The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-12
PECKHAM'S PROSPECTS.
The Chances That He Will Be Con-
firmed Improving.

al4A Bull Conndent, but others are
Not They Don't Like to Follow
Hill-A State Rights Man Needed.
Tariff in the Senate.
Washington, Feb. lit looks now as
If there is more probability of the con-
tirmatlon of Mr.. Peckham's nomination
than there was of Hornblower's Mr..
Peckham appears TO be more
suitable man for the place. The investi-
CATION which the senators have been maxi
ing into his character, standing and legal
attainments, has apparently made bet
ter impression on them than did a similar
investigation concerning Mr. Hornblower.
HILLS CONFIDENCE.
Senator Hill still maintains an air Of
perfect confidence in his ability to defeat
the nomination. He believed it from the
start, and he has never wayered from
the belief. OF course he does not
talk directly about IT, That would
not be in accord with the shrewd
ability for maintaining reticence, with
which the willy senator is credited. Hill
knows many things, and knows them
well; and among them, he knows how
mot to talk" And yet, while he avoids
saying so directly, he evidently is satis-
fed that Mr.. Peckham's head is fated to
tumble into the basket, into which the
unfortunate head of Mr. Hornblower
rolled not long since.
TIRED OF FOLLOWING HILL.
But to those who can take a more dis
interested view of the matter than MIR.
Hill, there does not appear to be so much
ground for his confidence. II is APP
parent that some OF the senator's
are getting tired Of being placed in
rho atfituHp pf fpi1pt-fp,r "a
senator from New York. These gentle
men are not Mr.. Hills followers; hut their
accord with him in voting against
the confirmation of Hornblower placed
them in the attitude Of following his lead.
The imputation that they did, or would,
do so was an unjust one; but If now they
were TO join with him in voting against
Peckham, they feel that they would give
the color of truth to the accusation. They
would not vote for Peckham Just TO avoid
the charge of following Hill, but their re-
luctance TO laying themselves open TO that
charge will cause them TO investigate very
fully, and convince themselves beyond
doubt that Peckham ought TO be rejected,
before they will consent TO vote against
him.
SOME REGRETS.
1t is regretted by some-and among
them are friends of the Presdent-that
he did not select for the vacancy on the
supreme bench some lawyer who does not
lean towards Capitalization of the govern
ment. The construction of the constitu-
tion--a matter which must necessarily
come before the supreme court and be
settled by It's of incalculable mot to
say vitaD Importance TO the country. The
strength Of the court, as at present con-
stituted, is against that construction Of
the constitution which has always been
held to be the true one by the Democratic
party, and by the south especially. The
old question Of state rights" as against
the rights and powers of the federal gov
ernment will not down at any bidding.
IL is "A live question and probably always
will be- There will always be a possi-
bility Of the federal government treneh-
ing on the rights of the states, and that
will always be resisted as sure as fate.
TIRE LAST TRIBUNAL.
The last tribunal before which all such
contentious must come, is the supreme
court How important IL is then. to all
who favor state rights, that the court
should be so composed as to guarantee an
impartial consideration of all such ques-
tions. The south has no representative
on the supreme bench. Justice Jackson
is from Tennessee, bot, so far as his con-
struction Of the federal constitution is
concerned he might as well be from New
Hampshire. He says OF himself that he is
a "Hamiltonian democrat" That sort Of
of Observation-Disclosures it may be-
ought not TO pretend to represent democ-
racy in the supreme court of the United
States. The appointment of Secretary
Carlisle or Senator Gray, Of Delaware, or
ex-Congressman John Randolph Tucker,
of Virginia, would be hailed with delight.
TARIFF IN THE SENATE.
Demonstrations as to the course Of the
Senate on the tariff bill, vary somewhat.
The general belief is that efforts TO delay
the bill unduly, will not be successful,
and may not be attempted. The Senate
is coming to its senses, to some degree at
least, in regard to the policy Of almost
eternal delay, which has heretofore pre-
vailed there. That intensely and i'm.
mensely august body is beginning to feel
the influence of the expeditions methods
that prevail in the House. The country
at large is applauding the House for GO
ing ahead and doing what it wants TO do,
in a cOmmOn-sense, business like
way. Commendation of the House,
in this particular, Is condem-
nation Of the Senate; and the latter body,
though its epidermis is thick and tough,
has felt the keen rebuke Of disguised
public sentiment The public is tired;
the Senate knows it, and the Senate will
probably put in some of its most expedi-
tious work on the tariff bill, and have il
DasSed early In March