The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-04-02
STANLEY MATHEWS.

loi tue Cnlteu StdItS IL aWaklng deep INFER
est among all parties in this circuit, while |
Is likely IN present some curious anomalies Ii
the seat of government
Judge DAVIS WAS the Supreme Judge 70
this circuit, and when he resigned Of course i
et' vacancy here. Up TO that time no sucl
vacancy had been filled by appointment, ron
another circuit in the loyal states, while sev
cra vacancies which had occurred in III,
southern states had been filled by northern
men; notably Chase, from Ohio 70 the Vlr
ginia circuit, and after his death Waite, OF
Ohio, to the same circuit. When the vacancy
occurred in this circuit, President Hayes for
h northern circuit 10 make an appointment
leaving the seventh circuit without repre-.
sentative on the Supreme Bench. He went to
TO his own Qhe OhIo) circuit to find man,
thus giving iha, circuit three judges on the
Supreme Bench, or Onc-,hird of the whole
number. When another vacancy occurred by
the resignation Of Judge Swayne, II was rea.
sonsbly expected that Mr.. Hayes would has.
ten 10 repair the wrong he had done to the
seventh circuit and appoint one Of its own Citl
zens TO represent it ga the Supreme Bench
who would be familiar with our statutes and
the decisions and practice Of our court But
he did no such thing. Sill adherIng TO the
" ONO ldea," be FASTENED IN the Last days Of
his power TO pay debt which he owed to
Stanley Matthews, Of OHIO, by giving him the
place, which by propriely and preceden. be
fore his time should have been filed by An
appointment, from this circuit
Tina, he was indebted to Matthews more
an 70 any other man for the usurpet presl-
dency, all who have read the testimony taken
by the Potter Committee viii! readily admit
He it WAC who made the bargain which gave
to Hayes the electoral vote of Louisiana in
con sdoration that the legislature should be
turned over to the democrats. Those votes
made Hayes president dc faetQ. The trsnsac
ton proved Matthews 10 be u consuminae po.
litical negoliator--we use mild term for he
may be our judge-but We submit that it does
not show the highes! judicial qualifications
What would Marshall or Story have
thought could either have ioreseen that the
bench which they 20 much adorned would ia
az cr times become 30 dutiled--be made the re
ward for such political broktragef II a seat
in the United States Senate was not sufficient
reward 10 the broker, then give him some po-
litical place, where the standard OF morality
In public estimation is lower than is allowa-
ole IN the judiciary. How much solling will
the national ermne bear before it will cease
to be an honor 10 wear it, before it v i'll cease
to be an emblem Of purity and justice
Should Stanley Matthews be confirmed, then
this problem will be ia a fair way Of solution.
But when nominated by Hayes to the late
democratic senate he was not confirmed He
was lot down ss gently As possible by the ju-
dietary committee 10 whom the nomination
had beer referred by placing it in pigeon
hole ill ii expired with the last congress
Everybody OF all parties hoped that this was
The cad of Stanley Matthew's judicial aspira-
tions. Not so. Scarcely had Mr.. Garfield
pressed the cushion ia his official chair than
he fastened to send Ia Mathews's name 10
the senate for the same place, notwithstanding
the Whole world had been SO recently plainly
told that /, was not nomination fit TO be
made 1t has been strongly intimared that
this was not In accordance with Mr.. Garfield's
wishes OF his judgment, but In compliance
with IN earnes, request of Mr. Hayes, who had
found It possible TO do some dirty work IN the
last days of his term which Mr.. Garfield want.
"a done bat did not like to 90 himself How
ever that may be, 1t seems 10 be pretty gencr
ally understood that the president, would not
take it greatly to heart should Mr. Matthews
again fail of confirmation, thus giving him an
Opportunity 10 make nomination more prop.
er and fitting to be made-one that his friends
could support without blush.
To the bar and 10 the people Of this circuit
the nomination of Matthews is especially oh
noxious II IL in no sense a political matter
but one of the administration of justice pure
aud simple. We expect republican will be
our Judge, but give Us one of our own people
one with clean hands, who has no, made poll
tics . trade and upon whom suitors will not
look With suspicion. in this seventh circuit
rs the largest INLAND city on the continen,
and the fourth in the number OF Its population
and the second IN the amount Of its bushes.
, transactions. The bar In this circuit is dis
'tingulshed for its ability and Learning, and ye
in Mr. Hayer's esiima,ion--wec can hardly hole
Garfield responsible-not one Csn be found
Of sufficient purity and learning TO I'll that ex
allied place, but dilapida,ei and smirchec
\ politician from Ohio must I'LL the vacancy
while the Ohio circuit already has two activ,
mewbe of that court, not 10 credi, them with
Judge Woods, slso an Ohio map, although
lately living in Georgia. But without Wood,
there are now three judges of the Suprem,
| Court in the Ohio circuit who are drawins
4 full pay, though one Is retired