must call first; then
in regular gradation they visit each other, each
society woman's soul writhing within her at
the thought that she is required to make first
calls on anybody. But round and round they
20 the winter through in one continued dance
of mockery, Jealousy, and bitterness of heart.
And when this last cup was commended to
their lips by the President, the fires of treason
were lighted in half the women's eyes through
out executive and official circles. Rebellion
stalked openly all round the board where hus-
bands and fathers sat III mute and respectful
loyalty to the President. Along these battal-
ion in silks and ruf1es there were no banners.
inscribed with party watchwords, or the names
of party leaders. The question with them was
not Shall regard be paid by party men to the
President or Senate, or all political influences
combined, be allowed to designate as first lady
of the land, one of whom all society" is so
intensely Jealous? Perish the thought of peace
either with Presidents or Senates Loose all
the thunderbolts and lightnings of Amazonian
war A score of Majo Generals in satins,
Jewels, and scarfs sounded the advance, and
all society" in Washington fell into line and
rushed to the fray. And beautiful time Sem
ators have had since, in the quiet and loveli-
ness of their homes and boarding houses!
Wives daughters, and their lady acquaintauces
have beset them in all waking moments, and
been terribly present in their dreams, begging,
protesting, denouncing, coaxing, and demand
ing each in turn, and all vehemently, the OBJ
jects of all requests and all demands being that,
rule as the President might in all other things,
in this debating who should be "first LADY, the
Senate should not humor him to the extent of
overturning society.
Seriously there is no exaggeration in all this.
That hollow mockery, called society, has been
fighting the nomination of Mr.. Williams with
all the bitterness and all the weapons it could
command, not on the ground of its fitness or
unftness, but solely cn account of its relation
to that far more important question of first
lady," If Mr.. Williams had been, beyond room
all in the land for Chief Justice, society would
have lashed itself into the same rage; and
loyal Senators would have mot disloyalty of
the rankest sort at their fresides and in their
beds, for hostility to the Presidents nomina-
ton of ''frst lady" has invaded all. circles
here. and made them as uncomfortable as the
plague of frogs made the first circles of Egypt.
Our Republican Court" has heretofore had
no similar trial. Mr.. Chase was a widower.
This "Court," rs now constituted, only dates
back to his time. The old Southern influences
passed away from Washington, and our North
ern set had just began to arrange its furbelows
and flounces and talk of its social precedence
when Mr.. Chase was made Chief Justice. And
AZ he had no wife, the question of first lady did
not enter, and SO the 'sBepubican Court was
not shaken and shattered at its birth by this
momentous subject. Figuratively speaking,
there we're hair pullings and face scratchings
innumerable, over the question whether Sena-
tors wives or Cabinet ladies were entitled to
precedence and where in the court the wives
and families of the Supreme Court Justices
took rank. And these matters are still unset
tied, and break out anew whenever a bold or
ambitious woman is by tbs yicissitudes OF po-
litical life added to one side or the other.
The nomination of Mr.. Williams as Chief
Justice may have been wholly Objectionable.
Whether it was or was not has nothing to do /
with the battle society women have waged I
against him. For them the President had dis
regarded the proprieties, and by. his act was
about to promote lady of whom they were and
had long been jealous to position where the
members of the court, one and all, must ap-
proach in turn, and do her honor. They in.
ssist that the President should act in such a
matter as if the Constitution read, 'The Pres
ident shall nominate, and if the nominee be a
married man, by and with the advice aud con-
sent of the Senate and the ladies of the re-,
publican court, shall appoint the Chief Justice
and other Justices of the Supreme Court"
This contest, which has ragged for fortnight
now, is a good illustration of the tendencies OF
official society in the capital. On all sides bit
terness, narrowness, ambitions, and jealousles
are attempting to ape court manners: styles,