The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-26
SUPREME COURT HISTORY.
OF tn g Men Who Have Been Noni-
mated Sixteen Failed of Conf1rma-

ton.
Washington, Feb 25.-President Cleve-
lands strenuous efforts to appoint a sue
cessor to the late Samuel Blatchford as
associate justice of the supreme
court, recalls the similar efforts
of President Grant to appoint a successor
to Salmon p. Chase as Chief Justice
twenty years ago. Each made two nomi-
| nations that failed of confirmation and a
third that was confirmed without diff
Guilty. In each case the Presidents party
was in the majority in the Senate.
Chief Justice Chase died in New York
on May Z 1873. On the first day of the
following December President Grant
nominated George B. Williams, of Ore
gon, an ex-senator and then Attorney
General, to the vacancy. There was in
| slant and widespread objection to the
nomination. Mr.. Williams professional
ability was called In question by his
brethren in the law, and the great bar as
ISOLATION of New York adopted formal reso-
lutions in opposition to his confirmation. A
large number of the principal newspapers
of both political parties condemned the
selection.
Unfortunately for Mr.. Williams his
management of his Office had
involved him in scandal. For
instance, it was charged that
ne Adu DOuRHJ IOF inc use Oh MIS-. w HI
Jams landaulet, and had paid for 1t out
Of the contingent fund of the department
Of justice. He had in consequence been
nicknamed in the public press Landau
let"u Williams.
Moreover, Mrs. Williams was not popu-
lar with the other wives of cabinet Off
GERS, and great many detrimental stories
concerning her were circulated. To some
extent the fight against Williams took
the form nf tslading nlaFrpl -
To illustrate family this phase of the
| contest, the following paragraph is
quoted from the regular correspondence
of New York paper at that time:
Mrs. Williams carriage blocks the
way. Politically and socially that de-
partment laudaulet has been IN the way
OF everybody and of every saloon, and has
used up week of the precious time be-
fore Lent. The ladies of the cabinet had
Nellie Grant after h H.onth of mourning
for Grandpa Dent, buS hopes had been en-
tertained that Mrs. Williams would have
been out of the set before the invitations
were sent out"
AS early as Dec. reports began TO be
circulated that Grant would withdraw
Williams name, but the Gays grew into
! weeks without action. Finally the holt
day adjournment: was had with the nomi-
nation still pending. On Jan. 5, 1874,
| congress having reassem bled Presi-
dent Grant visited the capitol He sent
for the republican members Of the
! judiciary committee, Edmunds, Freling-
huysen, Conkling, Wright and Carpenter,
I ali of whom, except Conkling, were un-
derstOod TO be opposed 10 Williams This
| gave rise TO rumors that Williams would
/ be Withdrawn and Caleb Cushing's name
| be sent In.
On, the morning OF Jan. Hamilton
| Fish. Secretary Of State, called on At
/ torney- General Williams at the latter S
ONCE and represented 20 him that his
| continued candidacy was seriously en-
! barrassing President Grant, and that he
/ (Wuliamsl ought 10 send the President a
note asking him 10 Withdraw his (Will-
/ Jams name from the Senate, .add-
| ing that this was the only way la which
! President Grant and his administration