Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-06
Alefar0rla QBazGtte
TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBgRG
Wendell Phillips on the Adm'nist"t.
tiGn.

| Wendell Phillips icctuted 10 Boston on Sat,
urday night last. The audience was mado W
| Of labor refornera, woman sufragists aud pre-
hibitionists. The following arc some extracts
from his view OF tic situation. He said -
so to day, when 9 nsW current OF opinion
seems to prevail; when potable change OF feel,
ing seems to have taken place regarding the
proper policy TO puEsue toward the SCutStTA
States; when not on|y the mood Of the admin
iStratiou seems to have chaoged, but the public
seems to have lost the ierror and enthusiasm
that oDce characterized their politics, it is well
tor US to remember that there is very little real
change. 1t is simply that the men who sla5t
at the front to. day we're not al the front live,
ssveD ten years ago. They did not represent.
they were not in accord with, the doctrine OF
that hour, but they have always stood where
they are to day.
Half made democrats, half baked republicans
--doughfaces both-bs7e not conquered many
Opinions on either side, and men stand on two
great Sides as they have done before. UG.
doubtcdIy the end of the Southern dynasty Was
assured when slavery, tho great bond which
held these Southern States together, ceased to
be; but the great power lasted SO long that
three out of five men at tho North were made
over into snobs, and the principal criticism
which have to make against the admlnlstra
tou is not il regard to any one act, but IN It's
lowering Of self-rcspcct and the suobblshness
which has marked the course Of the acting
Presiden. toward Southern mcu. lie has said
10 effect You Southern men were hopcst,
but mistaken, 10 the war; the men tho North
we're fanatics.
Whatever may have been the lack Of fore
sight and good judgment in this administration,
its most offensive manifestation has been It's
Difference to Wade Hampton and the Southern
leaders. 1t is the mood CT the administration
Of which we chiefly complain. Now, the best
virtue, and the most difficult to attain, is pclS,
veraaee-holdipg ou. There arc to day men
like Robert Rantoul, of whom 1t was said, IN
no idyidious sense, that be carried Essex county
in his vest pocket. There is Morton, OF lndl'
ana. lie represents more than name; nc rep
resents State. But the present admlnlstra
ton so drew the line that It could not admit
such as he.
What has it called to its support in The Cab;
met? Good legal ability, average professional
reputation, fair standing 10 certain localities
but nothing better Or more influential than tins,
consequently ct every step pof the administration
a man has only to fold his arms and laugh.
Take its last exhibition. The best mcmDcr o!
the Cabinet, the ab!est by iar-tho man WHO
by his profession reputation comes as near aom"
thing like statemanshlp as the administrators
affords do We find Mr. Evar;s? II"
hiss been setting his foot squarely down on the
possibility Of the administration seeking advice
from the delegations Of the Stairs ia Congress.
But now where do We fed him? Where but
in Pennsylvania. cheek by joWl with Don Cam.
eron, trading. Of course, like all beginners.
he was cheated, and now the ADMINISTRATION
must either accept the trade and violate ITS
principles or it must LOSE Pennsy7an,a' and
tho loss Of Pennsylvania and ONO vii! DC =
complete surrender to the Southern democracy.
Now, every man who looked at the matter
muat have seen that this WGu!d have been the
result.
unsdultorated, it would be impossible to p!actlc'
it now No general ever seeks to remodel ms
army in the very presence Of lis enemy. won
ingtor, in Portugal, had to Iemodel, h!s 1orcr'
but tho work was done behind solid grsniIo
walls. But what has this new departure OF tn"
administration alto np:ed, on tho hoS ashes o. =
civil war, with the ranks the North and Souih
still drswn up in hostile stray? IL has met thn
mon who ostracized the most populai solder OF
the Southwest because be took tho cAlh ol 81
pisnco to the Goycrnmont-Genera Longstreet
In the face Of determined enemy, with LeGio!s
hostile to the Government absolutely drll!ifS III
the Southern States, tho republican party ha5
undertaken to remodel its Whole army 10 re-
verae tho whole system OF poiltcsl management
| which has prevailed in this country during lh"
| lsst fifty years, and to choose new adviser.
! How can an administration cspect to WIN IN"
battle under such conditions? Indeed, the re-
suits of this new departure sro areaay seen
State after State has discarded lt2 lcadership'
and so at last the administration, on tho Iyo
| goes down and tries 10 rido two horses, AID the
oonly unsmirched man in tho Cabinet is bronght
to disgrace Then thero IS that violation ct e: e'
| rules Of genoralship committed by this admins
tration. leading itearrny into n place whoro 1hero
is no retreat. Ca;sr indeed once led his srmic'
but hat wss a desperate step, Gnd enc which
every general should avoid, if possible