Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1880-07-24


The weakest Of all the political cam
paign stuff 80 far launched upon the pub
lie this year is the effort made in some
quarters to bring odium upon Cen
sral Hancock on account of his connec-
tion, ~ Q military officer, with the exc
sutton of Mrs Surratt. While there
viii probably always exist differences
of opinion as to the propriety of hang
ing Mrs. Surratt, there cannot be in the
mind Of any intelligent and honestly
disposed person, the slightest doubt as
to the propriety of General Hancock's
course in the premises. Whatever his
feelings on the subject may have been,
he had nothing to do with the case but
90 obey the orders of his superior officers,
aad sse that the orders were obeyed by
those under him. That was his sole
duty, and that he performed az an officer
should perform his duty, nsither brutally
nor in spirit Of mawkish sentimental
ity calculated to reflect upon the judg-
ment or motives of his official superiors.
OF the guilt or innocence of the unfor-
tunate woman, he knew nothing, and
with that question, he had nothing. 70
do. Neither was he in any way respon-
sible for her fate. The effort to injure
General Hancock by such means cannot
be successful, and they may as well be
abandoned at the outsetof the campaign.
Evidences of general generalization
IN the Republican party are daily COM
ing to the surface. On. Of the most sig
ni6caRt Of them is the great difficulty
experienced in finding member of the
campaign committee who is willing to
take the Office Of Chairman. If the
committee were looking cheerfully for
ward to an expected victory, the Chair
saAnship would not 20 a begging. The
prominence that the place would give
10 the incumbent in the incoming Ad-
ministration, would render it very de-
sirables The fact that shrewd polite.
ians hasten to decline it, without thanks,
in conclusive proof that they don't an
tioipats Gen. Gar6elds election. Don
Cameron was begged to take the post,
bat he said he must be excused. Again
he was entreated, and again he replied,
with more emphasis, that he must be Let
out William E. Chandler, the leader oi
4hs Blaine ring, was next asked to take
the contract, but he said he would not
touch it with ten-foot pole. Mr..
lConkling's man, Platt, declined It with
greatar force of vocalization than slo
quence of diction. Mr.. Jewell, of Con
nscticut, is new sleeping on the prcposi
tion to take hold of the thrice-rejected
task.
The department officials are less in
yclined to comply with the demand 'fo'
voluntary contributions" Of two PEI
cent than they have in years past. Th'
general conviction that all the money ex
pended on Garfield and Arthur will b
thrown away, does not encourage libsr
ality. Many of tho more infuentia
clerks frankly assert that they will no
contribute dollar as long as the civi
service reform stands unrevoked. The
argue that the administration will nc
dare to create disafections in the part
by sweeping removals during the can
paign, and that they viii stand quite
we'll with the Hancock administratio
II they can show that they gave no Al
20 the Republican canvass. The boas
cd discipline of the Republican organ
satoa 10 not showing up well this se
.on. p. @.