New-York tribune., 1894-01-23
THE NONIyATION or Mr.. PECKH1M

THE NONJNATTON OF MR.. PECkH1M
The President has made another eXccllent Sc
lection TO fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court
There is no reason to doubt that MI Cle'e-
land scnt the name Of Mr. Wheeler ii. feck-
ham TO the Senate yesterday with CONSUL
erable personal satisfaction =; but he Is not
IN no blamed on that account, inasmilch as
no does not make his satisfaction injurious 10
tho country Mr. Peckham is certainly not III
forior 70 Mr. Hornblower In any respect, Whle
his oxnerience at the bar has been far greater
ond his reputation Is much more widely eA-
tended OF all the arguments employed 10 us
guise n hitter personal hostility TO the fresi-
dont,s first choice for the vacancy on the SUI
nrome Bench this one alone had some weight
namely. that Mr.. Hornblowcr was not univer-
sally known as Il great lawyer. Those most
oon,notent TO Judge of his fitness for the place,
,,c,udng the leaders of the New-York par,
certified 10 his qualifications, but his title TO
one Of the great prizes of the profession was not
instantly recognized by the people, or even ny
the bench and bar, Of other States.
If ,b;s fact WAS injurious to Mr. Hornbower,
Mr. Peckham is under 10 such disadvantage.
Co LONG ago as the beginning of Tweeds down.
fo, he was distinguished by and amply Jus'i-
fed the confidence of the far-sighted ana eur
pent men who managed the case or tie peoPic
against that monumental rascal ana he mas
been steadily advancing ever since, uhlii 'oua!
he holds an undisputed place among 'he ieuu-
crs Of the American bar. Like Mr. Hornplo"er'
moreover and other Democratic lawyers OF the
first rank. he has made himself especially ana
most honorably conspicuous within the last TWO
wears by outspOken and rcsOlute hostility 10 'he
insolent proposition that the bench OF the New
York Court of Appeals Is a suitable seat ior
thieves. Indeed Mr. Peckham Is even more
notably identified with the opposition 10 May
nor] than Mr. Hornblower, for as president OF
the Bar Association he appointed the invesu-
eating committee of which Mr. HornblOwer was
= mon,hor was the first and most incOnvcnient
witness called by the Joint Committee Oh 'he
stolen Legislature at the perfunctory nearing
which preceded the whitewashing or Mayharu'
and from that day to this, so often as oppor-
tunity offered. has repeated the whoiesolne
truths which he proclaimed on that occasion.
Rut though Mr. PeckEam by learning, char
acter and experience Is amply qual'ned 1or
the Supreme Bench and though. as we nave
said. his fitness in one important respect
has recently been established by an unusual
test. il is too early TO predict what the Demo
cratic Senate will say about his nomination.
For the credit of that body and for the advan'
tage Of the country it Is to be hoped that he
will be confirmed without opposition. Further
more. as spectators Of the sang,iinary fight now
going on IN the Democratic party, with WASH
inc,on as a common base Of supplies, we vent
ure. in the interest Of true sport, to wish mat
the chief Of the Anti-Cuckoos may show him.
self astute enough to assist in confirming MI
Peckham. rather than make his pretence OF
good faith and public spirit in opposing Mr..
Hornblower utterly ridiculous. We have poor
opinion Of statesmen who spend their time III
trying to put one another in a hole. but when
one of them finds himself in that uncomfortable
situation we see reason why he should IN
si,t ON pulling Tie hole in after him.