The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-21
AT LAST.


It's hardly due to the President 10
.ha,l- him for relieving afflicted Titan
the judicial lnGiction which he I'M
Dosed upon the fair Territory the
month following his inauguration. No
hodr will blame Mr.. Cleveland for send
ing s,ci = fellow as Orlando W. Powers
n n-psi;e in 4 court Of justice, Tor 1t
could not tysexnected that the President
would be acquainted with the man, or
know asytbi1g of his qualifications for
the Office. Necessarily Mr.. Cleveland
would hE7e 20 act upon the representa-
tons OF those In a position 10 know the
facts. II they were unworthy Of belief,
and their word could not be relied upon.
the President ought not, perhaps, to
be censored for an occasional mistake.
In this instance Mr.. Cleveland was
shamefully imposed upon by a scoun-
dreIIy boss in Michigan politics, named
Don NJ. Dickinson, and the President,
innocently, we must believe, inflicted
Utah. But Mr.. Cleveland is not blame
less in the matter. Only a few weeks
had passed before the President had
been advised as to the character OF
Powers and been made familiar with
the man s unfitness for the responsible
position N which he had placed him.
Because the President did not then
promptly remove the Judge he is cen
surable, and must shoulder the respon-
sibility which he could have unlOaded
upon the shoulders of Dickinson, who
had played upon his credulity and i'm
posed upon his trust. After being ad-
vised of all the facts, and having laid
besore him q record fairly reeking with
filth, instead of washing his hands of
the nasty mess by promptly throwing
Powers overheard, the President made
the fight his own and espOused the
cause Of the Judge, sending the nomin-
alton TO the Senate for confirmation.
1t is not stated as a fact that Mr.. Cleve-
land interested himself personally in
the endeavor to secure DIVERS con-
but there is good reason to
believe that he permitted it to be under
stood by Senators that the confirmation
would be agreeable TO him. Only after
the Senate Judiciary Committee had
agreed unanimously to recommend the
rejection Of the name, and a friendly
Senator had advised the President of
the facts and urged him to recall the |
name and thus avoid the humiliation
Of having the nomination rejected for
good and sufficient cause, did Mr..
Cleveland withdrew the nomination.
Even then the President hung to his
friends pet and ward, keeping Powers
in office month after month, despite
popular sentiment and in defiance OF the
Senate. Only now, when the Congress
is within a week of adjournment, only
q week from the time when it would
have been unlawful for Mr. Powers to
continue on the bench, does the Presi-
dent let go of him and nominate a sue
cessor. No thanks are due TO Mr..
Cleveland for his present action. 1t is
clear that he.Uould not have taken it.
that he would have fastened Powers
onto the Territory if it
had been in his power to do SC. The
law compelled the President to desig-
nate 4 successor, o. leave the judge
ship vacant.
Nevertheless. while owing President
nothing for this great relief.
the people of Utah. are thankful
enough for it, and VII hail the coming
OF the new Judge with pleasure.
OF Henry P. Hender>on, who was
for Power. place on Tues
day, very little is known in this city.
He is the gentleman 10 whom The
HERALD referred some time ago as
likely to get the Office. He was agreed
upon for the place by the democratic
members of the Michigan DELEGATE n
and by them is spoken of as lawyer of
ability and probity. Ore thing in his
favor is the fact that he is not pet of
Don Dickinson. His confirmation Will
follow, as a matter of course, and as he
has understood for some weeks that be
would be given the place it is probable
that be has been arranging his bust
ness, and that he will soon be here 70
enter upon his dnties.