The National tribune., 1888-04-26

kgUenCVFf
long a member of that Board with the late
gallant Mai -Gen. James B. SteedmRn.
THE PRESIDENT IN A QUAEDARY.
There is nothing more entertaining to the
average politician in Washington than the dis
cussion of what the President is going to do
about an impending appointment, and there is
little if anything about which he knows less.
The President has no confdants He is medl-
tative, secretive, and morose. In spite OF this
well-known quality of the Execub tive, just now
the statesmen of Congress are learnedly dis
cussing the vacancy in the Supreme Court and
who is to fill it.
1t is believed, naturally, that the President
would like the Job well off his hands, and that,
too, without the storm developed by the NOM
ination of Mr.. Lamar. How to do it is the
question 1t is difficult to correctly combine
efficiency with partizan requirements IN an
appointment of such vast Importance.
At first Speaker Carlisle was discussed, and the
qltid names leaped at the conclusion at once that
he was the man. Brief reflection arrived at with
equally marked promptness and unanimity, re-
suited in the dropping of his name, and he has
not been mentioned since.
Then an unheard-of jurist outside of Illi-
nois, Judge Scho6eld, was proposed by the del
egation from his State The President did not
know him from Adam till the presentation,
and the next he heard was that the rural jurist
would not take it, in the words of Sheridan,
"on a silver salver" This was one of the few
instances in the Presidents career when he
has expressed surprise at anything, it is said.
At any rate the way seemed to open and new
light was let in on the Presidents pathway. 1t
was announced that Minister Phelps was on
his way home from the Court of ST. James with
q Pickwiclzian congratulation for Secretary
Bayard upon his success in the fishery negotla-
ton, and it daWned upon the anxious inCum-
bent at the White House that Phelps was the
man. He was a good lawyer, bang-up old
war time Copperhead, and, what was especially
fortunate, personal friend Ex-senator Edmunds,
which would help get some opposition votes for
his confirmation. But bad cess to the Irish !"
All at once the echo came back from the inte-
riOr, and Congressman FoTan, of Cleveland,
shook his clustered locks like the bull when he
FIRST faces the gaudy matadOr in the arena.
Gen. Patrick Collins looked as though he was
deeply thinking words not in the dictionary,
while the usually smiling McAdoo set his teeth
as though he had something on his mind. The
eloquent Frank IaWler let loose his classic
vocabulary so familiar in the Common Council
of Chicago, and together they waited upon His
Excelency as a delegation" The Campbells
too, Felix and Tim, were along.
The President saw them, and the result Of it
was that il was explained with some degree Of
clesrness that Mr. Phelps would positively not
suit the ITish-Amcrican voter He was an
! English toady," did not speak to Paruell"
and was friend of the rank old Tory, Sails
bury"
Since that interview Mr. Phelps, according
to the consensus of opinion in the Washington
hotel Hobbies, viii not be nominated.
Ali the time, or rather between times, SEN
ator Gray, OF Delaware. has been discussed, and
as often as one of the other candidates is bowl
ed out the public is once more directed toward
him. II is believed that Secretary Bayard is q
disenchanted diplomat. lie once more longs
| for the toga Of the Senate, whore, considering
/ his State, he was quite a stable man. If Gray
/ could go to the Court he might go back to the
Senate.
| That is practically where the matter hangs.
It is true the gossips have intimated that the
| Irish Americans might be Modified by placing
| Gen. Collins in the Cabinet, sending EndicOtt
| to England and then placing Phelps On the Su-
| preme Bench; but it should be remembered
| that Gen. Collins, not long ago, made a remark
| to the effect that he did not wear second hand
! clothes. lie has not, SO far as known, changed
| his mind.
| If not, the machine lacks its vital link.
| DINGY COURT BOOM.
While Americans are justly proud of most of
! the great public buildings here-notably the
| Capitol and the State, War and Navy Depart
ment building, some, by contrast, are dread
| fully shabby and inappropriate. The six
penny policy that led to the purchase by the
! United States of the old Freedman's Bank
building IN which to house The AJtorney-Ctsn
/ erals Department, was, and is, WOfuliy out OF
1 place. 1t was built Tor big hotel, aud is even
unfit for That purpose for the rooms, with one
+ or two exceptions, are badly arranged for Office
/ purposes, and utterly unadapGed for an Execu-
/ tive Department. The worst Of all the matter
| is the outrageous way the Court Of Claims is
| stored away in the old grocery and back rooms
on the ground floor Of that building. The
/ former grocery room On the west side is cheaply
/ partiti0ued of about mid way, and little plat
/ form at the northern end Of the middle and
/ darkest room holds the five Judges who form
/ the bench Of the Court of Claims of the United
/ States. Two long, narrow windows pierce the
western wall Of the room, and admit ali the
/ natural light there is. The gloom is so dense
/ when sunlight alone is depended upon, that
| a stranger wandering in when the court is in
session must wait until his eyes become accus-
/ toned to the twilight before be can at all dis
tinguish the faces Of the Judges. The room is as
plain and bare az the diugy furniture, aud have
an idea that the fear Of nightmare keeps all but
fcB interested lawyers and claimants away
| from the gloomy place. Poor little Miss Elite
/ Dickens has told Us was almost the only visi-
tor to Englands Chaucery Court aud the great
masters description OF the IOrbldding aspect oil
that court makes nae always think Of this other
one here in Washington. The Judges plat
form is rallied in front, aud on the top of the
railing plain desk extends along the whole
length A couple of feet away in front table
stands, where the attorneys Sit, and an upright
desk holds the briefs that are read TO the court
Back Of the lawyers stand several rows o.
cheap wooden chairs seldom occupied by spec
taJoTs, and the whole aspect Of the place, fit
tings and all, remind me Of the class, rooms il
city church basement. Back Of the bench i
a retiring-rOom for the Judges and the front 0
the grocery is another room where messengers
sit, and which opens directly out on the street
) A wide archway opens out Of the messenger
} room into the premises formerly used by the de
: funct bank, where Col. Hopkins and his assist
ants perform the clerical work Of the court
! and which is so dark that half the space is un
. fit TO work in. The Court Of Claims is secon
) In rank and Importance only to the Suprem
: Court Of the United States, and demands NOR
Z suitable quarters Hoa. William 4. Richard
} son formerly Secretary Of the treasury, pre-
J sides as Chief Justice, with Judges Charles {
Mott, G. w. Schofeld, Lawrence Weldon an
John Davis as associates. It would seem
t though an adequate public building should b
; erected for this court before postoftice builC
ings are ompeted for every country town
l over 5000 population in the country, and ever
little seaport is provided with a graaite custom
house.
a THE FORCE OF THE PRESIDENTS EXAMPLl
6 60, wish l were man indeed / do, III
. less / could enjoy some Of the facilities fu
T nished to the men in this Capitol when hay
e to do 4 mans work, +" said lady quill-drvei
I n CpuatG 40 pthar day t4rThEv bava