Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-03
A N e w J u S tt @ E
Rufus W. Peckham Nominated to the Su-
preme Bench by the President
The General Impression Seems to BE
That Senator Hill Will Not OPP
pose Confirmation.

| Peckham of New York to be associate JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of the United
| States.
Also the following recess nominations:
Richard Olney of Massa chusetts, to be Sec
retary of State; Judson Harmon of Ohio, to
| be Attorney General
Senator Hill Believed to Be Satisfied.
Rufus Peckham is a resident of Albany
and judge of the court of appeals of New
| York. His name has been mentioned fire.
quently for the office to which he was nomi-
mated today. 1t is believed his nomination
will be satisfactory to Senator Hill, whose
| opposition was successful in preventing the
| confirmation of Messrs. Hornblower and
Wheeler Peckham, the two New Workers
| whose names were sent in by President
Cleveland for the Supreme Court justiceship
| now held by Justice White of Louisiana.
| Senator Hill on several occasions has spoken
| very highly of the lew nominee. The nomi-
| nation will go first to the Senate judiciary
| committee which always scrutinizes closely
the record of persons named for the Supreme
Court BENCH but, in view of the hi gh reputa-
! ton of Judge Peckham, it is believed con-
| firmation will follow as speedily con-
sistent with the Importance of the office.
No Doubt of His Confirmation.
The nomination of Judge Peckham was
| received simultaneously with the Presi-
dents message. Senators on both sides of
| the chamber, so far seen, expressed
| themselves as highly pleased with the
| appointment, and in instance was
| any doubt expressed as to his con-
frmation. Senator Hill of New York
was not present in the Senate, but he
expressed himself so favorably. to Judge
| Rufus w. Peckham when engaged in max
| ing his campaign against his brother,
Wheeler H. Peckham, that it is generally
| believed he will accept the nomination
| without cavil and even with satisfaction.
| Senator Murphy of New York pronounced
| the selection as equal to the very best that
could be made and said there could be no
| doubt of speedy confirmation. When asked
| how he thought Senator Hill would receive
! it. he replied that he did not believe that
| his colleague could or would make any op-
| position TO confirmation. Senator Murphy
| also stated that it was his understanding
| that the nomination had been rendered
| without solicitation on the part of Judge
| Peckham's frields, and that the appoint
ment was made because of the Presidents
personal knowledge of the judges fitness
| for the place.
What the Judges Say.
The judges of the United States Supreme
| Court We're early in the day informed of
| the nomination, and it is understood that
| they expressed satisfactio over the selec-
| tion Judge Peckham is known to the
members of the court through his decisions
| and is highly esteemed in that quarter He
| appeared before the court on several occa-
| slonS before his elevation to the bench, and
although then comparatively young man,
| he is still remembered for his thorough and
| effective manner of presenting his cases.
Mr.. Hill and the Administrations.
When Wheeler Peckham's nomination
was rejected through the efforts of the
| New York Senators, Mr.. Hill said that if
| it had been Rufus whose name had been
| presented there would have been no OBJ
| lection TO his confirmation In the nom-
| ination this time the wishes of Mr.. Hill
| have been considered. 1t is regarded as an
indication that the advances made by Mr..
Hill toward the establishment of amia ble
relations with-the administration have
been appreciated. The basis of this great
| er cordlality is found in the fact that Mr..
| Hill is most earnest champion of Mr.
Cleveland's proposition to retire the green
backs. Mr.. Hill has been urging that the
| administration should be encouraged to
| press this question and to make a party
| issue of it If the republican Congress failed
to at once comply with Mr.. CleVelaEdS S
recommendations. The assistance of Mr..
| Hill in the Senate is desired by Mr.. CleVe
| land, and the nomination of Rufus Peck
| ham avoids any conflict on the side issue Of
appointments.
The Contest in the Last Congress.
Senator Pugh, chairman of the commit
| tee judiciary, has announced his pur-
| pose to call meeting of the committee for
next Monday for the purpose of consider
| ing Judge Peckham's nomination. The
nomination of Judge Peckham naturally
revived recollection of the contest during
| the last Congress over the nominations of
| Mr.. W. 3. Hornblower and Mr.. W. H.
| Peckham for the seat on the Supreme
bench made vacant in the summer of
Inv ha 2.afh nf lot nd
| in which Senator Hill led the fight against
confirmation. his contest began with the
nomination of Mr. Hornblower during the
extra session of the Fifty-third Congress
| and ended when the President sent the
name of Senator White of Louisiana to
| the Senate five months later.
Mr.. HornbiowerS name was first sent in on
September IL, and the special session ad-
| journed without taking action. When the
| first regular session of the Congress began
| the President promptly renewed the nomi-
nation.
| The nomination was held Up in commit
| tee for over month, and was reported to
! the Senate with ar adverse recommenda-
| ton on January s.
| Rejection followed on the 18th of that
| month after several long executive ses-
sionS of the Senate. in which the merits of
| the appointment, pro and con Were gener-
| ally rehearsed, the majority against con-
hrmation being SIX votes.
w. ii. Peckhum's Nomination.
Mr.. W. H. Peckhams nomination follow
ell on January %, and was received by Sen
ator Hill and those who stood with him
with even more aversion than was the
| Hornblower tmination. The nomination
| in this instance was reported on February
| Il, and was rejected by decisive vote
| on the 10th of that month. When the
name of Senator White of Louisiana was
received, on February 10, the selection WIS
| rec eived as a happy solution of the veXed
problem. The Senate Immediately went
into executive session, and, without re-
ferrirg the nomination, forthwith confirm
| ed it by unanimous vote.
Through this contention between the Sen
| ate and the President, and because of the
| long illness and subsequent decease of
Justice Jackson, the Supreme Court has
| nemt ers since Justice Blatchford's death
| The court has naturally been much Grip
! pied by these untoward circumstances es-
| pecially in the consideration of constitu-