The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-11
4HB NINE NEW Judges
Will be Appointed After Care
full Consideration,
MERIT AS WELL AS POLITICS
VIII be Taken into Account-The
Presidents Record on Such Mat
ters-Reed wlllhave Fun with
the Smart Democrats.
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WASHINGTON, D. O., March 10.-While
coutending aspirants are firing all sorts
Of knotty questions at the President in
big efforts to select good men for more
than dozen important Judicial posi-:
tions the average Republican politician
phould not forget that in these selections,
above ali others, there is very high
executive duty to perform. The Ptesi-
dent lay select men for any other class
Of Office with a single eye upon the
political effect the appointments may
have, he must exercise a dual judgment
in filling the benches Of the Federal
Courts. Up to this time the most dis
appointed aspirant or the bitterest
Democrat has never been heard to criti.
else the judicial appointments Of Ptesi-
dent Harrison. A frBt.class lawyer
himself he knows a jurist or an advocate
when he sees one. Besides this, when
President Harrison retires from his
Dresent position be intends to reenter
he practice Of the law, at indianapolis,
and he does not want to be confronted,
in any part OF the country, with one Of
his own appointees who will bring the
blush OF shame to his face, viewed from
any standpoint, 5He wants to reter to
the exercise OF bis own judgment in the
matter OF "sizing up" lawyers with q
degree Of pride.
A GOOD RECORD.
There have been bitter fights made
upon a very few OF President Harrison's
nominations in the Senate. Democrats
have regarded some Of his selections as
partisan. Republicans have looked upon
some nominations as personal. But not
one OF the nominations for tho judiciary
has failed to receive unanimous sup.
port from the Senate Committee on the
Judiciary, composed OF the best lawyers
in Congress, a body largely composed OF
lawyers OF experience in practice before
Federal Courts. This is remarkable |
record. II has not been equaled by
many If any Presidents.
Unfortunately the bulk Of names pre-.
sented for judicial appointments, under
ali administrations, are selected by the
sponsors with reference to geographical
location or political affiliations. 1t is
safe to predict that in making the twelve
or fifteen appointments to the benches
which President Harrison will presently
make, he will have due regard to the
geographical location Of the men named
and their politics, but he will first have
regard to their ability, Rsit has been
tested, and not in the prospective. Re:
publiCans will be appointed TO Judicial
IS well as other places. This is not the
Democratic season.
PREsuMPTUoUs DEMOCRATS.
1t is a strange proceeding for the
Dem ,ocrats, who lie awake o nights to
destroy the Republican party and carry
their preirdices to the judiciary in ef.
forts 10 annul the constitution and can.
Cel the rights Of men, should expect a
Republican to appoint men to the bench
for life from the Democratic party, sim.
ply because their district or circuit lies
In Democratic strongholds. A Demo.
cratic President would not be seized
with this magnanimity. Eysn MnH
wump. Democrat Cleveland did not iol-
low such line Of thought. We have
recently had some experience with
Democrats on the bench in the South:
The House would have impeached
Judge Boarman, Of Louisiana, had 1t
had time. He was arraigned under
various counts OF Indictment, charged
with the practical annulment OF the
Federal Constitution, It will be re.
freshing to get some Republicans on the
bench in the South, where the Federal
Constitution, above all other places,
should be maintained, and where 1t iG
30 seldom referred to, except IN the most
disrespectful way.
A GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY.
Another thing should be remembered
by the thyong seeking places on the Fed.
eral bench. These appointments are
made for life. 1t therefore becomes a
very serious thing to name a man to
occupy such responsible position dur.
ing life time. It becomes necessary
for the President TO not only look into o
mans ability as tested, but his ante.
cedents. One may, for period Of years,
cover his natural inGlinations. What Is
he going to evolve into? What are his
possibilities? These are legitimate
questions the appointing power must
consider. 1t is easier to maketwo dozen
political appointments, as such places
are ordinarily regarded, than Il is to
select man for the United States court.