Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-09-03
The Fat Man Comes Down.

ed from his high seat. Calloused like
q stone-breaker, David Davis at last
comes down from the ancient lookout,
whence with longing, anxious, patient
eyes, he has for lol these many years
observed the Presidential breezes and
watched the Presidential lightning, and
has wept to see them blow and watch
it strike in any direction in the world,
save the lone fence whereon he kept
his faithful watch. Like an owl in the
wilderness and as pelican on the
house-top, David has "sat and sot''
upon his coigne of undecided and nom
committal neutrality, until, like the
Georgia maiden at the dance, he has
" nigh about TUX root" Year aft
er year he has larded the lean
rail where he sat; everything by turns
and nothing long, and now he has come
down and the fence that has known
him longer than anybody else will
now know him no more for fifteen
minutes, or perhaps longer. For, of
a verify, we know not what day
may bring forth in David Davis conyic-
tion. -.. l4
We do not understand why an open
letter should be thought necessary to
explain that David Davis had 'come
out for Hancock" 1t is very much as
though Mr. Tilden, or Mr.. English, or
Mr.. Thurman should formally declare
for Hancock. Judge Davis has never
been much of Republican. He has
been Just enough Republican to always
vote with the Democrats and oppose all
Republican measures. There are
several other Republicans in the
country of the same brand, but
they are not considered especial
ly valuable to the party, and their loss
is never very sorely felt. We presume
David wrote this letter because of late
years he has fallen into the habit of
writing letters, and can't get over it.
1t is a habit fatal to politicians, and
David is politician. A kind of one.
Not much of one, it is true. About as
much of politician as he is a Republi-
can. Not enough of politician to
hurt, but just enough of politician to
kill himself writing letters. And his
letters have been looked for as regular
barometrical warnings of a Presidential
election. AT one time, u letter to q
workingman, defining his position to be
! Identical with that of the Working
men's party, if there was such party
already, and at any rate, identical with
its position whenever it might be suf1i-
GENTLY organized to assume a position
and enunciate its principles, whatever
they might be. Then letter to the
Greenbackers, and then one to the
Greenbackers and WOrkingmen, then
one to the Liberal Republicans, if hap
ly there might be any left, then short
one to the Prohibtionists, and one to
the "Young Scratchers," and a long
-, TnI
one to the John Kelly Democrats, and
just before the Chicago Convention one
to the Reformers, and then Just before
the Cincinnati Convention great,
broad, all-comprehensive, but incom-
prehensible general scoop-net of let
ter to everything and everybody, as
suring them that he was not only with
them, but, as 1.-The training and habits
of my life naturally lead me to prefer
civilians to soldiers for the great civil
trust" he was ut their disposal when
they made up their states for the Presi-
Dental ticket But they left him out.
The hunters who beat the Presidential
field looked everywhere, in every nook
that might shelter n statesman or
soldier, or, as the Republicans happily
discovered, grand combination of
both; the hunters examined every
covert where candidate might hide;
they looked under the bushes and be-
hind the logs, and even peered up into
the trees and watched the sky, but all
the time they never thought of looking
at the lonely, staring, old fence, loom
ing right up before their eyes, plain
and obtrusive in the great bare field,
with the biggest candidate that ever
wooed the dazzling sunshine of pub
licity, tapping his wings and screaming
attention to his so-called sentiments
and alleged opinions. Pity it was, in
deed, that the tailors did not have
! distinct political organization; then, in
deed, had David Davis engraved his
figure on their banners. But the other
parties were looking for quite another
kind of bird. True, eagles did not
J save Rome, but, then, we are not
Romans, David, and you cannot accuse
, us of ingratitude.
And now, he has come down. We
} suppose it was rather irksome and lone
some on the old rail. There was no use
staying there when the four political
parties had swept across the field and
found their candidates and had passed
down the highway, trumpets sounding,
drums beating, banners fluttering III
the air and honest enthusiasm in the re-
spective crowds rending the heavens
with shouts for Garfield, Hancock, Neal
Dow and Weaver, with never a lonely
squeak for Davis. Truly, indeed, does
Senator Davis say, in his Hancock letter,
"The training and habits of my life
1 naturally lead me TO prefer civilians to
: soldiers for the great civil trust Not
civilians" oh mighty holder down o
fences, but "a civilian" you intended
= to say. And we know what civilian
5 you preferred He lives in Bloom
: ington, and you pay his taxes.
Go to, man of the broad and all
: sufficient vest, your vote and you
2 have but one, is rs light as DIR. Tan
/ ner's, and the fasting doctor, out OF the
9 days Of his publication, with his mental
a faculties refined by fasting, and his
e brain unclogged by an overloaded
stomach, has declared for Garfield.
G Write no more letters this campaign,
Q good Davis, and when the bleak winds
i of November have nipped thy latest
| aspirations in their gaudy bloom, get
,, thee up again onto the fence, and this
IS time perhaps you had better take n
| side-saddle with you and make ready
y for another four years cruise. The
,e fence is the Senator's best hold. He
d should stick to it, and ck-rooted in
!: his favorite positions, he will be known
in after years as the crock of fence
Is in American politics. Bob Burd cite, IN
y Burlington HdOkeVe.
"a BT~Republicans out West call Geor-
d gia a Democratic Iowa N y. HerdiR,
ID Republicans out West do nothing
y of the kind. There is no comparison
% between the conditions of the two
,r States. In Iowa Democrat has as
d much freedom to talk and vote as any
j. Republican. He is neither o3tracised
y back-snaked nor shot to death because
10 of his principles. To make Democracy
& and the murderous practices of Georgia
% respectable, certain Democrats have
"a usad mat tha axnrassion yhieh tho Ma.