The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-02-23
J%sH%%} BRADFORD VERMONT, FEBRUARY 23, 1894.
GENERAL SURPRISE
Supreme Bench Vacancy Filled
by White Of Louisiana.

Confirmation Quickly Follows the APP
pointment-A Brief Sketch of the Mar
Who Has Been So Highly Honored.
WAsHINGToN, Feb. 20-The president
sent to the senate yesterday the nomina
tion of Senator White of Louisiana fol
justice of the United States supreme
court In executive session the nomina.
tion was promptly confirmed, without de
bate and without reference to committee
and the president was at once notified OF
the action taken.
There was no show of opposition, and
the vote was unanimously and heartily
in favor of confirmation.
The proceedings prior to the casting oil
the vote consisted entirely of the deliver
ing of eulogistic speeches by members OF
the senate Judiciary committee and by
Senator Caffery There were two speeches
by Democratic members of the committee
and two by Republican mem bers, Sen
ators Pugh and Hill speaking for the
Democratic side, and Senators Hoar and
Teller for the Republican.
How Hill Felt About 1t.
Senator Hill, in supporting the nomina
tion, referred to Senator Whites fitness
but expressed regret that the president
had been unable to make a suitable selec-
tion from among the hundreds of com.
petent jurors and able jurists in New
York state, whose nomination would have
provoked no opposition.
Mr. Hill continued: "It may be as
uto1 80 o% 1a4 nI, lf
the 40 judges of the supreme court OF
New York state, or any one of the present
federal judges there residing, would have
been acceptable to the senate had the
president, in his wisdom, seen fit to honor
any OF them with the nomination. There
is no dispute upon this point, but the
presidents choice in my opinion, seemed
TO have been limited to a select few, for
reasons best known to himself
Il believe that the state of New York
s.yqs e,,titled to the judgeship, and had
1 lsas ssffat0rs from that state been con.
suited, as they properly should have been
and as courtesy and usage required, a
satisfactory selection from the numerous
eminent mem bers of the bar of my state
could easily have been made.
"You well know that the senators from
New York had no candidates of their
own. Their action was not influenced by
disappointment They pressed no favor
ties upon the attention of the appointing
power, but whatever action they took was
impelled by their self-respect and their
loyalty to the peoples interest whom they
represented, aud to the regular Demo
cratic organizas.o to which they be-
longed"
Mr.. Hill concluded by saying that while
this appointment might be considered a
slight to New York or a reflection ON its
distinguished Judiciary, the senator's
could congratulate themselves that so ad-
mirable a selection had been made.
Sketch of His Life.
Hon. Edward Douglass White, who sue
ceeded Hon. James b. Eustis as United
States senator from Louisiana, was born
on his fathers plantation in the parish OF
La Fourche. about A years ago.
He was elected state senator for four
years in 1874, serving during the trouble
some times leading to the final settlement
of the Louisiana complication in 1877 dur
ing President Hayes administration.
In 1878 he was appointed by Governor
Nichols as associate justice of the SUI
preme court of Louisiana, which position
he occupied until the adoption of a new
constitution creating a new court.
In politics Judge White has always
been conservative Democrat; he is a
lawyer in full practice in the city of New
Orleans and a sugar planter.