The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-23
THE MEPHIsTOPHELEs OF THE CAB
MET,

lJltne goes so far as to affirm that he
was ignorant of the fraud through
which he was made President; he is
also, we are told, man Of temperance
and regular attendant Of church. We
are willing to concede much Of all this
all Of it in fact except the marvellous
assumption of our neighbor, the Pica-
yu71e. And yet, Mr.. Hayes is the tool. the
dupe, the wretched instrument OF one
of the worst and most subscriptions men
the era of Grantism brought into prom
inence and power.
No one who reads Goethe's wonderful
tragedy can fail to recognize DR.. Faust
in Mr.. Hayes, and Mephi5topheles Ia
John Sherman. The relations between
the President and the Secretary Of the
Treasury are precisely those which are
described in the poem as existing be-
tween the German Doctor and the sneer-
ing, soulless minister Of evil. Discon-
tented with the sphere in life for which
his abilities fitted, and to which his fell
low citizens had elevated him, Mr..
Hayes, like Faust, grasped at higher
things; things which he failed by legiti-
mate means to reach.
We still remember the thrill of Joy
| that spread through the country when
it was announced that Grantism, In his
person had been defeated, and that
| onstitutionalisms in that Of Tilden
had been, after 80 long and dark Pc
Rod, triumphant. "The very heavens
| seemed to bend with their benignant
congratulations, and to tremble under
the fastening feet of angels gathering
to proclaim the era Of peace on earth
and good will to man." The hearts OF
the people swelled with exultation, and
new and higher patriotism, we may
say nationalism, seemed to be born
throughout the land.
But the period Of rejoicing was very
brief. The story Of what followed is
| full of wickedness and shame, and
the central figure in the scandalous
drama was that Of John Sher-
man, Of Ohio. Mr.. Hayes, though
yearning for the glittering prize Of the
presidency, shrank from the design Of
capturing it through perjury, fraud and
violence. But his weak and maudlin
virtue was not proof against the tempta-
tons and beguilements Of his compat.
riots, and he sold himself to John Sher
man as DR.. Faust sold his soul to Me-
phistopheles. The only difference is, that
he sold himself more cheaply than the
Doctor, and into deeper debasement
For the enjoyment of the Presidency for
a single term he has become the tool
and slave Of Sherman, and he 10 bound
to fulfill the terms OF the contract.
Sherman has complied with his obliga-
ton, and will insist upon his rights.
To make Hayes President he became
the accomplice of forgers and perjurors,
nay, he became himself an audacious
liar.
The scene in the Witches Kitchen
the hags, the toads, the female mon
keys, the reptiles huddle there, the
hell broth which wrought the slavery
of Faust-is not more revolving than
Yves the scene in the Senate Cham
Der Of Louisiana when the Returning
Board was in session, and John Sher-
man stood there the master spirit Of
the iniquity being perpetrated-master
of those creatures stepped in perjury
and watching and directing
their unlawful and shameful acts by
which Hayes was to be counted in.
John Sherman was the Mephistopheles,
and he petted, and humored, and Ca
ressed Eliza Pinkston, as Mephis-
topheles did the foul and beastly witch
in the poem.
1t was by this disgusting method that
John Sherman made Hayes President,
and Mr.. Hayes, good. natured. honest
man that he is, and as DR.. Faust was,
must go on, through his whole term,
doing the bidding Of John Sherman,
the Mephistopheles of the Administra-
ton. The wicked bargain must be
carried out. The honest nature
of Mr.. Hayes may at first shrink
from his repulsive obligations. DR..
Faust shrunk from the seduction
of poor Marguerite; hewas conscience
smitten at the murder Of Valentine; he
trembled amid the wild revels Of the
witches and shuddered in the midst of
the weird dances in the cave Of Brock
en-hill. But he had sold himself, soul
and body, to the tempter; he had tasted
the sweets of his bargain; he had OBJ
tanned all knowledge; he had enjoyed
love; he had possessed all the pleasures
Of the earth, and he could not escape
the fulfllment Of his obligations. Will
| Hayes be more fortunate ?
Having accepted the prize won by per-
jury and forgery; by the most scanda-
lous fraud and rascality; holding his
place through the success of a great
crime, will he be able to evade the obli-
cations imposed by perjury and forgery?