Year: 1873

The domination for Chief Justiceship.
Our Washington dispatches inform us that
President Grant yesterday sent to the Senate
the nomination Of Attorney General Williams,
OF the present Cabinet, as Chief Justice OF
the United States. As the Senate is at
present constituted, having an administra-
ton majority which can be counted on
Tor confirming anything the administration
DESIRES this nomination is virtually an ap-
pointment The President has waited many
months before coming to this conclusion,
and no one who wishes the President well can
rejoice III the nomination. Mr.. Williams is
SO new q man that he must wear the honor
that has descended ON his shoulders some time
before any one can tell whether he is likely to
adorn the position or not The ono thing
certain about him is that he has managed to
fill some conspicuous party positions without
any trace Of greatness being apparent As
Western politician he was first heard of, and
then as an obedient Senator he appeared at
the national capital. This position he lost in
Che course Of time. President Grant now
found him, and he appeared in the Joint High
Commission, but left no mark OF consequence,
and when he was preparing to vegetate the
President made him Attorney General.
To-day this successful partisan, who must
wonder at his great luck. finds the diadem of
the American Bar at his feet. What he has
done for his party except obey it; what
ability ne has shown as lawyer, except in
fastening to justify questionable party acts;
what he has accomplished in life, except drift
on politics into success, are things he will
ask himself without hope of giving
very satisfactory reply. We have
condemned the plan which would make
such towering national position as the Chief
Justiceship thing of mere party spoil or
party bargaining. This appointment unhap
PLY exhibits the greatest Office in the Presi-
dents gift as flung in the basket whence coun-
try postmasterships and obscure foreign con-
sulates are drawn as party pay 1t is not
even given to a great partisan, but seems
shuffled out as part of bargain which will
give another appointment to some needy
being among the followers of the powers that
be. The President cannot think that
- P'''Sa'o O'SA Ah@"ysAS AAaS
Evarts, Curtis, OConor and Gushing he has
done respectful thing to the intelligence of
the nation. At least score of other names
high in legal honor might be mentioned,
whose fitness in every respect for the position
would have been manifest to the world. Only
out Of abject flattery could it be said that the
name of Mr. Williams. of Oregon would be
found among such. England rewarded her
unsuccessful lawyer in the Geneva arbitra-
ton, Sir Roundell Palmer, with the Lord Chan
ceIlorship; America sights her successful
lawyer in the same high court by giving the
appointment Of the Chief Justice to a man
whose fitness has no test beyond steady Ser
vice to political party. Had Mr.. Curtis been
appointed the nation would have gained per
feet Chief Justice; and the passing over of
any individual could not have excited any
well founded antagonistic criticism. The
nomination, as it stands. is realization of
almost the worst that could befall this great
Office.