The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-21
Cleveland. Contempt for New York.

The appointment OF Nr. EDWARD DoUo-
LASS WHITE Of Louisiana to be an Associate
Justice Of the Supreme Court would have
been proper enough IL the vacancy % be
filed had existed In the Fifth Judicial Cir
cult. which comprises the States Of Georgia.
Florida. Alabama, Mississippi. Louisiana.
and Texas. However. as an appointment
70 I'LL the place Of the late Judge BLATcH-
FoRD. In the Second Circuit. which COM
prises the States Of New York. Connecticut.
and Vermont. IL is most unfit.
The President. in making such a selec-
ton. has again manifested his disregard.
not TO cay his contempt. for the bar Of the
State OF New York. Of which he himself Is q
member.
At that bar are the most distinguished
lawyers In the country.
On the New York bench. also. are many
eminent and able Judges. No court In the
English speaking world. not even except
ing tho Supreme Court OF the United States
itseli. stands higher as an authority In
cases Of commercial law than our Court Of
Appeals; and one Of the foremost members
Of that court has long been a personal
friend OF Mr.. CLEVELAND.
The President, however. has seen At to
ignore these facts. and go to New Orleans
70 find Judge for New York.
And why? Because. forsooth. the Senate
would not confirm one New Yorker who was
too little known. and another New Yorker
whose temperament was too well known.
Did this constitute any valid reason why
the appointment should not be given to
that part OF the country which was end is
entitled to IL Could anything be smaller
or meaner than the spirit Of revenge shown
by this contemptuous treatment Of the legal
profession In tho Presidents own StaJe
We think not.
Or. II IL be suggested that Vermont ard
Connecticut are also In this circuit, and
have claims. rs well as New York. to h.
represented in the Supreme Court at Wash
ingtoD. Why did not Mr.. CLEVELAND nomi-
nate an Associate Justice from one Of those
Statesf He was not even bound to appoint
Q Democrat The last appointment which
President HARRISON made to the Supreme
Court was that OF Mr.. Justice JACKSON Of
Tennessee. who was not Republican.
Mr.. Justice WHITE has had the advantage
OF some years experience as a member Of
the Supreme Court OF Louisiana In that
State the civil or Roman law prevails in
bteau OF the common law OF EDRlanu.
which Is the basis Of the Jurisprudence OF
the rest OF the Union. II is not probable
that the new Judge knows anything prac-
tically about the system Of law which he
will be called upon to administer when he
has TO hold court In this circuit.
Mr.. CLEVELAND had his first opportunity
10 honor the bar Of New York In appointing
. Chief Justice Of the United States to sue
eeed MORRISON X. WAITE. The head OF the
Supreme Court has always been selected
irrespective Of geographical considerations.
Therefore no reason existed why a New
Yorker should not be chosen. and there were
strong reasons the other way. The Presi-
dent paid no attention TO them. but appoint
cd q harmless and handsome gentleman
from Illinois. Now. for the second time. he
has done likewise. except that he has
gone to another State. and has probably
selected stronger man.
However this may lie. Mr.. CLEVELAND
thus continues to evince his contempt for
his own profession In his own State. He
has won no victory over Senator HILL. He
has simply run away from him as far as he
could get yea. even 70 the mouths Of the
Mississippi.