The Washington bee., 1886-12-25

iected the nomination of Mr.. Mat
thews. Why?
Common report says because he
is a colored democrat. Senator
Ingalls, is reported to have laid
down the rule for his fellow re-
publican Senators that ''a colored
democrat is monstrosity and We
must crush him." And 80 the
republicans of the Senate last
August, after five months delib-
Grafton, rejected MIR. Matthews.
Our Washington correspondent
reports that the President-per-
haps shocked at such republican
observation-disclosures to send In
the name of Matthews once more
Our corresl ondent adds that the
President has been assured by
prominent lawyers having to deal
with the Recorders Off e that in
the time he has occupied the office
Mr.. Matthews has been an excep-
tionally capable Recorder, and
that Mr.. Cleveland believes this
fact ought to be considered by the
Senate, as Mr.. Matthews did not
take possession of the place until
midsummer and about the time
Congress adjourned.
The Herald is tor fair play. We
hope the President will send Mr..
Matthews once more before the
Senate, and as the peculiarlties of
this case interest us, we have
caused inquiry to be made OF the
leading real estate, lawyers of
| Washington men of the highest
character in their profession, some
republicans, some democrats and
find that without exception these
say freely and decidedly that Mr..
Matthews is an admirable officer
that he has greatly improved the
condition of the Record office, that
by his constant and skilful atten-
ton to his duties he has lessened
the labors of those who have to use
records; in short, he is, according
to all the testimony We have had
gathered on the subject (and
which is at the service OF the Sen
ate, an exceptionally good Record
er of Deeds.
Some of the gentlemen who have
thus testified are opposed to him
on the ground that they prefer a
resident of the District, but that
has not prevented them from testi-
flying unreservedly to his excellence
as Recorder.
If, then, the President again
sends Mr.. Matthews before the
Senate, what the republican Sena-
tors will have to decide upon seems
to be this: Whether they will re-
ject a man proved to be exception
ally capable, eligible by an un-
broken line of precedents, of high
character both in private life and
at the Bar, and reject him on the
simple ground that he is a colored
---- - 1~-~, e-~t-
The Senate chooses to discuss and
act upon nominations in secret.
We have often said that we think
this bad practice, and we have
often been told by Senators that we
are mistaken. But here is a case
which the public would like to see
the Senate discuss with open doors,
and mainly to CRAFTY a not i'm
proper curiosity a natural desire
TO know who among the seventy
six United States Senators are so
un-Amerlcan, so intOlerant, such
haters ofliberty, that they will
vote to reject a colored man, of
proved high character, of good
standing at the Bar, whose conduct
of his office is certified to be un.
commonly able and good, solely be-
cause this cOlOred citizen has chos
en- to exercise his right of judg-
ment on political questions.
ls it really true that men like
sherman, Evarts, Edmunds, Log
an, Hoar, Hawley, Platt, Aldrich
and Miller have got down so low az
to follow Senator Ingalls, when he
declares that democratic colored
man must be crushed New York
Herald.