The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
A Retrospective View of the Campaign
Which Excuses the Quartrmaster.
And Lays the Blamb at the Door of the
General Commanding.
The Situation Taken Tn.
{ special Correspondent N. o. Democrat. j
WAsnrsarox. Feb. 2a. 1877


WASHINGTON, Feb 2s. 1877.
This is not an anspioious time foe letter writing.
Tho mail, even the fast mail, is thing OF days,
whereas the situation here is one of those things
In which no fellow can find out what changes m
hour may bring forth. 30 / shall not write with
vlow TO the future, but In view OF The past,
which oaI't be changed. / wish it could be
observe that tho fashion just now Ia the inquiry
wHo's 70 BLAME7
II Ia always the case, for that human nature
crcps out In politics. as in all other affairs If fe
that the only solaee for failure known TO mankind
is q convenient and broad.shouldered soape.goat.
This balm for wounded feelings and this me-
penthe for disappointed aspirations N lost of cur
friends seem TO find in poor Abram Hewitt.
have examined the situation carefully; have
prosecuted exhaustive research, aud can find
nobody who seems 10 sp. ak kind word for
Hewitt. Therefore shalt undertake
TO say u few feeble words, not per-
haps Ia his behalf exactly, but col
latorally 80; don't propose to interfere TO ward
off any OF the kicks Hewitt s getting, but I shall
faebly put In my number nine ae ainst the rear
elevations OF some Of those who are kicking him.
While 1t seemed probable thai the Tribunal would
do the fair thing, which meant that Mr.. Tilden
would be declared elected, everybody was Hew-
itts friend. When tho Florida case was decided
in favor Of Hayes, half Of Hewitt's :. friends !"
deserted hum and the other half began TO move
over On tho other side OF tho way. The Louis
ians decision reduced ths number OF Hewitt's
friends to o ridiculous. paucity Ct nevsr-say-die
believers In luck, Di.ine Providence, and Cro-
Minis nose, who clung TO Oregon as lunatic
hugs q dslusion. Aud now that Oregon has been
counted Tor Hayes and the balance seems mere
stripg Of empty forms, Hewitt finds himself
WITHOUT ONE FRIEND.
He Ii therefore ir condition TO receive the gym
pathy OF tie nndersgued But one thing 10 90
delightful 10 me ~ 10 help man who has no
ffiends, and that one thing is to bounce somc
fellow who has lots Of them.
therefore rise to remark TINT can call long
roll OF fellows who hare hsd Just as much TO do
with reif eng the Democrats party to its present
state OF abjeetness as Hewitt hae. The present
mournfu laceration of the seat of the Demo-
cratic pantaloons and the consequent sad futter.
ing Of the Democrats flag OF distress at half
mast " . catastrophe fJr which Hewitt should be
made TO bear his fair share Of the responsibility,
and no moro. Ia order to fully understand the
situation ID is necessary 10 60 hack few months.
When my friend
2. CHANDLER,
assisted By the keen vision OF Jay Gou.d, 6i!cov-
cred that there were nineteen electoral votes
which could be stolen, and then set about de-
vi ing ways and means to steal them, Mr.. Hewitt,
as the official head OF the Democratic organiza-
tion, took certain steps TO circumvent the pro.
gramrne. These steps met the instant approba-
tion Of the Democracy. They were peaceful
steps. The Democracy was for peace. Mr.. Hew-
it's policy correctly represented the purposes Of
the Democracy. 30 far, 81 good. 1t was then
q matter OF fact, and ii is now matter Of
history. that tho Repubican managers
those who were on the ground floor Of
things at leastA-never had the remotost
notion Of giving up power so long as they could
hang on to it without
INcUaR1Na BODILY PEtlII.
Take them as they run, and the Radical man
ayers are set OF men with whom no appeal has
any cogency which is not addressed to their
cowardice or their greed. The latter impsIle
them to hang on to the power already within
their grip. And no earthly power could have
induced them to loosen that grip except that sort
Of power which comes panoplied with peril and
suggestive Of gnnpowder In o state Of COM
bustion. The Republican masses were defeated
the day after election. SO was Hayes. So was
everybody in the Republican house except the
immediate managers, who were on the ground
floor, and they we're not fifty In number. Hayes
never was let In on the ground floor. He is not
the right sort OF man to dwell comfortably In
such an atmosphere. On the other hand, the
Democracy was victorious the day after election.
So was Mr.. Tilden. 30 was Mr. Hewitt. 80, In
fact, was everybody In the Democratic syna-
gogue,
FROM GROUND FLOOR TO cocK LOFT.
Eow, ut that very moment of which / 4
speak, I was Ia New York, and hap
psned to meet Republican acquaint-
ance at the Windsor Hotel. He was
Of those who we're on the gronnd floor. And
he offered me bet which did not take, simply
because had implicit 10 th ia the cheek OF the
Radical managers on the one hand, and un-
bounded confidence in the capacity Of the Dem
ocracy to surrender on the other hand The
Democracy have been in chronic condition OF
surrender ever since Appomattox. And when
they have not been in active state Of surrender
they have rested in passive attitude OF apology
for being in existence. Some redmouthed Radi-
cal would get up and howl
"KEBgLL1oyl" /"
the whole Democratic party would
set up chorus Of apology which made q dsafen-
ing din, and the redmouthed Radical would avail
himself OF the confusion to break into the
Treasury.
The bet which my friend offered nae was tha t
Mr.. Tnden never would be President. "Why,"
said he, " what do You take me for? II took four
years Of the dest fighting the wo Id ever saw
10 fix the Republican party firmly in power, and
now II You imagine that We are going to retire
because one day Of mere voting has gone against
ns, you are did fool r
Now, when this Conversations the substance
Df Twas reported TO Mr. gilden, that excsllsnt
Did gentleman took off his hat and began TO read