Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-06

The ONCE Seeking the Mana case In Point.
The announcement that Hon. Hoyt ii.
Wheeler would hold the present term of the
United States District Court, was, OF
course, the announcement of his decision to
accept the honorable position to which he
had been appointed. On that decision
arrived at only after serious hesitation and
grave consideration on his part-the State
and the public is to be congratulated. We
have rejoiced in the appointment OF Judge
Wheeler, not only because it gives us
pure, honest and able man in this impor-
tant life Office, but because it is so notice
able an indication and result of the i'm
provement in our national politics, under
which it has became possible that even in
a Federal office, the office may seek and find
the man, rather than the man the Office.
President Hayes is himself the most con-
spicuous example of this improvement He
never sought any Office. From his first APP
pointmcnt as City Solicitor of Cincinnati mp
to the chief magistracy of our Republic,
every office he has held came to him unsoic-
tied, and in many cases unexpectedly. The
same is true of Judge Wheeler. He never
asked for or sought an office. His first cleo
ton to the Legislature, from his town. ia
maica, was pressed upon him in view of GER
tain public Interests, extending beyond the
town, and which called for the services OF
the ablest man in that immediate region.
Mr.. Wheeler probably expected to be re-
turned to the Legislature the next year
for in those days of better Legislatures than
these, every member who served well was
accorded reelection but, instead, he was
taken up by the county, without solicitation
on his part, and sent to the Senate. He was
attending faithfully to his public duties as a
Senator, when the annual election OF Judges
of our Supreme Court took place, in 1867.
Judge Prout had declined a reelection and
new man was to be chosen. A number OF the
Representatives and Senators of the First
District assumed the task of selecting the
man and, after some private caucusing
among the Rutland and Bennington lawyers,
called caucus of the legislators of the
district, which nominated Hon. A. B. Gard
ner, of Bennington, for the judgeship. Mr.
Gardner was an able d prominent lawyer,
and had been Governor a year OF
two before, but the mass of the Legislature
were somehow not disposed to accept him,
when rendered in that kind of way and
before the day set for the election, it became
so plain that Mr. Wheeler, and not Mr..
Gardner, would be the choice of the majority
that the latter withdrew his name, and Mr..
Wheeler was unanimously elected to the
judgeship.
We do not, az a rule, believe in electing
members of the Legislature to State Offices
which are filled by the Legislature. We
think that Representatives and Senators
should 90 to the Legislature to look after
public interests, and not to log-roll for offices
but this case was a proper exception to
the rule. For Senator Wheeler did nothing
to influence the selection. Throughout the
discussions and the caucusing over the
Judgeship-and there was good deal of it
he held himself absolutely aloot from the
business. lie did not suggest, or procure
the suggestion of himself as candidate. lie
solicited no votes. We do not beleve-and
we happened to have good opportunity to sec
how he carried himself and to know what
was going on-tl,at he met a single member
or Senator in any way differently, or even
shook hands with one more man because of
his candidacy. The office went to him be-
cause of his fitness for it, and he accepted it
modestly and quietly, as a call to new duties,
rather than as a reward of previous services.
In the same way he has accepted his pres
cnt promotion, which came to him. as all
know, without any suggestion or expecta-
ton on his part. lie leaves the State bench
possessing the unqualified esteem and res
pect of the bar and Of the people of Vermont.
He takes his new office in the prime oflife.
We doubt not that he will do like good ser
vice and win like respect and esteem in it
and We trust he may live long to perform its
duties and enjoy its honors.