The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-12-08
TIE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.


arises why increase the number of judges?
Has the business ofthe courts so multiplied
that the present number Of judges, eight, can
not attend to it? II so why has not some
thing been said about it before? Why has
not provision been made to facilitate
the business Of the court and relieve litigants
as well as the Judges from any difficulties of
this nature that may exist? II has for some
little time past been currently reported in
the press Of the country that two of the pres
ent Judges, with the weight of years heavy
upon them, intended TO retire, their term Of
service emitting them to do so on full pay. On
this assumption it has also been alleged that
the senatorial contest in Ohio has taken
shape. Genreal Garfield, the president elect,
IL citizen CT Ohio. MIR. Sherman,
the present secretary OF the treas
usy, is a citizen of Ohio,
and desires, it is said to be elected United
States senator from that state. Governor
Charles Foster, of that state, is reported to
have senatorial aspirations. Hon. Stanley
Matthews, II brother.in-law Of the present
incumbent Of the presidential chair, has once
been sci ator from Ohio, and would like
again to air his eloquepce in the senate cham
ber, it is alleged. Now all these gentlemen
nre republicans and WELD influence Two OF
them, Governor Foster and Mr.. Matthews
are warm personal friends of General Garfield.
They are gentlemen to whom he
owes some obligations of political
nature, and he is naturally anxious
to favor them. Indeed it is to his interest
that there should be no contest or conflict of
forces between these three gentlemen named,
and how TO prevent this, how TO serve them
all, is the problem for the solution of the
sage Of Mentor. A way presents itself for
appeasing the ambition of one of these
gentlemen. While Mr.. Matthews would like
again to hear his own meliauous voice ring
ing through ssthe halls and corridors of
the capital building as he discussed some
question Of state-craft in the senate cham
Der, he ia still not aoof to settling
upon the wool sack, and il would DO an ex-
ceeding qualification to him 10 sec in the
law reports Of the country learned decisions
upon knotty .Cgal points, credited 10 Mat
thews, justice, This would be to his ambi-
ton AMI con'umation most pleasant, and
certainly to occupy SO exalted position is
laudab,e ambition and worthy the merits of
aly gentleman. But how can he secure
position on the supreme bench if there is no
vacancy His friend General Garfield may
be even so willing and anxious to appoi
him and thus. so far as he is concerned, set
tie the Ohio senatorial question,
but be cannot remove one of the present
judges TO mako room for his friend, nor can
no esk any judge to resign and make place
for Mr.. Matthews. What can he do then to
carry iuto effect so happy scheme? Does
not the introduction of this bill to create two
new judges suggest that this may be the
strategcal mover If this bill can be pushed
through this congress, there will be avacancy,
or rather, two new places, 10 be filed after
the fourth Of next March, and then Mr.. Mat
thews can BIO made judge. But
does not this whole matter, supposing
that our presumptions and deductions are
correct, look dangerous, appear startling
Has the supreme bench of these United
States become thing Of mere political bar
Ter and trade? Has the erniue which Mar
shall uad fancy and Chase so exalted. which
was So stainless, so beautiful in its purity
when they adorned the bench with their
learning, their ircorruptlble integrity, and
their answering impsrtiality, fallen into the
cesspool of politics A SD day indeed has
dawned upon the country if this is the case.
Does it not look as though we had fallen
upon that evil time when position
on the supreme bench is made the sap to
satisfy the cerbeus of a mans p oht.al am.
btion. It is said that Judge Bradley wa,
appointed Judge to secure political de-
cision on the question of legal tender. Thi;
is the charge of political newspapers which il
is possible cannot be substantmt1d, but tn,
charge has nevertheless been made. L. wa.
also alleged bypoltical newspapers aud by
political speakers on the hustiugs, that Judgt
Harlan was elevated to the bench because o
his service asa visiting statesman to Louis
lana in 1876 We do not voucl
for the reliability oC either OF these charges
but as they have been made and the mir i
full Of reports that the next appointment t
be made to the supreme bench will DO pc
li.icOl appointment, is it not enough to max,
the patriot who regards his country NOR,
than he does more party, who In his sense o.
proprety and of justice invests tho supreme
cour. of the United States, the highest lega
tribunal of the land, and the last resort o
the freeman in any contest he may have 70
his rights, with sanctity almost supernal-
is 1t not enough to make The patriot trem
bic?