The Somerset reporter., 1890-04-10

w ullt ~ hppchIs w Ut universally COu-
ceded that w. z. Whitehouse and O. G.
Hall, the new judges recently appointed
by Gov. Burleigh, were eminently wise
selections, a few papers have thought this
action little hasty. Very likely the
editors of them had failed to note several
facts which a careful reading of their
exchanges would have revealed to them
They were probably not aware OF the
fact that from the very first hour of
Judge Danforth's death wild scramble
was begun for the place on the bench
thus made vacant. Undoubtedly Cover
nor Burleigh would have preferred to
have had no move made In the matter
until after Judge Danforth's funeral, but
this he could not prevent. No sooner
was the fact Of the vacancy known than
he began to be flooded with letters and
kilograms, not only from all parts of the
State, but even from Washington.
Friends of aspirants called upon him In
person and in large numbers to urge the
claims Of their favorltes. The fight was
soon under way and gave promise of
gaining Its greatest impetus about Judge
Danforth's grave. By Tuesday evening
Governor Burleigh had ascertained be-
yond doubt, the sentiments of large
majority of the members of the Maine
bar, and that they coincided with his
own. He had fully made up his mind
that the appointment justly belonged to
Judge Whitehouse as a promotion honor
ably earned by more than twelve years of
faithful aud consplcuously able service
on the bench of court auxiliary to the
Supreme Judicial Court and having near
once fully made up his mind as to hi.
xyfua in
promptly. BY so doing he put an end to
the scramble for the vacant position be-
fore the contest had time to gather about
Judge Danforth's grave. He also pre-
vented the opponents of Judge White
house from carrying on contest which
could only have ended in disappointment
to themselves and detriment to the party
Tha promptness Of his action has met
With very general commentator.
While we are speaking Of this matter it
may be well to mention another. We
have observed, In very limited circle, an
attempt to virtually deny the right of the
Il vernon to perform the duties of the
executive offlce. The right of deciding
AID Of alone deciding-the questions per-
tanning to that position has been vested
in him by a majority of the voters of
Maine, the largest, with a single excep-
tion, ever given a candidate for that
position. This fact should be carefully
borne In mind. The only consideration
which IL to control his action in that Of
fee is his own best judgment. II once
he has fully and finally made up his mind
on any matter pertaining to his office,
that is the end Of 1t 80 far as he is con.
cerned and there Is no reason In the world |
why he should not make his decision |
known. The power of deciding as to |
nominations rests wholly with him, and |
he would not be faithful to his duty were
he to permit any man or set Of men to |
dictate his action. The present Governor |
has given the State strong and conser- |
vative administration, one that has merit |
ed the respect, and received the cOmenda- |
tion Of his fellow citizens. He has shown |
himself, on various occasions, to be q |
man with the courage of his convictions. |
He has been In the habit In the past Of |
making his own decisions according to |
his own idea as to what was right. We
are very much mistaken as to the stiffness |
OF his spinal column II he does not con-
tinue to do so In the future. In the face
OF these facts we can scarcely credit the |
report sent out by an Augusta cores
poudent Of several evening papers, to the
effect that, Notwithstanding the fact that
Governor Burleigh has rendered the ap-
pointment Is Judge of the Kennebec Su-
perior Court to o. g. Hall, . young
lawyer" Is circulating . petition asking
him TO appoint another. We cannot be-
lieve that there IL ct the Kennebec bar
any lawyer 90 young" ~ to be guilty of
such piece Of bumptious impertinence.
II there II such one and he has the |
assurance to believe that he can thus
move Governor Burleigh from . position
Dquarely and rssolutely taken, It will
probably not take him very long to dis.
povsr his mistake. To be sure It would
be poesibie for the governor to delegate
J portion Of The power, vested in him by
e psopls, 70 "y9lAf lawyern and per-
nit bin 70 avpoe9 fhs Judge Of the
Ea1loloe 6upe9iof Curt, but We confess
NJ ~ entsgtaln the graveet doubts Of
- doing IT, Bndsfovd nssss.