The Portland daily press., 1882-02-25
CoNKLING.
President Arthur's Surprise.
HOW THE NEWS OF THE NoMINA-
TON IS RECEIVED.
Comments, Wise and Otherwise, by the
New York Press.
Ex-senator Conkling Nominated Tor the
Supreme Bench;

WASHINGTON, Feb. %.
The President has nominated Roscoe Conk-
ling for Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court.
WASHINGTON, Feb. A.-Mr. Con kings
nomination for the Supreme bench was sur
prise to everyone at the capitol to-day except
to very few Senators who have recently re-
ceiyed intimation of it from The President, but
who kept the secret inviolably. 1t is this af-
ternoon the absorbing topic OF comment. There
seems no difference of opinion among Senators
as to Conkling's eminent fitness for the posi-
ton, but in view of his declination Of the Chief
Justiceship offered him by President Grant
some doubt is expressed by several Of his inti-
mate friends as to whether he will accept the
present appointment The general belief is,
however, that he has accepted 1t IN advance OF
his nomination.
The nomination of ex-senator Sargent to the
German mission is also unexpected at the cap
itol. His friends were taken by surprise as he
had not sought it or expected any other office
than the Secretaryship of the Interior. 1t IS
understood that Sargent will accept.
When the nomination of Mr.. Conkling as
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court was
read in executive session of the Senate this af-
ternoon motion was made to take 1t up for
immediate consideration. Mr.. Hoar there
upon took the floor and warmly said while he
conceded Mr.. Conkling's great abilities and
that no man since Webster had surpassed him
in intellectual force he believed Mr. Conkling
had used his powers for bad purposes and he
did not believe him to be honest His eleva-
ton to the Supreme bench, said Mr.. Hoar with
great excitement of manner and pounding his
desk by way of emphasis, would be disgrace
to the judicial ermine and he therefore inter-
posed an objection to the present consldera-
ton of the nomination and insisted that it
should take the regular course of reference to
the judiciary committee. A single objection
being sufficient to prevent immediate consider
alton the nomination was accordingly referred
to tho committee under the rules without OPP
portunity for debate or any reply to Mr.. Hoar's
remarks
The nomination of ex-senator Sargent as
Minister to Germany was then referred to the
committee on foreign relations under an OBJ
lection to immediate consideration. Promi-
nent members of the Senate predict the two
nominations will be confirmed by overwhelm-
ing majorities when reached for final action.
Utica, N. Y, Feb Ex-senator Conkling
declines to say anything upon the question of
accepting the Justiceship offered by President
Arthur.
New YORK, Feb. 24-The Sun says OF
Conkling's nomination: 1--WE are glad to be
able to state that he has not sought this office
and that he did not even know that President
Arthur intended to confer such compliment
upon him. We have not been able, late years,
to agree with the political ideas and measures
which Mr.. Conkling has promoted; but this
does not prevent our saying he possesses many
Quallul6S uoCSbSdIy 10 "a JuUS0. no ID dUic,
learned, Independent, proud and incorrupti-
BILE.
The Herald's only comment is upon the
probabilities of Conkling's accepting. 1t says:
''If it were consistent with Mr.. Conklings
character to be warped by merely personal con-
siderations from that dissemination to accept
judicial duties which he signifed eight years
ago the proceedings of Senator Hoar yester-
day might have some influence in determining
his ehnice. When President Grant nomi-
/ II 49,, A1E vn%o
Justice of the court, Conkling opposed the
confirmation Of that nomination and it was
rejected. This allusion to motives for the
course of Senator Hoar is sufficient explana-
ton of it, but we regard Conkling's sense OF
professional loyalty to the bench as far Superior
| to any such consideration.
New York, Feb. 24-The Tribune, in very
bitter article, declares the nomination as gross
| ly unfit, because it is fragrant abuse OF the
appointing power to use the Supreme Court to
pension a broken-down public man who has
made himself to the last degree obnoxious to
with the sentence "Guiteau has made SUI
preme Judge as well as President and not yet
hanged
The World says:-"The Presidents nemina-
ton appears to have been dictated by desire
| to put two conspicuous and inconvenient Re-
| publcans where they will do the least harm.
| Mr.. ConkliDg is undoubtly an honest hater and
| good fighter Lord Kenyon was both but he
made famous judge, and men as much noted
for an unjudical temper at the bar have
80 often confared their critics by making excel
lent judges that it would be unsafe to predict
that Mr.. Conkling would be a bad judge"
The Times says: "From Judge Gray to
Conkling is a long step downward, and it will
be strange if this latest nomination does not go
far towards FORGETTING the respect which the
President had gained by his first judicial
selection The most friendly summing up of
his qualities would have to admit that what
ever else he may be he is not by nature, by
study, or by experience, fit for the exercise OF
judicial functions in the court of the highest
Jurisdiction and ultimate resort in this nation.