The Indianapolis journal., 1893-02-06
THE PRESIDENTS REPUBLICAN CRITICS,

President Harrison is criticised and
censured by some Republicans for hav-
ing nominated Democrat as Supreme
Judge. Among these critics and censors
are few Republican Senators who have
been known as anti-Harrison men. The
views of this class are voiced by Mr..
Clarkson. of Iowa, who telegraphs from
New York to the Iowa State Register,
characterizing the appointment of Judge
Jackson "as gross betrayal of public
trust and party faith" and declaring
that the Presidents action is inde-
fensible and should not only be
condemned by Republicans gener-
ally, but should also be opposed
by the Republicans in the Senate. "In
my judgment" says Mr.. Ciarkson, "the
appointment is an act of party pertidy
little short of moral crime" These
criticisms do not pretend to find any
higher level than that of partisan poll
tics. There is no pretense. as there
could not be, that the appointment of
Judge Jackson is an unfit one to be
made on professional grounds. On the
contrary, all the evidence goes to show
that he is man of the highest char
acter, first-class lawyer, and admirably
well equipped for the Supreme Bench.
crat, his judicial record shows that he
is sound on national issues, and no ex-
ception can be taken on this score. The
criticisms are based on distinctly parti-
san grounds. They affirm, in effect, that
under no circumstances is a Republican
President justified in nominating a
Democrat for supreme judgeship,
and that an unqualified Republican is
preferable for that position to a quail
fled Democrat.
These critics and censors of the Pres
ident assume to be better patriots and
better Republicans than he. and charge
him with having betrayed" the Repub-
lican party. If Democratic President
should appoint Republican as Supreme
Judge these able critics and censors
would be the first ones to praise the ap-
pointment as an evidence of broad
statesmanship and patriotic motives.
From their point of view there would
be no betrayal of party in such an act
by Democratic Pre- sident. 1t is only
when it is done by Republican Presi-
dent that it becomes a betrayal of party
and unpatriotic.
1t seems to be appropriate to remind
these critics and censors of the Presi-
dent who assume to be better patriots
and better Republicans than he, that
they are chiefly responsible for his
nomination of Democrat to the
Supreme Bench. To their efforts mainly
is due the fact that there is an organized
the United States Senate. 1t was the
existence of this junto that induced and
almost forced the President to nOmi-
nate Democrat for the vacant
judgeship. Upon inquiry he found
that the Republican schemers and
malcontents in the Senate would oppose
the confirmation of any Republican he
might nominate, and as he considered it
his Observation-Disclosures and duty tonomi-
nate some person, he named a Democrat
of known fitness. The kicking Republic
ans and boilers in the Senate drove the
President to the disagreeable necessity
of nominating Democrat. If he could
have had his choice and the solid sup
port of the Republicans in the Senate,
he would have nominated q Republican,
but they. by their selfish opposition to
the administration and their treachery
to the party. compelled him to seek
Democratic support for any nomination
he might make. 1t i'll becomes these
Republican kickers, sulkers and mis-
chief-makers, after having thus forced
President Harrison to seek senatorial
support outside of Republican ranks, to
censure him for nominating Democrat.
He could not. without sacrificing his
self-respect, be driven, by their opposi-
ton, from exercising his constitutional
prerogative of nominating judge. The
President has done the best he could,
and his senatorial critics are responsible
for that which they condemn.