The Morning herald., 1877-02-24
lDIToRIAL VARIETIES.

DxA~AxAA V01SAAAA1~~ |
JUDGE DAVIS SUccEssoR.-Whether |
Judge Davis will resign his place on the
Supreme Bench before the 4th OF
March, and let President Grant appoint
his successor, is question in which the
press and the people are manifesting no
little interest, great majority evidently |
desiring that The resignation shall be de-
ferred until after Governor Hayes shall
have become President. We are among
those who share this desire. President
Grant has already appointed four OF the
nine Judges ofthe Supreme Court OF the
United States, including the Chief Justice
and this ought to satisfy him. But with
out regard to his pleasure in the matter,
the public should demand that he be al
lowed to appoint no more judges, even if
Davis should resign before the 4th Of
March. Should Grant have an oppor-
tunity to nominate his fifth judge, the
Senate should refuse to confirm the nomi-
nation. But we hope Judge Davis will
hold the fort until after the 4th of March.
t. give Grant the appointment Of another
Judge would be to give him the power, in
a measure, to entail Grantism upon the
Government for years after his own retire.
ment from Office. Five of the nine Supreme
Judges would owe their official existence
so his favoritism or friendly partiality,
and thus one of the three coordinate
branches of the Government-deemed
by many the most important Of
the three-woulI be controlled by
Grants appointees and friends until the
death Of one Of them. What would be
thought, if retiring President had the
power and exercised It, Of thus entailing
himself and his ideas upon Congress for
some ten, fifteen Or twenty years. Let US
have no more Grant judges on the Supreme
bench. If he had the selection Of Judge
Davis successor, Logan or some other
equally incompetent and undeserving per-
son might become the fifth Grant Judge of
the Supreme Court, and Logan is young
and might live fearfully long. Gen. Grant
has preference for small men, especially
if they were soldiers under him in the war
His changing Cabinet has been composed,
generally, Of small men-most of whom
were previously unknown to the nation
and some of whom ought never to have
been known as high officers in the Govern.
ment. Three of them retired in disgrace
and more would have done so if the
truth respecting their official actions coulc
have been brought out. In point of intel
lect most Of them have been inferior men
not rising to even the third rank anon!
statesmen, and in morals, some of then
have proved sadly detective. And man,
o! Gen. Grants appointments outside Q
his Cabinet have been discreditable to hin
and to the country. He has no taste 70
statesmen, or men Of high character an
culture. He chooses to surround himsel
with small men, preferring, it would seem
to be a king among beggars rather than .
beggar among kings, in intellect and lear
ming. This is true as to his social as we
as to his official life and ASSOCIATE ons an
it were far too much to ask that this ma
should be allowed to choose as many ;
five Of the nine Judges of the supren
Court. Let Judge Davis retain his com
mission until he can place it in the hant
Of President Hayes. Judge Davis wi
become Senator in Congress on the san
day that Governor Hayes will becon
President, and it is due to the latter tn
he should have the appointment of Jud,
Davis successor, and it is due to the cou
try that Grant should not have it.