The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-12
Mr.. Peckham an Enemy of Manhood
Suffrage.

The nomination Of Mr.. WHEELER II. PECK
HAM to be Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court OF the United States comes again to-
day before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
1t is the second nomination for that Office
which this committee has had to pass upon
within four weeks. Mr.. HoRNBLowERs
nomination was reported adversely on the
10Th Of last month.
The Empire State has one representative
in tho Senate Judiciary Committee, a Dem
ocrat. DAVID b. HILL. The voters Of New
York, without party restriction or lmita-
ton. expect him to do his full duty in OPP
posing this nomination, because. for pro-
fessional reasons. potent but not personally
discreditable to Mr.. PECKHAM. it Is an unfit
nominations: because it was actuated by
spleen aud resentment on the part of tho
President. aud not by high sense Of tho
responsibilities of public office; because.
politically. 1t was ill-advised: and finally.
because 1t was subversive OF the cOnstitu-
tional prcrogatives OF the peoples repre-
sentativcs in the Senate.
All OF these considerations apart. good
citizens in New York desire their able and
courageous representative in :he Judiciary
Committee to oppose the nomination of Mr..
PECKHAM for another reason. We refer TO
his attitude and utterances on tho question
OF manhood suffrage.
The public record of n candidate for q seat
on the bench OF tho court which interprets
finally the laws OF Congress. is always tit
subject for examination. Mr.. PECKHAM is
known in this community as member Of the
celebrated Committee of Fifty which met
at the Fifth Avenue Hotel several years ago,
and proposed to establish property quail
ilcation for voters. Tho qualification was to
be as follows: To be voter In New York
ON certain questions before tho people.
citizen must be the owner Of real estate
to the assessed value of $500. or must have
paid. for the two years preceding, "a
yearly rent for premises. in said city. OF
not less than $3.50" Citizens not owning
real estate to the assessed value Of $500. and
not paying as much as $50 n month rent.
were to be DISTINGUISHED. They were to be
excluded from some OF the rights OF suf-
frage. The Committee Of Fifty. with Mr..
PECKHAM at its head. was established to
bring about this change in the American
system of voting. He bossed the job, sent
out the CIRCULARS. formulated the plan OF
agitation, and with the cooperation OF SIMON
STERNE, one of Mr.. FAIRCHILD's committee
OF ll3. and f. LAWRENCE GoDKIS. the lone
Mugwump OF Fulton street, east. he super
vised the whole disastrous campaign against
manhood suffrage.
or course, the campaign broke down. or
course, the Committee of Fifty scattered
In forty-nine different directions, leaving
Mr.. PECKHASI the chieftain OF the assault,
at the central starting point. or course.
no more was heard. after 1878. OF this pro-
posed change in the voting law; but Mr..
PECKHAM. an avOwed and persistent sup
porter Of class legislation and suffrage
restriction ever since then-he was Chair
man OF the Peoples Municipal League OF
ls9O-is still on hand. and to-day the Judi
ciary Committee OF tho Senate will con-
slider his qualifications TO be Justice Of
the supreme Court OF the United States.
Fortunately for the people OF New York.
Democrats and Republicans. poor men.
artisans. young men. the common people.
thinking men. patriotic citizens and good
Americans. DAVID b. HILL Is a member OF
that committee. He is the right man in the
right place. IL believe" wrote Senator
HILL. then Governor. To the New York
Legislature on March 81. 1890, lin the main
tenanee Of manhood suffrage; and so long
as l have voice in the administration OF
government l shall never knowingly give
my assent to any bill the effect OF which is
to disfranchise a single honest voter upon
whom the Constitution eOnfers the right OF
suffrage"