Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-09-12

THE MILK IN THE OOOOANUT.
The white bearded and would be
white headed editor of the Chattanooga
Times, if he were not so cid as to have
no hair on his head, has been protest
ing almost daily against the confirma-
ton of Coy. Porter as Federal Judge
on the pretext that Porter is too old.
We have known all along that this OBJ
lection to Porter was only a pretext,
and in a recent issue the Times lets
the cat out of the box wherein it claims
that the p~retentious and vainglorious
city of Chattanooga is and of right
should forever hold that office in the
person of a Chattanooga lawyer. True,
a Chattanooga lawyer has held the
office since 1880 but the Times incor-
rectly says a Knoxville lawyer held it
prior to that time since 1851. Now, the
facts are G. F. Trigg was not appointed
until in 1852, and could not and did not
hold a court in East Tennessee until,
in the winter of 1868, after the Con-
federates had been driven out of the
country. And then about ten years
before his death Judge Trigg removed
his residence to Bristol so that Knox
vile has not had the Judgeship as long
as Chattanooga by several years. We
think Chattanooga is presumptious if
it assumes that n of its citizens has
an inalienable right to hold that office
for all time as the Chattanooga Times
does. There are quite as good lawyers
in Bristol, Jonesboro, Greeneville, Nor
ristown, Athens, Cleveland, and other
towns of East Tennessee, as in Chat
tanooga and if Porter is not confirmed
we say an able lawyer of one of these
towns should have it and both Chatta.
nooga and Knoxville should have a
rest.
But there is nothing at all in this
objection to Porter's age. He may be
90 or sc buthe Isl man of vigorous con-
stitution, has always been extremely
temperate in his living and 80 taken
care of his naturally vigorous constitu-
ton that he may live to be twenty
years older or to be as old as the veneer.
able editor of the Chattanooga Times
now is.
Caesar was past fifty when he crossed
the Rubicon to display, at a later date,
the most wonderful prodigies of his
genius in the field against Pompey.
Genseric shone in wal when much
older. The Venetian Dandolo com.
manded with distinction the expedition
against Constantinople when 90. Tur'
enne, who was the first general of his
age, was killed in 1875 while in com
mand of the French army at the age
of GA, and his opponent Monticuli, was
still older. Wurmser at 80 gained the
respect of Napoleon for his defense Of
Mantua, and Radetski. another Aus
trian, gained the battle of Novara al
50. The example of Kaiser William
and Won Moltke and Gladstone and
Bismarck and Chief Justice fancy
show that men old enough to be Gov.
Porter's father are fit for duty in the
field, in Parliament and on the Bench,
Finally the septuagenarian who edits
the Chattanooga Times is himself evi
dence that fitness does not depend on
years, but upon genius and strength
and preparation.
The editor of the Times, Colonel Nc
Gowan, was bald headed when he was
Lieutenant Colonel in the Federal
army thirty one years ago, and yet we
would not be surprised if the old sinner
was a vigorous editor twenty years
hence.
We care nothing about Porter but
We detest the hypocrisy of people pre-
tending to object to his confirmation
on the pretext of his being too old o.
that he don't live in the District wher
they are opposed to him ON othel
grounds, such for example as that {
Chattanooga lawyer must be provided
for.