Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-08-15

we PUBLISH In6 1OllOHluk 0AlIdCbc
from the speech of Stanley Matthews
at Cincinnati, on Friday, Aug. 2. Our
readers will remember that the speaker
was one of the first leaders in the
Cincinnati movement but repudiated
the whole thing and came out for
Grant: -. La. J.i .s5-;..
sKETCHOF A GREELEY ADMINISTRA-
- TION. f
And now, what have we on the other
hand? The Democratic party in the
disguise of Greeley and Brown and the
Cincinnati platform .-sf-..-si
1.-THE voice is Jacobs voice, but the
hands are the hands of Esau. :
And what is the mess of pottage for
which we are asked to sell our birth
right? 81. -. = -. ,.-.,
What rational expectation of any re-
form in the public service is to be found
i'll the success of this unnatural and un-
principled coalition 7? Let every citi-
zen pause and reflect and answer for
himself that question. -. - +.
The Democratic party, we may be
assured, has changed, not its nature,
but its situation. If it succeeds in cleo
ting Mr., Greeley to the presidency, it is
upon the understood condition that, as
heretofore in similar cases, he will be-
stow the offices of the Federal govern
ment at Washington, New York, and
all the country. over, as rewards to
those who have efficiently aided,i in his
elevation, or to the friApds of those who
have that claim upo1 him. We shall
see at Washington, as we have seen in
times past, the same disgraceful scenes,
of crowds of office seekers, besieging
the White House and every head of a
department, to turn out the incumbent
in every subordinate position to make
room for Greeley Democrat. We shall
see the same recommendation from
politicians of every degree, based upon
the consideration that the applicant has
rendered important services to the Lar-
tylduring the preceding campaign. We
shall see the newly elected Congress
raen, who are to purify our politics,
cringing In the ante-rooms at the Capt.
tol, doing the dirty work of Office brOk-
ers in pay of the services rendered them
in their nOmiration and election, by
the professional lobbyists that, control
the wards and townships. - .,-.i /,
In this trading and scrambling, what
earthly guarantee have wei do not
say for Improvement or reform, but for
maintaining things, even in as good
condition as they are? -.
ID If ] am asked to Justify this predic-
tion, T do it Upon the general expecta-
ton among Democrats themselves, as
manifested in the zeal and unanimity
with which, finging to the winds the
principles, traditions, and prejudices of
their historical party, they rushed to
the embrace of acandidacy which gives
the lie to every profession ever made in
the Democratic name. By what token
can this be accounted for, except that
every other good is embraced in the op-
portunity Of official power, and the
guaranteed right to name, after but
single term, Mr.. Greeley's successor +?
81 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 were, it is abundantly furnish
ed by Mr.. Greeley's own avowals. ?
What is his promise'and programme
of civil service reform? 1t consists of
two particulars '. - itii..f
1. That in making appointments to
Office, he will make no discrimination
amonghis supporters on accountof their
antecedent politics. That is, he will
not regard it as an objection to any ap-
plicant that he has been a Democrat,
provided he has supported Mr.. Greeley.
2. That he will not be candidate
for reelection. "a ,'isl 1.'i'- ~
And this last is gravely put forth, as
if we were mere children, as a panacea
for all theievils of our politics. r
It is, in fact, but cunning piece. of
stnakegy, and an implied promise to
wEsef the eagerness Of Democratic sup
port, that if he shall be elected once,
Democrats shall have their proportion
uf,offiees from the first, and in that way,
possession of the patronage to assist in
the election of Democratic successor.
And this jig the feast to which we are
invited in theihame of civil service re-
form! And this is to ibe the issue of
the hopes and dreams of Liberal and
reform Republicans For one, / shall
not sit down at that banquet, nor be. a
guest In that company. - ~ -
The disastrous result of q disappoint-
ment of all hopes of true civil service
reform involved in the election of Gree
ley is not, as I view it, merely an in
cident to the situation. If it were that
alone, it would be enough to condemn
it. But in my opinion it is something
more and MQEse. Itis the set purpose
for which the situation was brought
about. Ny belief is that Greeley and
Brown were nominated by the Cincin-
natl convention, and that nomination.
ratified and repubtshed at Baltimore
by the Democratic pasty, because it had
been ascertained and was known that
they could be used for the purposes
Which I have specified, The .Cincin!
atfconyeition, called and convened
in the interest of Republican iSefoSIa,
had beforeft that ideal statessan. so
magnifcently described by the Chair
man, Senator Schnrz, and which eyok-
ed without a name, the image, present
70 the mind OF every delegate, and for
months previously in the heart of every
one who felt an aspiration for an eleva-
ted, andlcfty, and statesmanlike public
life, of the only man who approximated
its standard. u His name was Charles
Francis Adams. He was not nominated.
nWhy? There is seine evidence 6f an
antecedent intrigue to which Mr.. Gree
ley was personaliy'a party. Iknow not
whether it be true or not It is morally
certain that to the utter defeat of every
just expectation, based upon the aims
and principles of that convention, a bar
gain was consummated which Insured
Denominations made, proclaimed sub
stantially, though not in terms, when
the next morning Gratz Brown, in vio-
lation of the rules of the convention,
under the pretext of withdrawing his
name from the list of presidential can
didates gave the lpreconcerted signal
that the bargain had been made and
would be carried out, by which he had
purchased for himself the second place
upon the ticket. risitaa9a3i .1i.5Y
The very object Of reform of the
civil service is to make party conven-