I thought before
the vote was taken it was my duty to tell him I had changed
my mind. So I went round to his seat and told him. Nobody
else knew my purpose till I voted.
I had no political sympathy with Senator Hill, still less
with the claim often imputed to the Senate by writers of
newspapers, but of which I have never seen the slightest
evidence, that Senators have the right to dictate such appointments.
But I thought Mr. Cleveland ought not to have made such an
appointment without consulting Mr. Hill, who was a lawyer
of eminence and knew the sentiment of the majority of the
Democratic Party. Mr. Cleveland had nominated in succession
two persons to an office which ought to be absolutely non-
partisan, who belonged to a very small company of men devoted
to his personal fortunes, who had bitterly attacked Mr. Hill.
I should not, however, have deemed this objection sufficient
to justify a vote against Mr. Peckham, but for the fact that
I became satisfied he was a man of strong prejudices, with
little of the judicial temper or quality about him, and quite
likely to break down under the strain of heavy responsibility.
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