The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-28
Friday. December a.. ls77.
Post Prandial.

with the senate. Ii has been somewhat ex-
haustive OF the presidential equanimity,
but fortunately the holidays have inter
yened before capitulation was arrived at,
and there is now an opportunity for recu-
peration. The junketings Of last summer
were expected to be productive of good
will towards the head of the nation, and
to reconcile to some extent the pertinacity
Of offended Yankeedom with the liberia
ton of the Southern people from the yoke
Of carpet baggers. How far this was
accomplished is not yet definitely deter
mined, the results 10 the senate being so
far so incoDsequential 10 that direction as
to afford no intelligent criteria upon which
to base positive opinion. Be that as it
may, the memory of the pleasures which
personally attached to his DereginiatioDs
must have strongly weighed 10 the presi-
dental mind and had a powerful effect
upon his arter-dinner meditatious, and
when he saw considerable number of the
distinguished magnates Of congress pre-
pairing to relax from the grave solicitudes
Of legislative work, and HE themselves to
the Hot Springs of Arkansas or other
sanitary resorts for re.invigoration of their
exhausted physical forces, it probably
occurred to the weary Executive that be
might in like manner go and do something
for the benefit Of his physical and politi-
cal health. The plausible pretext was
easily found in a standing invitation from
the Union League Club of New York, aud
a polite complimentary from the lettered
and classic New England Society. Taking
with him the Mecenas of his Cabinet he
fastened to the festivities of the great
Commercial Metropolis, and notwithstand-
ing the League had but few days before
openly sided with Mr.. Coukliug and con.
demned the Presidential policy, he ven
tured the experiment of personal presence
aud the seductiveness OF individual persuA-
sion. 1t is to the credit of Mr. Hayes that he
neither assumed to make himself partic-
ularly prominent or permitted others to do
1t for him, and that as a guest of politi-
cal club he kept himself 10 close reserve.
At the New England Society dinner be
was equally reticent and warily kept him
self aloof from any display of political
asperity or utterance of political opinions.
But his Secretary of State was graciously
inclined, and is thought to have given
utterance to few expressions which have
a deep significance in regard to passing
events, and to pressge the future. The
people Of this country it is true have not
been much accustomed to tortuous and
diplomatic DISCUSSES, assumed for the pur-
pose Of concealing or but vaguely limiting
at the purposes of government in regard
to current and exciting questions; still, the
natural inquisitiyeness of New England
intellect and the inbred New Englandism
of the distinguished Secretary led the
latter to be oracular in speech and the lis
tening guests to be on tiptoe of expecta-
ton. The slightly satirical remarks of the
polysyliabled orator upon the bumptious
vanity of the simon-pure yankeeism of his
hearers were received as the grim humor
of one who was too exalted in intellect to
unbend to any great extent, and were
therefore taken cum grdno sails, out ii
was revelation, glimpse if nothing
more, of the hidden and profound myster.
les of cabinet councils and state secrets
which were anxiously longed for and an.
tieipated. Under monarchioal institu-
tioDs the merest whispers of the Premier
or the Chancellor of state are accepted as
pregnant with great limitations and 9
forecast of coming events. The same high
and premier-like Importance seem.
ed to attach to the vague
aud studied diplomatic phraseology Of Mr.
Evart's long drawn sentences. So care
fully and ndroitly did the secretary manage
to 60 through with his share of the after
dinner performance that not only his
hearers on that occasion, but the press anC
the people, were left in the same doubtful
uncertainty as to the designs Of the admin.
istration that they occupied prior to the
secretary's dubious explanation.
Inasmuch as the president said nothing
his silence may have been golden, and
therefore may have made himself friends
The secretary's oracular regulations being
clothed in language appropriate to the pur.
pose, and as enigmatical as that of Other
great officials in similar circumstances and
upon like occasions, it must be conceded that
he discharged his duty to the state, and to
his hearers at the same time, with rare
prudence and felicitous delicacy. With
what success the senatorial party has met
in visiting Hot Springs and reiuvenating
their shattered physical energies the pub
Inc haye not been informed. Neither is il
known what degree of success will crown
the efforts Of Mr.. Conkling and his COM
mittee in ierreting out and unwilling the
deep and portentous inteuts of the secre
tary in regard to his foreign policy aud the
border troubles, but the re.assembling of
congress will doubtless reveal the garnered
secrets and disclose the plans of the wary
and puissant contestants. Meanwhile the
people, good souls, must learn to labor and
to wait. Short glimpses of the ponlerous
secrets Of state have been mercifully sx-
hibited, post prandial amenities have been
resorted to, senatorial govt has had the
beneficial effects of boiling water, and
altogether it maybe hoped the softeninp
influences Of the various remedial agencies