Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-09
The MISUNDERSTANDING.

The BoAtoD Herald u 20 TAR paper, anu
fencnlly 70 just IN Ia judgments, that we
are surprised To end Il yielding TO the I'M
founded prejudiecs Of the moro bigoted OF
fts readers, and declaring that the Office Of
Attorney General Of the United States
ought NOT to be filed by southron.
We have heretofore ACKNOWLEDGED the
force Of the contention that southern
"rebe..v 20 called. ought not TO be up.
POINTED SECRETARY Of War or Secretary Of
the Navy--ougbt not. In q word, 10 be
placed IN command OF the army or the
navy Of the United states. We concede.
too, that in selecting Secretary Of the
Interior the President might well choose
northern nan; because the Secretary OF the
Interior has charge OF the Pension Bureau.
But when II comes 10 ruling q man out Of
the ONCE OF ATTORNEY. General because he
n southeruer. II strikes us that 1t Is time
TO call halt.
II the South cannot furnish the Secretary
Of War. nor the Secretary Of the Navy, nor
the Secretary Of the Interior. nor the At
forney.G General, then she Is hardly to be
considered a. in the Union. II Is hard
case that twenty years after the close Of the
var between the States, o. northern paper
friendly 10 this section should be found so
circumstanced a. 10 induce II 10 believe
that southern lawyer tit to be Attorney
General would give "rebel" construc-
ton to the laws Of the United States. Why
not follow Republican precedents, and rule
the South out Of the Cabinet altogetheri The
Secretary OF the Treasury has charge Of all
public moneys: why not say that II would
never do TO put man IN charge Of that de-
partment who had for four years used Con.
federate notes as currency The Secretary
Of State has charge Of our relations with all
foreign countries why not argue that 1t
would be dangerous to trust that Office to
southern mani The Postmaster General
has charge Of all the mails Of the country:
why not claim that 1t would never do TO
entrust the Post-Office Departmental man
whose letters were for four years sent
through the Confederate States mailss
The Attoruey-Generai OF the United
States has few powers. His opinions do
not bind the Federal courts. He may lay
down the law as he understands II, but the |
humbIest District Judge has the right and |
the power 10 disregard his opinion. Nay.
II 10 every judges bounden duty to do so,
unless ne concurs In that opinion. The
Boston Herald Is totally mistaken in sup
posing that the opinions Of the Attorney
General control the Presidents Cabinet, II
that IL what that paper means when 1t says
That "ss the law Is declared by this |
Official In Cabinet consultation, so
vii. act tine executive officers OF |
The Government; and that "his word |
Is potential in every grave ISSUE"
Il would be q sorry Cabinet that would
accept the dicts Of its law-officer as settling
The law Of every case. There are often
pther lawyers In the Cabinet better than
he Acknowledgement. Mr.. WEBSTER was
In the Cabinet with an Attorney General
whose name not one person in ten can now
recall. II Is incredible that he, the foremost
lawyer OF his day. should In Cabinet meet
Ings have surrendered his opinions before
Ihe dlcta Of the Attorney-G General.
We have expressed . preference for Mr..
aARIAYD as Attorney-Ge under Presi-
dent CLEVELAND in case Virginia gets the
Dfllce Of Postmaster General. And we can
assure our Boston contemporary that II
never entered our mind TO prefer Mr..
for that Office for any other reason
lhan that we regarded him as the ablest
lawyer In the United States Senate, or at
any rate equal to the ablest.
Now Is the time for the South TO show the |
North that the people OF this section
are as loyal to the Union, the Consti.
tuition, and the laws, as are the peo-
pie Of any section. But In order
10 prove that such is the fact we must be
allowed the opportunity to do so. We
must be trusted. or else we can never show
That we are worthy OF trust. We must be
a the equals Of our northern
brethren In oil that goes to make up the
character Of good citizens, or else we can
never satisfy the world that that equality Is
: fact.