Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-01-09
THE CIIIRR JusrICEsHrr.


name - nominee for the ofioe OF Chief
Justice OF the United States Supreme
Court be withdrawn, a. tslegrsphed
this morning, Is as follows:
w~AsniSGroS. January $40 Presl.
dent Grant-Sir: You were kind
enough without my solicitation orany
knowledge on nv part that you con.
templatsd such q thing % nominate
me tor Chief Justice OF the Supreme
Court Of the United States. Since that
time the iood,gstes. Of .calumny In all
directious have been opened upon me.
Ny abilities have been d~lsparaged aud
my Integrity brought into question,
aud Il seems to me that public opinion
10 adverse TO my appointment. A point
OF prejudice has been reached which
might hereafter embarrsss your admin
istration and perhaps impair my use
fulness upon the bench, aud with q
perfect consciousness that | have per-
formed with clean hands aud M up
right purpose all the duties Of the yari-
otis public offices to which | have been
called. and trusting TO time to adjust
the public when better Informed for
my v~lndicstion. I respectfully ask to
withdraw my nomination. ~,
tSlgnedl G. Ii. WILLIAMS.
Thls letter IL manly. Moreover we
believe Ia statements true. It has not
been claimed By the friends Of General
Williams that he 10, Of all lawyers In
this nation, the most learned. or best
fitted for the exalted position for which
he was named. Il 10 scarcely possible
that such u man will 10 selected and
confirmed by the Senate; It Il certain
ly impossible to please everybody
In the selection Of an incumbent
for the most important appolntlve
office In tho nation. We have
hoped that the Senate would confirm
the nomination Of General Williams,
not because We regarded him a. the
most brilliant, the best qualified, or the
most capable nan In the United States,
but because we thought him honest,
strong. Of sufficient natural sblllty,
with much judicial experience and =
clear political history ; aud above all,
because We feared In the event OF his
rejection that tho nation would fare
worse. Williams Is q much the SUI
perior Of Conkllng-who had been
heretofore urged for this high office
In all the attributes which it a man to
cit as a judge and administer law. as
we'll as In those qualities which COM
mand confidence aud assure safety to
the people, that bis nomination
brought with Il q sense Of relief. We
felt that. at least, the nation could
have Jared much worse, aud hearing In
mind the recent nominations OF the
Presldrnt-in particular that OF Shep-
herd a Governor Of tho District OF
Columbia-dcspalred Of a selection
better than the one In question. Be-
sides. we have considered Williams as
q safe msn-an attribute which com.
mends itself for such an Office. We
are sorry. therefore, to read Of the
withdrawal Of the Attorney Generals
name. Whom will the President now
nomlnatep Many names present
themselves, the most prominent OF
which are Evarts, Hoar, o'Conor, and
that standing candidate. Edwards Pier
pont. The first three are eminent
lawyers. and so far IS We know, no
breath Of distraction clouds their histo-
~. Whether or not either Of the gentle
men named shall lie chosen by the
President, let ms hope no mere poll
tician. no demagogue. no toady. no
professional wlre-puller Of the Conk-
ling school will DO named for the po-
sitiou. A sound lawyer, upright
Jud Q and safe man should be chosen ;
and above all. should his public life
nay. his private history DO free from all
shadow Of suspion. Such men there
are In the nation. Let US hope for the
best In the next selection.