New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-28
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1n,a.n pIERREPOYT.S OPPORTUNITY.

JUI,6n PTERREPON7'S OPPORTUNITY
II is understood that TIE President has Offered
tho most of Acknowledgement to Mr.. Edwards
Picrropont of this city The choice is rs
good one ~ we have any right to eIpec'
from Gen. Grant Judge P1errcponts pro-
fcssional standing is respectable, and bis
personal character that of an honorable and
worthy gentleman. We have therefore moro
reason for cOngratulntion than for criticism 10
tho fact that the Presidents favor has singled
him ont for o place in his Cabinet. We have
a right TO presume that his legal training and
cxpcIience will naturally lead him to reinforce
that section of the Administration which still
believes in some regard for law, and that his
social standing and antecedents will induce him
to throw hi- influence in favor of those con-
siderations of worldly circumspection and
dccency which are too often disrcSarded by the
President and his ardent supporters.
But beyond this no one can go m casting
the official horoscope of the new Attorney
General. He has fine opportunity before
him. if he has sagacity enough to perceive IT
and nerve enough to grasp it, His term OF
Office is only two years, il Is tine, but the next
two years promise to be unusually eventiul
and active Ia the sphere of politics and lcgis-
lation. For some years past the Attorney
! Generals Department has been carried on not
so much as a bureau of law and justice IA a
private attorneys Office retained for the de-
| Tense Of the President in all cases which might
arise. This was comparatively easy so long az
! tile Administration possessed Trustworthy
majority in both Houses of Congress. IL the
Attorney Generals law was bad, the Senate
was too scrvie to dispute it, and the organ
| ization of the caucus In the House of Repre-
sentatves was so strong that il was almost i'm
possible TO oveIr1e it there. But next Winter the
Administration will be confronted with an en-
| tirely different state of things. The Fourth OF
| March made several inroadS upon the compact
body of the Presidents Senators. and the
| House of Representatives has passed into the
control of the opposition Instead OF the blind
obedience Of the last six years, tho Admins
tration must preplre itself for certain amount
| Of criticism in the Senate, and for bitter and
even unjust opposition in the House of Repre-
sentatyes Ii will not be safe to make mis-
takes any longer in face Of line Of bat
tie like this. If. however. the Attorney
General goes into the Cabinet deter
mined to do his duty by the President
and the country, TO consult the claims
of law and equity instead of the Executive ca
price, to regard himself as working to make a
record which will stand the impartial scrutiny
of lawyers instead OF merely striving to keep
the President in good humcr for two years,
! there is no reason why he shoud not make a
respectable and useful member of the Cabinet
Therefore, until we are forced to think
Otherwise, We may thank the President for the
appointment, and expect good results from it..
| There are numerous Instances i'll history Of
men who never became truly great until in-
vested with high responsibilities Henry v.
was merely registering prince addicted to
low company and questionable adventures un-
| til stcadicd by the crown. One OF the
strongest Of the pOpes owed h| election to
| the fact that his associate cardinals thought
| he was dying Of consumption. 1T would he q
| great pleasure to everybody to Judge
| PieTcpOnt go into the Department of Justice
| and become a model Attorney General. We
must admit that surprise would he
mingled with the pleasure; for hitherto the
Judge has not been distinguished for an eS-
| pccially broad or stltesnanike view Of public
| questions. He has been of the most
faithful apologsts and advocates Of the Pre,i
! dent and has even bewildcrcd and confused
the public mind by sportiye illusions to the
! Third Term, tho satire OF which was fine
as to be invisible. But these escapadcs might
chartaby be attributed to an inorlinate at
| tachmcnt to Gen. Grant. which. although par
donahlc in private citizen, would be precisely
the fault against which an oflice-hodcr OF
conscience aud scli-rcspect would be especially
on his guard. When Judge Picrrepont
goes to Washington, and sees what
pressing need there is for an i'm
mediate return to legal principles in
the administration of the government,
and for s'ricter regard for honesty and
character in the personnel of the departments.
and especially when he discovers what dull
! sense of bunor there il among the Presidents
| intinates when the Third Term project il
treated az a joke. let is hope that he will then
see his duty to tho country as clearly "a ne
has hitherto comprehcnded his loyalty 10 Gen.
Grant. lie need do no wrong, in This, to bis
| friendship. Tor the members Of GG1. Grants
| Cabinet can do him 10 more valuable service
| than by easing ~ hatter his capriccs and his
personal dreams, and uniting To make the end
| OF his ad,nin-tj alton 81 respectable AZ 10 re-
| deem the errors Of the last few years.
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| THE T. lHUINlI