The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-08
A STORY OF THE HAYES REGIME.
How Garland, Of Arkansas, Narrowly
Escaped . Seat on the Su-
preme Bench.


Senator Garland. Of Arkansas. whose
name has been mentioned 90 prominently
for the Attorney Genenlship under Clevs-
land, is now serving his second term in the
United States senate He il about 50 years
old. His frame il tall and well built, sur
mounted with o large, we'll rounded head,
covered with bushy black hair. His face
Is clean shaver, his mouth firm but pleas
ant. solemn one moment and twitching the
next with some nascent drollery. His eyes
are brown. small, frank, and piercing.
kindly withal. but changing rapidly from
earnest to quizzical. TheS enate does not
contain q more universal student or q
more restless wag. After hours spent
In profound and abstracted study he will
refresh himself with series Of practical
pranks, sparing no one in the range Of his
sallies, hitting home with the most gro
tesque solemnity. but never in malice. His
especial delight is to get hold Of some dis
NAL parsonage with no more juice in him
than there is in boarding house steak and
test him with some ludicrous yarn, and
then enjoy telling TO others the effect. A
guilty conscience keeps him always on the
lookout for some terrible retaliation, and it
is q red letter day in the Senate when this
bitter Is bitten. On one occasion, when ON
important measure was before the Senate,
Garland delivered q careful and exhaustive
speech, to which close attention was given.
About ten minutes after he had finished
Don Cameron went over to the Arkansas
Senator'S side of the chamber and said:
Garland, when are you going to speak on
this question? I want to hear your"
Good Lord" remarked the surprised
Senator; why, just got through. Where
were your"
About five minutes later Mr.. whyts
(Maryland), who had not been in the SEN
ate during the speech, had the job put up
on him, and asked the same question in
good faith,
"Why, / just finished. whyte. Consult
the Record in the morning."
Another five minutes passed. and then
Butler of South Carolina, another sleepless
wag, went meekly up to Garland and asked
when he was going to speak on the bill.
Considering the source of this last inquiry,
the remark was in the nature Of an eye
opener, and Mr.. Garland tartly replied: ~f
you have any more of EN-, Butler, bring
them on in body; it saves time"
Politically Mr.. Garlands career has been
n wise and eminenuy conservative one. BY
training and instinct he sympathized deeply
with the old Wing party in politics and en-
tered the war like other thousands more
through fidelity to his region than because he
believed in its wisdom or necessity, or had
any special faith in its outcome. He was
less than 80 years of age when his State
passed the ordinance of secession, and he
was sent to the Provisional Congress at
Montgomery. He served in both branches
of the Confederate Congress, and was q
member of the Senate when the war closed.
At the age of 35 he was elected to the
United States Senate, but the smoke
Of the late conflict had not
sufficiently cleared away, and he was refused
his seat. He next served a term as Gov
ernor Of Arkansas. Upon the retirement
Of Powell Clayton from the Senate in 1877
Mr.. Garland again appeared at Washington.
This time he took his seat in the Senate
without objection. SIX years later, without
a dissenting voice, he was reelected for
second term. The legal reputation which
had preceded him secured him, on his first
entrance to the Senate, a place on the Ju-
dietary Committee, and for four years he
has been first on that committee from the
Democratic side. He not only enjoys the
profound confidence and esteem of his
Democratic colleagues, but is equally adj
mired for his personal and professional
qualities by such critical adversaries as Ed
munds and Conkling. On points Of legal
doctrine they seldom clash.
The esteem in which Senator Garland is
held by the Republican side of the cham
Der brings to light bit Of curious and un-
written history. When Hayes was eking out
the last days Of his administration there
occurred vacancy on the Supreme bench.
| AS the court was Overwhelmingly Republic
can, happy and magnanimous idea sug-
gested itself to Senator Edmunds. Taking
with him several other Republican Sena-
tors, including Mr. Morrill,, Of Vermont all
of whom cordially Endorsed the plan, he
went to the White House and presented the
name Of Mr.. Garland for the
vacancy. They took the broad ground
that competent and vigorous
lawyer was the chief need Of the court at
that time. The docket was far behind. No
Republican principle conld be in jeopardy.
! and the appointment of Mr.. Garland would
be an extremely graceful and we'll merited
compliment. OF course all this was done
entirely without the knowledge Of the
Southern Senator. The idea struck Mr..
Hayes apparently with some force. He
promised to consider the matter carefully,
and asked the distinguished gentlemen
to call again. On their second
visit he expressed himself better
pleased with the idea, and promised to COM
ply with their unselfsh wishes, and give
Mr.. Garland the place. 1t was impossible
to keep this important news q secret in
l
Mr.. Garland, to his amazement, found
himself in advance of his appointment the
victim Of hearty congratulations. He was.
Of course deeply gratifed to learn how this
unexpected thing had been accomplished,
and would have relished the honor, as law
is more in the line Of his ambition than
politics
1t is hard to paint the profound disgust
of Mr.. Edmunds when the Presidential
gift, only few days later, was placed on
the plate Of Stanley Matthews. 1t largely
accounts for the fact that Mr.. Matthews
was confirmed by one vote-not. by the
way under Hayes but when the nomina-
ton had been renewed by Garfield.
Should Mr.. Garland become q member
of Clevelands Cabinet the Legislature will
probably re-elect him to the Senate in 1889,
thus enabling him to resume his seat in
that body on the very day the coming adj
ministration steps down and out
A PEcULIAR-LooKIyG fish, measuring
over nine feet In length, came ashore at
Cane Hatteras North Carolina. II weighed