The Washington herald., 1915-01-15
HISTORY BUILDERS.
How One of the Presidents Nominees
Was Rejected.
Written Expressly for The Washington Herald)
By DIR. Z. J. EDWARDS.

BY DIR. Z. j. EDWARDS.
The late William B. Hornblower. who
died a few months ago in the first year
of his service as associate justice OF the
highest court of New York State, lived
long enough to realize an honorable am
bition which he long cherished OF serving
upon the bench OF a court of final juris-
dictIon. He was appointed associate JUS
tice of the court of appeals Of New York
State and had qualified for this service
only a short time before mortal illness
seized him.
Judge Hornblower was one Of the most
interesting and, from one point Of view
influential personalities at the New York
bar He was a small man, considerably
under medium height and OF slender
build, but his gift for public speaking
was so great that after he had begun 10
address an audience his hearers forgot
his size Personally. he was very COM
panionable and also a very unassuming
man, and he lived so modestly that there
was some astonishment expressed by his
colleagues at the bar that II should have
been found that he left an estate OF a
little under a million dollars, presumably
all of il having been accumulated by
professional service of forty years.
President Cleveland nominated Mr..
Hornblower as associate justice Of the
Supreme Court AT W NdSnlHslOU ~ III .
vacancy The nomination was rejected
by the Senate. principally because David
B. Hill, who had been governor Of New
York. and who was then a member OF the
Senate, objected to it, What was called
Senatorial courtesy prevailed In the Sen
ate. so that, as Senator Hill objected.
the Senators supported him In this posi-
ton.
Three or four years ago l spent an aft
ernoon with Judge HornblOwer and he
referred to the fact that he had failed
to reach the Supreme Court bench. but
his reference was without the slightest
hint of disappointment or of resentment,
and he spoke in a kindly manner Of Sena-
tor HILL He said: There Is bit Of un-
written history about my nomination as
Justice Of the Supreme Court which 1t
will do no harm now to tell you. Hill
did not oppose me personally. He rather
liked me, but / was the leader Of the
movement In New York State to discredit
him as the candidate of the Democracy
of New York for the Presidential nomi-
nation in 1892. Possibly Hill would have
been nominated but for the organization
We created. One hing Cratif1ed me
greatly. and that was the knowledge that
such able lawyers as Senator Hoar, OF
Massachusetts and others of the judiCi-
airy committee warmly approved Of my
nomination as justice of the Supreme
Court.
well. the Senate rejected my nomina-
ton. Mr.. Cleveland, you know, was
very determined and persistent man. He
did not believe that nomination should
be rejected for any other reason than
that the Senate was persuaded that the
nominee was not qualified either by char
acter or capacity for the office. He was
indignant when he thought that 1 had
been defeated for the Supreme Court
bench because of a factional difference
in our party in New York State. He sent
for me and said: 'Hornblower. I'm going
to send your name back to the Senate
after the recess, and I'm going to keep
il there until they give some other reason
for rejecting your appointment than the
fact that you had a political difference
with Senator Hill home years ago. He
struck the table with his fist as he said
this, but / told him that l did not feel
justified in consenting to my renomina-
ton for justice of the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Cleveland was certain that II he per-
sisted l would ultimately be confirmed,
and it was only on my urgent request
that he no longer give my name any fur
ther consideration that he at last con-
sented. He filled the vacancy by ulti-
mately nominating Senator White, of
Louisiana, now Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court"
Copyright Iol5. BY DR.. z. ]. Edwards All rights
ReSeTyedD