The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-21

noon the president sent 10 the senate the
nomination Of Senator Edward B. White
Of Louisiana to be an associate Justice
Of the United States supreme court to
fiji the vacancy caused by the death OF
Justice Blatchford.
The senate had hardly had time TO re-
cover from the surprise which the nomi-
nation of Senator White occasioned when
his confirmation was announced. While
months had been spent i'm consideration
of AIessrs. Horublower and Pcckham and
much time devoted To- them by the SEN
ate committee ON judiciary the name Of
Mr. White was not UefCrrcd 20 the COM
mittce at an, and in less than an hour
after the nomination had been received
the senate had PLACED its seal of appro-
val upon the selection, had robbed itself
of an esteemed member and had given
the supreme court the one man neces-
sary To- make fun bench.
The nomination was received through
Private Secretary Pruden about twenty
minutes before 3 o'clock while Senator
p2ciel was engaged I'm speech ON the
Hawaiian question. He Immediately an
nounced his willingness to suspend, and
upon his doing so Mr.. Caffery moved
an executive session.
Occasion had never before arisen for
passing upon the fitness of a senator for
the Office os supreme judge, but there
had been many instances in which sena-
tors had been appointed to other places,
and il has become the custom. not un-
broken, however. TO confirm without ref
erence to committee. IT was believed on
all hands that the precedent would be
followed in this instance. Such proved
to be the case. The senate had been sit
ting behind closed doors less than half
an hour when it became known that
the motion TO confirm without reference
had carried without opposition.
Unanimously Confirmed.
The vote was unanimously and heart
ny in favor Of confirmation. The pro-
ceedings prio- 10 the casting Of the vote
consisted entirely of the delivering Of
eulogistic speeches by members of the
senate judiciary committee and Senator
Caffery. There were two speeches by
democratic members Of the committee
and two by republican members. Senators
Pugh and Hin speaking for the demo-
cratic side and Senators Hoar and Tel
Ter for the republicans. All the speeches
We're laudatory and congratulatory, both
10 the president and to MIR. White. and
the tenor Of all that was said indicated
a general feeling Of relief that the selec-
tion had proved to be one 10 render it no
longer necessary to continue the con-
test, which has been a somewhat dis
tracing feature for the past three or
four months. The senate even felt so
it decided to remove the injunction OF
secrecy and the newspapers were noti-
fled that they Were at liberty 10 pub
Iish the details of the proceedings
While the senate acted promptly and
without hesitation upon the nomination,
il IS sti1 a fact that IL was great sur
prise at the capitol.
The president sent for Senator White
and his colleague, Senator Caffery. last
night. and upon their arrival at the
white house made known the purpose of
his invitation for a conference Mr.
White while expressing "a deep sense of
obligation was much surprised and was
doubtful as To whether he should accept.
He asked the president for time 10
consider, and although he and his col
league remained with the president until
late At night ne left without giving mis-
assent. This morning when he and Mr.
Caffery again called at the executive
mansion he was still unable To say posi-
lively that he preferred the office to that
Of senator and il was not until the last
minute before his departure that he gave
his assent
The belief is strong in the Louisiana
delegation in congress that ReDresept-
ative Blanchard will be appointed bv
Governor Fost-r as senator to nU the nm
expired term Of Senator White without
exception Representatives and prominent
| officials i'm this city interviewed upon the
subject express entire satisfaction with
the presidents selection.
Youngest Member of the Court
Edward Douglass White will take his
seat on the supreme bench as the young
est Of the justices. and with the excep-
tion Of Justices Field and Harlan he win
have entered At an earlier period i'm life
than any other justice and will have the
exceptionally long term of twenty-one
years TO serve before retirement.
He was born i'm the parish Of Ia
Fourche. Louisiana, and was forty-eight
years Of age last November He was
educated at Mount St. Mary's. near
Emmettsburg Md. at the Jesuit
college I'm New Orleans and finally
at Georgetown college. District Of
Columbia He entered the confederate
army and after the war was admitted
to the bar by the Louisiana supreme
court and practiced his profession dur
ing the troubled years following the re-
construction period. In 1874 he began his
political experience as a state senator
Lapsing into the law again he became
associate justice OF the supreme court
OF Louisiana in 1878, but again turned to