Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-28
sATURDAY.......oCToBER 2s, $50;
.1ndre Bonds Successor.

Some OF the papers are dealing out TO
their readers no little idle sentiment IN
regard to the proper method OF ming
the vacancy in the Office of judge OF the
Fourth Federal Judicial Circuit created by
the death Of Judge Bond.
For too many years the people OF this
circuit have had Republican partisan
as the head Of that court whose rulings
,hev were always afraid or and now
when a Democratic President has the
oportunity TO name a successor to that
Judge We are gravely told that the judge
ship in question ought to be kept out OF
the arena OF contest and be conferred
mon some good lawyer without regard
10 partisan influences or suggestions.
because the Democrats have complained
with good reason OF partisan appointments
~ the bench, they are told that no parti-
san appointment ought TO be made by
President Cleveland. This course on the
part Of the President would be wholly
indefenslble. The differences between the
Republican party and the Democratic
marty are not matters OF mere sentiment
dation principles upon which each OF
those parties Is based For the Presi-
dent appoint Republican to succeed
Judge Bond would be for him TO prove
untrue to the cause or free government
ns this free government was handed down
10 US by the fathers OF the republic. A
strict-construction Democrat OF less abil-
ssfr
government is greatly 10 be preferred
10 a Republican OF loose notions as TO
the respective powers of the state and
Federal governments. A man who would
guard the reserved rights of the several
States Is 60 be preferred TO a man who
recognizes the Federal government as the
fountain Of all hOnors. and regards the
state governments as nothing more when
compared TO the Federal government, than
Gas Patrick Henry said the counties
are when compared to the State govern
ment. If for a man to be rooted and
grounded I'm the faith OF Thomas Jeffer-
son Is to be n partisan then we should
say that IT is the Presidents bounden
duty to select a partisan as Judge Bond $
successor. The man who cannot subscribe
10 the Democratic teaching TO be found
in the Federal Constitution itself, that
all powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution nor
prohibited by it To the States
are reserved TO the States respec-
lively. or 10 the people,-we say man
who does not and cannot subscribe to that
doctrine is not tit TO be made judge OF
Ii United States court by a Democratic
President.
But does not this argument prove too
much? We think not. We do not wish "a
Sci mere neutrality-suspicious. for reve-
nue. only'-elevated TO the Federal judi
cial bench. We would not by any means
advocate the appointment OF Democrat
10 be Judge Bonds successor who could
boast of no other qualification for the
Office than that he was n Democrat
There need be, and could be, no difficulty
In selecting that successor from the Dem
ocfJltic party and yet choosing one of the
sblest lawyers In Virginia, or Maryland
OF West Virginia, or North Carolina, OF
South Carolina Indeed the probabilities
are that In order 20 secure the services OF
the best man, or one of the best men In
the circuit. II would be absolutely neces.
sary To appoint a Democrat. Some of the
speakers now on the stump for O'Ferral
would make excellent judges.
so we would not merely allow the Presi'
dent TO appoint Democrat to be Judge
Bonds successor, but we would regard II
as wrong done to the people Of the
whole United States II he should 30 to
the Republican party to find proper
man to hold the balance In equipoise be-
tween the powers OF the Federal Govern
ment and the reserved rights Of the States
and the people.