Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-05-05
DAVID DAVIS.
Oho OF the Greatest Disappointments
of the Day.

washington Letter to Cleveland Herald
When the first feeleN were thrown
out during the winter of 1976-77 in favor
OF adopting some measure like the
Electoral bill, SO that the troubled, stale
question as to whether Hayes or Tilden
possessed majority of the electoral votes
should be decided, there was an unusual
amount of attention given to Judge Da-
Wis, of the Supreme Court. It was uni
versally admitted that he was the only
Judge on the Supreme bench about
whose politics there was the slightest
question, for the party lines there were
as well defined as in Congress, or any
where else. Davis, however, was called
an Independent by the Democrats and
great many people, who. themselves,
could not give any very pleasant assur-
ance of their faith in his non-partisan-
ship. Davis was placed upon the Su-
preme bench by Lincoln, who appointed
him as matter of pure personal friend
ship. 1t was also very clear that Davis
had never taken any political stand
whatever, having always devoted him
self to his profession, and nothing else,
except land-buying and selling. He is
one of the greatest real-estate SPECTATORS
in the West. He did, however, speak and
act as an intense Union man when the
Rebellion broke out, but beyond that he
had never taken any part in public af-
fairs. But, on account of some vague
comments which Davis had made after
taking his seat on the bench, upon the
management of the Republican party
and its policy in the last days of Grants
final administration, the Democrats very
correctly regarded him as leaning de-
cidedly toward them, and accordingly
began to make use of his name, just as
they do that of Judge Field to-day, as q
fine one to be presented to the American
people by the National Democratic Con-
vention, as a "non-partisan constitu-
tionalist" The bait took. Davis bit,
and the Denis had him. But in their
delight they exceeded their work, and
just after the Electoral bill had passed,
o Democratic State Legislature in Hi
nois was engaged in a fierce contest with
Gen. Logan for his reelection to the
Senate, and, under the excitement of
the combination of three boiling Repub-
icans, who had agreed to unite with
them i'll supporting Davis against Lo-
gan, this Democratic Legislature of Hi
nois took the Judge from the Supreme
bench to the Senate of the United States
with rush and a hurrah The only
man and the very man who, had they
let him alone, would have made Tilden
the successor of Grant.
Since Judge Davis has been in the
Senate he has not made the mark, nor
has he shown the great ability which he
was credited with by his hackers. The
Democrats, now that they have him in
their camp, bag and baggage, take but
little stock in him, and to-day in the
State of Illinois, Morrison, the member
of Congress from the Seventeenth dis
trict, has the lead of Davis among the
Democrats of that great State three to
one for the Presidency. The Bourbons
certainly have no reason to single out
Davis among their number; he does not
compare with their best men for mo-
ment, physically or mentally. The
processes of his mind are dubious and
doubtful; slow and hesitating in debate,
which he seldom ever is drawn into, al
ways leaving the Senate chamber when
he finishes his speech, and begging for
non-interruption when he is speaking
He reads his remarks in querulous,
cracked voice, with peculiar facial con-
tortions of the mouth.