Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-20
MIR. ARrHUR's LETTER.

| Chester A. Arthur has accepted the Ro-
publican nomination for the office Of Vice
President of the United States. No one ex-
pected that he would decline it, though
there were many good reasons why he
should do so-his incapacity for the duties
| that will deyolve upon him if elected, his
notorious connection with corrupt rings in
the New York custom house, his violation Of
the express orders of his superiors in office,
subserGiency to the demands of cabal of
unscrupulous, designing politicians. None
of these considerations have influenced him
however. He has accepted in letter that
in point of verbosity almost equals that of
Mr.. Garfeld's, but in straightforwardness
far surpasses it.
It is very evident whence came the inspl-
ration of MIR. Arthur's letter. Garfeld's
was crafty, evasive, ambiguous, almost DEM
agogic. Arthur's is aggressive, stalwart,
plain-spoken, almost insolent and menda-
cious. He reviews from partisan and
biased standpoint the past career of the
Democratic party. and charges it with
nearly every offense enumerated in the
decalogue. The fact that he does not prove
his accusations will not be likely to have any
weight with his supporters, for charges are
regarded as sufficient for all practical pur-
poses during political campaigns. He then
proceeds to faunt the bloody shirt to o
slight extent by accusing the Democratic
party of having withheld the suffrage from
the negroes of the South by force and in
timidation. This is the old story, without
the slightest basis of truth, but it has been
rehearsed so often that some have actually
come to believe its truth.
While alleging the most deep-seated
hatred of the negroes as being harbored by
the Democratic party, Mr. Arthur tries to in
stitute comparison with the Republican
party which shall be greatly to its credit.
Enchanting, in effect, "Look on that pictures
and then on this,'' Mr.. Arthur says:
Republicans cherish none of these sentiments
which may have animated them during the act
ual conflict of arms. They long for full and
real reconciliation between the sections which
were needlesslv and lamentably at strife.
They sincerely offer the hand of good will, but
they ask in return a pledge of good faith.
| They deeply feel that the party whose career is
| 60 illustfous in great and patriotic achieve
ments, will not fulfill its destiny until peace
and prosperity are established in all the land,
nor until liberty of thought, conscience and
action, and equality of opportunity, shall not
be merely the cold formalities of statute, but
| living birthrfghts which the humble may
confidently claim, and the powerful dare not
deny.
This delineation of the virtues of the
Republican party is truly affecting, and
ought to draw tears from a bronze statue.
But if the Republicans SO ardently long for
a full and real reconciliation between the
sections, why don't they bring it about? All
they have to do is to cease glorying over the
conquest of their brethren at the South, vel
come them to share in the control of our
affairs, and give them credit for honesty OF
purpose and patriotism that their acts en-
title them to. MIR. Arthur, however, makes
a fau1 pas when he says that the Republican
party will not fulfill its destiny until peace
and prosperity shall have been established
In the platform of the party it is stated
emphatically that peace and prosperity have
been restored. Therefore, according to MIR.
Arthur, the destiny Of the party has been
fulfilled, and it has nothing left to do but to
turn up its toes to the daisies and quietly
pass from existence.
In regard to the civil service Mr.. Arthur
says:
Surely, no man should be an incumbent of an
| office, the duties of which he is for cause un-
fit to perform, who is lacking in the ability,
fidelity, or integrity. which a proper admins
tration of such Office demands. This sentiment
! would doubtless meet with general acGules-
oence, but opinion has been widely divided
upon the wisdom and practicability Of various
reformatory schemes which have been suggest
ed and of certain proposed regulations govern
ing appointment to public office.
The sentiment does meet with general
acquiescence, and the public will naturally
revert to the order of Mr.. Hayes suspending
Arthur from Office because of his lack of
ability, fidelity and integrity, which proper
administration of his Office demanded, and
will come to the conclusion that man lack
ing in the requirements IS collector of Gus
toms will be very likely to be lacking in
the ability to properly discharge the duties
of Vice President of the United States.
Mr.. Arthur, it can be seen, does not yet
forgive Mr.. Hayes for removing him from
Office, and gives him this slap in The face:
will add, that by the acceptance of public
Office, whether high or low, one does not, in
my judgment escape any of his responsibility
as a citizen or lose or impair any of his rights
as citizen, and that he should enjoy abso-
lutte liberty to think and speak, and act in po-
litical matters according to his own will and
| conscience, providing only that he hon0rably,
faithfully, and fully discharges all his official
duty.
One of the reasons given by Mr.. Hayes
for the removal of Mr.. Arthur was that he
permitted his Office to become an asylum for
rewardlng men for political services, and that
thereby its efficiency was greatly impaired.
MIR. Arthur by implication denies the charge.
Perhaps Mr.. Hayes can throw little light
on the subject.
1t is evident that Mr.. Arthur consulted his
patron, Conkling, before giving his letter
to the public, and that the sentiments ex-
pressed are those of the hero of Canon
Chef. He certainly is less polite than Gar
field, and takes ground on many questions