The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-30
DuRELL,s SUCCESSOR.

| DURELLS SUCCESSOh'
1t appears to be very difficult ma'.er ~
the Senate of the United States 10 ueclu0
unon q successor to the Judge who INTRO
duced in this Republic the fashion OF TOP
ping over States and setting mp ne" ones W
issuinp midnight orders, and consplr1ns with
cot of nolitical plunderers and demagogues
to defeat the expressed will OF the people az
the ballot-box.
rho President recommended for the posi-
ton Judge Don A. Pardee, but in doing so'
il seems, neglected to observe the etlque'te
usua, on such occasions, of consulting with
the Senator who, for some reason, is presumed
to have an interest in the appointment On
this occasion Senator West was the party
whose delicate and highly strung sensl-
bilities were shocked by the Presidents
discourtesy, and the Senate. recognizing
the slight attempted to be put upon one OF its
members, has courteously declined to confirm
the nomination, and SO the successor OF Du-
rell has not been selected, and the chances
are tina. Judge Pardee will be martyr 10
Official discourtesy, and some man more to the
taste Of West be finally selected. The inte-
rests demanding the speedy appointment
of q Judge for this district are immense,
and we are afraid this hesitancy on the
part of West and the Senate bodies
no good to those interests; we fear the Judge
is not to be selected for his fitness, but rather
for his known partisanship -that judicial
wisdom and spotless integrity will all go for
nothing. and some man known to be inimical
to the interests of the people here-some
staunch Radical who, in all matters arising
before him, will not fail to do the bidding OF
those who elevated him-some individual
whose capacity for evil will only be gagged
by his opportunities, will be appointed.
We say we fear this because almost every
act of Grant and of Williams, who seems to
be the Presidents alter ego, suggests it, but
we shall endeavor to hope that in a matter Of
this vast importance the President will not
be guided by the selfish advice of Senator
West, nor the malignant suggestions Of his
Attorney General, whose only religion seems
to be hatred Of the South. Should it enter into
the Presidents mind to appoint some gentle
man like Mr.. Fearn, who has been strongly
recommended to his notice by almost the
entire bar of this city and State; or like Mr..
j. Ad. Rozier, who would be universally &C.
! ceptable; or any body, whether in this State
J or out of it, who could justly claim equal
merit and fitness, it would be accepted by
I the people as an evidence Of good feeling and
good will, which could not fail to be pro
ductive of the very happiest results. There
are very slim hopes, indeed, that he will
do anything Of the sort, and the
threat to send Sheridan here
: would seem to argue that some man equally
ready to do the bidding Of the Radical party
will be placed in the chair vacated by the
man to whom more than any one else we are
indebted for Kellogg and all the evils and
horrors that followed his advent, and the army
of spoilers that surround him now, battenine
like so many jackals upon our torn and dis
tracted State.
The leading aspirants on the Radical side
are Pardee, Billings, Hawkins, Lacey, Philip
Hickey Morgan, Beckwith and Dibble, ane
each of these have very powerful hackers.
appears, however, to be conceded that the in
e dividual SO fortunate as to obtain the supper
; Of West will be Durells successor. West i
AZ tickle as the wind, and whose counts upol
r his support must be wary or he will lean upol
e La broken reed.
1. In referring to Senator Vests opposition t
J.. Pardee. the New York Herald Of the 24tl
e makes the following pertinent and very jus
!, remarks:
4 It is understood that Senator West, VIII
! was not consulted in the selection, will op
pose the confirmation; and in accordance will
6 the usual courtesy observed among Senator's
e the opposition of Mr.. West may deprive Lou
:, isiana of District Judge tor some time.
, We know very little about Mr. Pardee. tn
: gentleman nominated to this Office. It doe
not seem to be either particularly good or
l. particularly bad appointment. Perhaps, a
available men 60 in Louisiana, the Preslden
could not do much better. But Senate
IS West advances pretension that may as wei
II be met at once. Since the beginning Of tn
Q war rule has been adopted called "th
courtesy Of the Senate
o By this rule the Senate bound itself to rejec
n anv Federal Nomination that was not congenia
!. to the republican Senator'S from the State TO
: which the nomination was made. Conse
= gently the high duty Of appointments 7
Office has been taken from the President, VIII
St has sworn to execute the laws, and PRACTICAL
:. given to two, or may be one, Senator. who ha
:, no such responsibility. :,
Il We have commended from time to time tina
a this "courtesy of the Senate +" rule is one
,e the worst phases Of Casaaism; that it trans
= forms the Senate into an oligarchy limits tn
usefulness of the President and creates ne
power in our government not contemplate
ID by the Constitution. BY what principl
at Of equity or right, BY what Ia
Il or tradition, by what considerable
~ of courtesy. even, can we expect
President OF the United States to make Judge
n Of the bidding of any Of the rif.raff and scul
as Of carpet-bag adventures who have drifte
into the Southern States? In this case th
u President was called upon to make the be
ed appointment. Louisiana had been wronged