The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-02-09
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/ eyes on congress since TIE opening nl Ih'
session in December last asd they are A'k.
my themselves what thut body can Nenn by
Ne efforts a. establish n civil list II is a
tritc saying that republics are ungrntcful.
but such "a not the case with ours oar
government In its official capacity, and the
people ofourcouutry have ever been prompt
10 recognize the merits Of their public SER.
wants and 10 rccompcnsc them with honofs
and with pccuuinry benefits for whatever OF
service they have rendered. But every pr
trot in this land every lover Of our free and
democratic institutions, every adherent OF q
republican form Of government pure and
unadultcratcd, must look with alarm rs well
as with disgust and indignation upon the eff
forts of the majority in congress, the rcpub
lican party, to lasten an imperious arlstoc-
racy upon our tree ofliberty like parasite
to feed upon its very vitals. A civil list,
such as was inaugurated by the retirement
of the late Mr.. Justice Clifford, of Maine, to
make room for Stanley Matthews on the
supreme bench, and being continued by
the retirement of Mr.. Justice Hunt on full
pay, and the proposed establishment of
General Grant upon the retired army list,
is simply the creation ofan aristocracy to be
supported by the government. They are
to have all the honors and all the emolu-
ments of the places they once actively
filled, but are to do no service therefor. A
wise and Just law has been in force for n
long time, that when justice on the SUI
preme bench has served for ten years in
that capacity, or has reached the age of
three score years and ten that he may be
retired upon an annuity, and the same law
applies to army and navy officers who have
! grown old and gray in the service of their
country and we are not of those who
might be disposed to say nay to so emil
nently Just and grateful lava law which
is but recognition Of the duty the country
owes to those of her sons who have devoted
their time, their talents, and their lives to
her service But the creation of a civil
list, such as is headed by Mr.. Justice
Ward Hunt, and that General Grant
is longing to swell, is an entirely different
matter. Judge Hunt is neither seventy
years of age, nor has he served as federal
supreme judge for ten years, and why
should he be the recipient of special iayors'
1t is true that he is incapacitated from
serving longer as q supreme Judge, but IS
that any reason why congress, whose sworn
and bounden duty it is to guard the III
terests of the people and to protect their
money from useless expenditure, should
aid and abet this mercenary judge in his
mendicancy, and by retiring, enable him,
like leach, to fasten on the public treasury
and draw yearly stipend of $1,000 for DO
ing nothing? Why should such aprecedent
be forced upon the people? But one solu-
ton to this precipitate move oIthe part of
the republican mai0rities in the two houses
of congress suggests itself to our mind
and that is that they desire
to retain republican majority
on the supreme bench. The retirr,nent OF
Judge Hunt enables President Arthur 10
appoint an active stalEart III Ehe pehch'
and the precedent a ietlrement having
been established, ./aristocratic civil list
having been creato1, it will be next in order
70 retire Jpdco reid, den ,bcrat that his
place NAV be ill I'd by ANOTHER active stall
wart republican. 1t is 4 lamentable fact
tbo. the United States supreme court has
ben pothing for years but political ma
inc to grind out opinions to back up the
- lpublicaa party ir its violations of the
enc oachments upon the
rights f the staes and infringements of
the liberties of tie people. Only politi-
cal court c, Vi have decided that paper |
money was legal tender and only political |
court could have sanctioned the stealing of
the presidency. The creation Of a civil list
is the establishment of line
of aristocrats, and any such
action is in antagonism with the
genius of our form of government. There
can be no privileged class in q republic
where all the citizens stand upona common
level legally, and the creation of this civil
list. the retirement Of Judge Hunt, IS but
another step on the part 9th republicans
towards Capitalization, monarchy, indeed.
Where is the precedent to stop? A federal
Judge holds his Office for life on good be-
havior-in other words he cannot be re-
moved from Office save for cause by inn
parchment, but by this new tangled ar
ofthc republican majority, this
subversion of the spirit of the constitu-
ton to party ends, judge who may be too
honest to prostitute his exalted position 90
political ends may be retired aud q plant
and ready tool appointed in his stead.
Hedged about with such bulwarks ofprotcc-
lion and assistance rs the courts of
The land and over 100000 oflice-holder;,
with all the patronage and influence Of the
office and Of the yari-
Gus departments Of the govern
how is the republican
party ever to be held amenable TO the peo-
pie for any iniquity OF which it may be
guilty? Senator Logan, Of Illinois, is
striving. with all his rugged eloquence,
inceasing loquacity and muscular effort
generally, TO have his friend-his Fidus
4 chates, General Grant, placed upon the
Inactive army list az a salary Of $1,000 per
,nnum. we believe il is. We cannot, for
he life Of US, see any good reason for any
,uch action on the part Of congress. To do
10 would certainly be no additional evil
lence Of the country's grateful apprecia-
ion of the services rendered by General
Grant. Not only has he been commander
,-chief OF the American army In time
II war and in time Of peace, but twice
,.s he been president % the re-
,ublic. the limit made legal by Gus
%, and common consent Of the country,
.rd he has been given an ovation
rom one extreme end of the land 10 the
O. 80.