The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-02-22
The GIT enterprise once msfe.

The Gift Enterprise Once Mere.
WASHINGTON, February 0-The White,
House Gift Enterprise would be much
less Objectionable to the people,and much
less harmful to the country, if its con-
tributors were paid more promptly-if.
the drawings took place more frequent,
ly, and the prizes were awarded with
greater punctuaity. But this thing of
letting it drag its slow course along
through the space of year or more,
and allowing long, dreary months to in-<-
teryene between the donation and the
office, is an intolerable bore-not alone
to the unfortunate contributor, whom it
keeps in the straight jacket of anxious
expectancy, but to the country generally,
whose people are interested more or less I
in the patronage of the Administration,
to the extent of seeing it fitly bestowed.
Who would have thought that Grants
magnificent villa at Long Branch would
come into consideration ut this late dayFf
to decide the claims of rival candidates
for the vacant seat on the Supreme
bench? Yet it has done So The de-
cision has been made in favor of the
gentleman who was conspicuous in get
ting up that donation.
BRADLEY.
The Hon. Mr.. Bradley was the frs. to /.
conceive the brilliant idea of making
General Grant summer citizen Of New
Jersey; and the first to suggest the sub
stantial gift which has since accomplishs 4
cd that great purpose. Months have {
rolled around since that time-months x
of anxiety not unmixed with doubt aud I
fear to Mr. Bradley. The star of hope {
has burned dim at times, and, perhaps,
he has often wished his labor and his Z
money back But now he has his re,
ward. He feels that the investment was
a good one. gr
On tue day before the nomination of
Mr.. Bradley / met a Republican Senator
who had just been visiting the White
House to urge the claims of another
candidate. He seemed in an unusually
bad humor, and before had said word
to him about Grant or the Administrars
ton he commenced apromiscuous damn
ing of things in general. / asked him
what was the matter. "Oh, nothing"
said he, "onlv / wish Grant would pay
off his debts some other way than by
nominations to the Supreme bench. ~
He then proceeded to state that when he
entered the Presidents private room he
found Ex-Governor Ward, of New Jer-
sey, there; that Grant was whiting az
stick and slnoking,an that he and Ward
were talking about that Long Branch
property /; that Grant had asked Ward
how much he thought it was worth thats
Ward said he didn't know, but he hoped
Grant wouldn't sell it. "No,' said Grant
81 don't think l will sell it. It's very
nice piece of property" "The incest
in the State of New jersey" said Ward,
''and you'd better hold on to it. It's
getting better and better every day" ~
couldn't exactly understand what all
this had to do with the Supreme Bench,
for up to this time had not heard
Mr. Bradley named--so l asked what
the connection was. 'sOh, it has d--n
sight to do with it. said the exasperated
Radical "Ward has come on here to
Set bradley, OF New Jersey, apponteus
and infer from the way.they were talk +
ing that he has succeeded, eva,
The next day Bradley's nominations
was sent to the Senate, and meeting my !.
Republican friend in the Senate lobby
reminded him of our talk on the avenue,
and said he was right in his guess about I:
| the object and success of Wards visit.
l.'Of course / was" said he, ssand / wish
you'd expose the thing "I'll do it said
/, s.but it won't do any good. One-half
of the people in the Republican party :;
have determined to believe nothing in
furious to Grant, and the other half ares
always ready to be persuaded that what
would be a crime in another President is
virtue in Grant. However said Il
"I'll make paragraph about it." And
so have MACK IN the Enquirer.