Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-09
WhT not a Southern Democrat !

one 70 take Ine pOslIlon on the Supreme
bench Of the United States, made vacant
by the retirement Of Justice Hunt. His
nomination to that vacancy Of the New
York Adonis of the flowing curl took
the country by surprise, and called forth
outspOken and unreserved disapprovsl
from 8 portion of his party, while it was
received with manifest disfavor by the
rest. So great indeed was the adverse
1ticism passed out upon both Mr.. Arthur
aud Mr.. COnkling by this appointment,
that, for once in his life, the naughty
pride Of the defeated ex-senator from
New York was humbled. and he felt
constrained to decline the honor.
Since his declination the position has
been offered to Senator Edmunds, OF
Vermont, and he likewise has declined.
This certainly is q most extraordinary
condition of affairs. Il is not custom
airy sight in this country to see aposition
in the highest judicial tribunal known to
our form Of government going begging.
Apart from the honor attached thereto,
the place itself is by no means to be de-
spised, since. being for life or good be-
havior, it affords 10 any one so fortunate
as to hold II q comfortable competence
for the remainder Of his days-thus free
ing him from much Of the care and wOr-
riment Of the struggle for existence-on
the only condition that he behaves him
self. 1t is not to be wondered at, there
fore, that. generally speaking, when
President makes tender Of so desirable
an Office, he labors under no spprehen
sion Of its being refused.
If President Arthur will heed our adj
vice, he can, without difficulty, ill the
position in such manner as will reflect
credit upon the Supreme Court and the
country, and at the same time call forth
the commentator of all true men. Let
him appoint 10 the vacancy a straight
out Southern Democrat who is lawyer
Of acknowledged repute and undoubted
ability. There are many of this descrip-
ton in the South, and the selection Of
one such for this position would prove a
mastery stroke for his administration.
In the first place, he will be carrying
out a policy outlined for him by his
lamented predecessor, which policy,
although cut short so prematurelY by an
assassin's shot, had already secured TO
Mr. Garfield the well-nigh universal
esteem OF his fellow citizens of all sec
tons. True, Mr.. Garfield had not, up to
the time Of his death, conferred any spe-
cial honor upon the South. Neverthe-
less, he gave evidence of a patriotic
desire to heal sectional hate, and to be
come President of the whole country.
As Mr. Blaine, in his recent eulogy, said,
he was earnestly seeking some practical
way of correcting the evils
arising from the distribution of
overgrown and unwieldy patronage,
and, had he lived, a comprehensive
improvement in the distribution of that
patronage would, no doubt, have been
perfected. If Mr. Arthur will carry out
to perfect contamination what Garfield
so auspiciously began, he viii do much
to do away with the stigma with which
he has besmirched his administration by
the encouragement he gave to Reputation
in Virginia, and by the ultra spirit Of
rartisanship he has so far exhibited
We can think Of no more practicable
plan that he could possibly adopt for
finally impressing upon the people his
desire to deprecate sectionalism, and be
Chef Executive of the entire land, than
that herein suggested.
In the next place Mr.. Arthur has de
clared that one of the main objects Of his
administration will be to promote the
growth of his party in the South. He
cannot possibly do this until he makes
Republicanism respectable in this sec
ton, and that he will never do while he
continues to bestow honor and place
only upon old political hacks of his
party who have long since lost ell the
influence they ever possessed-if,i indeed,
they ever did possess any-among the
respectable element of the Southern peo-
pie. The first step towards the &C
cOmplishment of his expressed desire to
strengthen his party in the South, then,
must be to elevate the tone of that party,
and. paTadoxical as it may seem. there
will be no way to accomplish this except
for him to strike out boldly and confer
positions of honor and dignity upon
Southern Democrats. In no other man
ner can he ever expect to inspire respect
for his administration in this section.
President Arthur will therefore do
well to heed our suggestion. He will
thereby reflect credit on the United
States Supreme Court, the country and
his administration, andswil gain the
confidence not only of the South, but of
the W hole country.