St. Paul daily globe., 1894-01-24

INC OOuIIil COiIAulttCo tHGGtS tiliS dllSf-
noon, they might consider that branch
OF the question also.
There is considerable fifteen-dollar
richness yet to be developed. and today
is about the last opportunity the COM
mittee will have prior to the reaSsem-
bling OF the grand jury.
THE SUPREME COURT JUD GE-
SHIP.
1t is generally conceded by the press
that the nomination by President Cleve-
land of Wheeler ii. Peckham to be a
justice of the supreme co urt is an ex-
cellent one, for Mr.. Peckham is known
as an able lawyer, man of uDeXcep-
tionable moral character, and every way
fitted to adorn the bench. 1t is also adj.
mItted that he Is far more obnoxious to
Senators Hill and Murphy and the Tam
many crowd than Mr.. Hornblower, for
he was not only one Of the chief prose-
cutors of the 1ammany gang under the
Tweed regime, but was prominent in
the "anti-snapper" NOV ement that pre-
ceded the last Democratic national con-
Ventlon, and d delegate Of the Syracuse
convention to the national gathering.
He was active with ex-Seeretary Will
lam q. Whitney in bringing about the
combinations that resulted in the dis
comfiture of Hill and the triumph of
Cleveland.
The question now arises, will Sem
ators Hill and Murphy succeed in con-
ylnclng the senate that Mr.. Peckham is
an unfit man for the Office for which he
has been named, or that they are enti-
tied second time to that traditional
courtesy OF senators towards each other
which, III many instances of recent oc-..
curIence, has been diScourteSy to the
president and TO the people at large?
LII may be that the president purposeiy
chose Mr.. P5ckham because or the fact
that he was obnoxious to the New York
senators, taking gUod care at the same
time that he Was lifted for the place. 1t
may be that lie wished to give the SEN
ate an object lesson OF the results of
their own absurd usage. it may be- than
ne desires 10 force an issue along these
lines. If so. he could not have done
better. And perhaps it is we'll that this
Issue should be Settled. 1t Will become
all issue sooner Or later, and the sooner
the better.
The provision that the president shall
appoint officers, judicial and other, by
and with the consent of the senate, was
wisely designed to prevent the installa-
ton of unworthy men in offices of trust
and responsibility. The president might
be deceived as to the character OF one
whom he might appoint. but it was
argued that slight delay or impedi-
ment to his taking immediate posses.
sion OF the office would result in more
thorough inquiry into his character and
fitness, and perhaps benefit the public
interest by frustrating unworthy ambi-
tlonS. The senate usage in deferring to
the wishes of the senators from the
states from which the appointee might
hail originally had the same purpose in
view. 1t was supposed that such sem
atorS would have a more intimate per-
sonal knowledge of appointeeS from
their own localities, and would, there
fore, be better qualified to judge of their
fitness. This usage has of late years
come to have the potency of law, and no
one has presumed to question the right
of the senators from any given state to
dictate the confirmation or rejection of
nominees whose residence was within
their own commonwealth.
In case like the present, however
the custom would be more honored In
the breach than the observance. A
justice of the supreme court is
not local officer, and no local
prejudices or considerations should
be permitted to influence either the
president or the senate. The causes he
may be called upon to determine con-
Germ the people of one state as much as
they do the people of another state. If
Mr.. Peckham shall be confirmed. he
may never be called upon to decide a
cause in which resident of New York
may be interested, while he may have
placed in his hands a cause of vital i'm
portance to the whole people in the
state of Minnesota, or Illinois. OF Ken
lucky. 1t would be as sensible to per-
nit the senators from either of those
states to dictate the rejection or con-
| firmation of MIR. Peckhan as it is to give
that privilege TO the senators from the
Empire state.
1t is about time that check were
placed upon the exercise of senatorial |
privilege in matters of this sort, and
| perhaps President Cleveland is right in
| forcing the issue. 1t is to be regretted,
however, that political rivalrles and
| personal animosites should be allowed
to interfere with the public good. The
| president. while perhaps not altogether
blameless in this matter, was not re-
| sponSible for the Inauguration of this
unfortunate dispute He was called
upon to fill vacancy in the supreme
| court caused by death. He found a man
IN Mr.. Hornblower who. in addition to
being eminently qualifiad for the posi-
ton, was his personal and political
friend, and, under the circumstances,
must have been the adversary of Sen
ator Hill, for no man could be friendly
to both. Mr.. Hornblower was rejected
at the instance of Senator Hill. Mr..
Cleveland sought another man. He
found another proper person in Mr..
Peckham. a personal and political inti-
y