Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-30
MarronnLrnae rrr nonnr.



the Current Yenr.
The Chicago 7ri5uae--a paper which
supported the purchaee by jay Gould and
James G.. Blaine of q seat on the Supreme
bench in the person of Stanley Matthews,
for the benefit of certain Pacific railroad
stocks-has the unblushing effrontery to
publish the following:
Mr.. Cleveland having announced his
purpose to labor for the restoration of
'Jeffersonian Democracy" it becomes q
most important question whether be in
tends to work In that direction in appoint
ing justices of the Supreme Court. All the |
other evil the President may do falls into |
insignifcance when compared with the |
calamity of restoring Bourbonism and |
state-sovereignty bigotry to the control of |
to the Supreme bench, and thus making
it certain that the work of that tribunal
would be taken up again Just where il left
off in the bred Scott decision. A year
ago this danger was pointed out clearly
and distinctly to the st. Johnnies and the
Mugwumps, but the midsummer madness
that afflicted them lasted until late in the
fall, and as o result the country now
stands exposed to q danger of most
serious character.
The appointments made by Mr.. Cleve-
land so far are ominous. The most ex-
| IRENE state-soyereignty bigots stand first
| in the order of preference. Service in
| the Rebel army and devotion to the doc
| trines of of the Southern Confederacy are
| the chief titles TO favor in these opening
| days of the Democratic restoration, and
| the Indications all are that the same
/ practice will prevail when il comes TO
appointing justices of the Supreme Court.
/ Already MIR. Cleveland has selected for
| the chief law officer of the government q
man as much devoted to ate-soyereignty
| dogmas now MS when he labored hand in
hand with JEFF Davis-n man who had
not been in the office of attorney general
two months before he gave the country
taste of his quality by deciding that the
fourteenth amendment is practically in
operative and void. What will the people
say when it comes to putting Garlands
on the Supreme bench and establishing
| them there for life
Unfortunately, il may be in Mr.. Cleye-
lannds power to change the character of
| the Supreme Court. 1t isnot improbable
that before his term expires he may be
called On to fill four or five vacancies,
and by giving these posts to state
| sovereignty bigots Mr.. Cleveland may do
| the country incalculnble harm. 1t is
matter of record that Daniel Webster
considered just such Il danger ONE of tile
| worst that could beset the country. He
had faith that the doctrine of nationality
| would triumph over secession or any
other form of open attack, but his
| greatest fear was that attempts would be
made 10 ''dilute the constitution by Gre
ating n court which shall construe away
its provisions" In speech made in
New York in 1881 Mr. Webster said
If the time shall ever come (Which Heaven
avert y when men shall be placed in the
supreme tribunal of the country who enter
tain opinions hostile to the Just powers of
the constitution, we shall then be visited
by an evil defying all remedy. Our case
will be past surgery. From that moment
the constitution is at an end. If they who
are appointed to defend the castle shall be-
tray it, wo betide those within If / live
to see that day come shall despair of the
country. shall be prepared to give 1t back
to all its former aillictions in the days OF
the confederation. | know Of no security
against the possibility of this evil but
an awakened public vigilance.
Precisely such is the danger now before
the country. The Democratic party de
rnands of Mr.. Cleveland reform" o.
the supreme bench, which is to be accom-
| plished by the appointment OF judge
/ who are ''hostile TO the just powers of TIN
constitution. Stutc-soyereignty Judge
! are to take the place of nationalists, an,
t this result once accomplished it will be, a
Q MIR. Webster said, IAN evil defying III
e | remedy Thanks to the Saint Johnnie
u and the Mugwnmps, the only protectio
o the country has against this evil is in tn
e form of very slight majority in til
o Senate. The responsibility of the sens
1t tors will, therefore, he very great
IS Under no circumstances should Il,
~ publican senator vote to confirm as
l. justice of the Supreme Court any ma
v whohas heentainted with state-sovereignt
Il dogmls. No amount of legal lenrnin,
v no purity of personal character, shon
n justifyAthe appointment of such maj
1t The senators may properly enough wal,
II party feelings and allow the President
Of have bis own way IN regard to most of n
., pointmcnls. but when il comes to puttl
.. state sovereignty bignts ON the Supren
m bench 10 ''dilnte The Constitution by co
r. strung away its just powers, they shon
4. stand like n rock, remembering, MS We
ID ster said, that this would he mi evil I'd
is flying all remedy The country will d
r. mand of the senators that in such II ca
H. they resist to the utmost.