Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-28
WEDNESDAY........MARCH2 %. 1888
A Contemplated Outrage.

~ OANi slisS'
Tt is charged against them that the Re-
publicans in the United States Senate
seriously contemplate the policy Of re-
fusine TO confirm before the next presi-
dental election any nomination for Chief
Justice OF the United States which the
President may make. In other words,
the most distinguished lawyers in the
Republican party, and members Of the
highest Legislative body in the world,
purpose TO adopt a policy which
would have disgraced the English
Star Chamber Of two centuries ago.
Is it not true that the Republican
party is literally diabolical party?
How any patriot, and especially any
southern patriot, can belong to such
party, and by hisvote approve its action,
is more than we can understand. 1t is
indeed new proof OF the fallibility Of
men, and of the astonishing lengths to
which partisan luminosity will lead a
man.
Mr.. CLEVELAND ought to nominate a
new Chief Justice at once, and throw
upon the Senate the responsibility of
making q partisan issue OF such nomina-
ton. The sooner he sends in the name
OF his new nominee the less excuse will
the Republican Senate have for post
ponin9 action upon the confirmation IN
til next winter. Surely the people of
the United States have not sunk 50 low
that they can look with favor upon such
n policy as that TO which We have re-
feIred.
The Supreme Court now consists Of
eight Justices, and is therefore liable to
he equally divided upon any question
that may como before that tribunal for
decision whilst it so continues. That
court is now three years behindhand
with its business, and cannot afford to
hear case after case only to find when
the Justices retire for consultation that
they are equally divided, and therefore
unable to render decision.
Only two of the Justices are Demo
crats-FIELD and LAMAR; and FIELD
was appointed Ivy Mr.. LINCOLN. and is
by 10 means reliable Democrat.
Surely at least four Of the nine Justices
ought TO be selected from the Demo-
cratic party. The South has but one
real representative upon the bench-Mr.
LAMAR. Mr.. HARLAN is charged to
Kentucky; hat he does not represent
The real people Of that State. Surely the
South ought to have three out Of the
nine Justices.
The game day we announced Chief
Justice WARES death We assumed that
the new Chief Justice would be q north
ern man, and suggested as possible
compromise that one of the present
Justices might be promoted TO the
chief justiceship and southern man
be selected for Associate Justice.
The southern people have a right
to expect at least that much
consideration at the hands of the Presi
dent. 1t would be disgrace to free in
situations for the northern people to de-
mand the Acknowledgement of millions
OF people because of war fought, as
the people of both sections believed, in
behalf OF free institutions-th North,
however, believing that the cause Of hu-
man liberty was dependent upon an ire
sistible central government, and the
South that the same cause WAS
bound up with the right OF the
States TO secede from the Union. We
say it is highly discreditable to our
northern brethren that the President
does not now feel at liberty to appoint
as Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court,
not even such Union Democrat as Mr..
CARLISLE, nor any other southern law
yer having the necessary qualifications.
And yet he not only will not appoint
southern man to be Chief Justice, but
be will DO upheld in his refusal TO do SO
by the northern Democrats in the two
houses OF Congress, and by all the mere !
politicians in the Democratic party Of
the whole North. Even southern Demo- !
Gratis will say, "Give US anybody that |
will save us from Republican misrule,
and from Federal interference with our
domestic affairs "a declaration which,
If made by Virginia Democrat, will
include at least mental allusion TO Ma
HONE.
We warn Mr.. SHERMAN, as well as MA
HONE and his henchmen, that il they de-
sire to see the solid South march up in |
unbroken column 10 the Democratic bal
lotboxes next November, the Senate
need do nothing moro than refuse 10
confirm the nomination of Chief Jus.
tice before the presidential election.
The South will understand that refusal
TO mean the continuation OF the mean.
wicked, unpatriotic, devilish war which
the Republicans have kept up for TWEEN
ty-five years without cause against the
very best people in the United States.
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AUGMENTATION.