The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-08-29
VOLUME 24-NUMBER 46

z have rescued the country from the ia
Iredations o. his followers would IN
, deed have been sufficient condemua
ton. But make the COMPARISON wit
the best OF former administrations
and the mOials Of Geu. Grants ofi
> cial selections viii not suffer TIA
business OF the various DEPARTMENT
at home and abroad, with not NOR
than the usual exceptions has beel
conducted with integrity, prompt
ness and skill. The postal servic
has been performed with regularity
and economy, and with continual i'm
prOvemeut. The reveuuts have beet
diligently collected and faithfully ae
counted for. The military and naya
service has been conducted without
extravaganza. The Indian policy ha.
been great Improvements in the direc,
ton of benevOlence and justice, ans
has saved the country from the dis
grace and expenditures Of war. OW
diplomacy, in spite Of every threat
ened miscarriage, has eliminated in
the greatest example Of peaceful settle
ments OF difiicult international con-
trOveTsieS by arbitration the world
has ever seen. There have been few
er jobs aud less embeZZlement than
during any administration since the
days Of Jackson, having relation To
the difference ia the circumstances of
the country. SOS.
I That he has made mistakes, no one
will deny. He has not always selec-
ted the best who were to be had, and
has in some instances made appoint
ments Of those who were positively
unfit and unworthy; sometimes, per-
haps, through errors of Judgment on
his own part, and Oftener, most like
ly, through the perniciOus influeno Q
of impOrtunate aud greedy Congress-
men.
In the appointment Of several to
Important stations because they were
his relatives, and in suffering him
self in others To be influenced by ir-
resistible persons because they were
Of his own family; and in accepting
pecuniary presents, when, if not Pres
ident, IL was expected he would be, he
has, i regret TO be constrained to saw.
not set the nOst elevated example,
and has offended against what seems
to me 10 be n correct, though sensitive,
public taste; though the detriment TO
the public servic, from these instan-
ces, II any has occurred, l think has
been greatly exaggerated tO his pre-
judice. The general conduct of his
administration, so far as his exeeu-
tive duties have been involved, in
my estimation, has been personally
pure, and characterized in the main
L am obliged to make one exception,
in Aha naua of Con n,e,,f
can not defend-by a regard for the
Constitution and the law, by wisdom,
prudence, and conscientious desire
to promote the public interest. He is
neither King StOrk, as Mr.. Sumner
would have Us believe, nor the King
Log, painted by Mr.. Sehurz; neither
a Cesar nor Sardanapalus.
SKETCH OF \ GREELEY ADMINISTRA-
TION.
And now, what have we on the
other hand? The Democratic party
in the disguise Of Greeley and Brown
and the Cincinnati platform
''rhe voice is Jacobs voice, but the
hands are the hands of Esau."
And what is the mess of postage
for which we are asked to sell our
birthright?
What rational expectation of any
reform in the public service is to be
found in the success of this unnatural
aud uuprincipled coalition? Let ev-
cry citizen pause and reflect and au-
swer for himself that question.
The Democratic party, we may be
assured, has changed, not in its na-
ture, but its situation. If it succeeds
in eleeting Mr.. Greeley 10 the presi-
dency, it is upon the understood con-
ditiOn that, as heretofore in similar
cases, he will bestOw the offices OF the
Federal government at Washington,
New York, AMI all the country over,
as rewards to those who have eff
ciently aided in his elevation, or to
the friends Of those who have that
claim upon him. We shall see at
Washington, as we have seen in
times past, the same disgraceful
scenes, Of crowds of Office seekers, be-
sieging the White House and every
head Of a department, to turn out the
incumbent in every subordinate posi-
45.sss--tss-- FtsstiSe- room Tor a Greeley
Democrat. We shall see the same
recommendations from politicians Of
every AeEeIEEf bL1EAA " Nflu AAAG EUlArAAA-
Grafton that the applicant has render
ed important services tO the party
during the preceding campaign. We
shall see the newly elected Congress-
men, who are to purify our politics,
cringing in the ante-rOOms at the
Capitol, doing the dirty work Of Of
flee brokers in pay of the services
rendered them, in their nomination
and election, by the professional lob
byist5 that control the wards and \
townships.
In this trading and scrambliDg,
what earthly guarantee have we-l
do not say for improvement or re-
form, but for maintaining things,
even in as good condition as they are?
IL / am asked to justify this predie
ton, | do it upon the general eXpec-
tatiOn among Democrats themselves,
as manifested in the zeal and unani-
nifty with which, ninging to the
winds the principles, traditions, and
prejudices of their historical party,
they rushed to the embrace of . can.
didacy which gives the lie to every
profession ever made in the Demo-
cratic name. BY what token can this
BE- accounted for, except that every
other good is embraced in the oppOr-
tunity of official power, and the guar
ranteed right % name, after but u sin
gle term, Mr.. Greeley's successor?
There is no need OF further evidence
than what we see, and hear, and
know as going on daily in our very
presence. If there We're, il is abund-
antly furnished by Mr.. Greeley's own
avOwals.
What is his promise and programme
of civil service reform: 10. con-
sists Of two particulars
]. That in making appointments to
Office, he will make no discrimination
among his supporters on account OF
their anteeedent politics. That is, he
will not regard it rs an objection to
any applicant that he has been a
Democrat, provided he has supported
Mr. Greeley.
>. That he will not he candidate
for reelection.
And this last is graveIy put forth,
as if we were mere children, as pan
aeea for all the evils Of our politics.
1t is, in fact, but a cunning piece
Of strategy, and an implied promise
to whet the eagerness Of Democratic
support, that if he shall be elected
once, Democrats shall have their
proportion OF Offices from the first,
and in that way, possession Of the
patronage to assist in the election Of
a Democratic successor.
And this is the feast To which we
are invited in the name Of civil ser
vice refOrmi And this is to be the is
sue Of the hopes aud dreams Of Liber-
al and reform Republicans! For one,
| shall not sit down at that banquet,
nor be a guest in that company.
The disastrous result Of a disap-
pointment Of all hopes Of q true civil
Service reform involved in the cleo
tiOn Cf Of Greeley is not, as Iview it,
merely an incident to the situation.
II it were that alone, it would he
enough to condemn il. But IN my
opinion it is something more and
worse. his the set purpose for which
! the situation 50Cts brought about. sly
/ belief is that Greeley and Brown were
nominated by the Cincinnati cOnven-
! ton, and that nomination ratified
and republishesl at Baltimore by the
Democratic party, because il had
been Ascertained and was snOwn
| that they could be used for the pIr'
/ poses which I have specified. 'fhe
| Cincinnati convention, called aHt
convened in the interest OF = Iteppb-
iican reform, bad before it that idea