Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-12-06
Washington Notes.

Cor. Courier-Journal,
The south has thirty senators who
feel the responsibility they are under
to their constituents and the country
at large. Some possess talent Of a high
order, and no one of them reflects dis
credit on his state. THE world
moves" says Senator Brown, and
am going to move along with it,
More good sense could not be put into
a smaller compass. Let the south
adopt these wise words as her motto
and nothing can stop her onward
march to great prosperity. Her states
men in the past chung too closely to
the shadow, while the more practical
n%ortherner ran off with the bone. |
remember the foolish boast Of Bob
Toombs that, during his long eontinu
ance in congress, he had never got a
dollar for his constituents in the
way of internal improvements or
otherwise. Such a man, however
great his abilities, is unfit to represent
the new south and the new order Of
things. My mind runs back to the
time VIXEN Illinois had but three
members in the national house Of rep,
re~sentatiYes. Now she has nineteen
Why this vast increase in her popula-
ton? 1t was the aid given by the fed
eral government within and beyond
her borders. An old lady was asked
to what denomination she belonged
She replied that she belonged to that
denomination which kept all it had
and got all it could. That's the way
the north enriched herself. If, here
after, the southern members. of con
gress should act on this principle,
when government gifts are going, they
would merit the thanks and gratitude
of their people.
General Garfield, after the sojourn
Of a week, has left the city, l do
not believe that anybody knows who
will constitute his cabinet. TTIaouIhh
a good taiRer, | learn that he has be-
come o still better listener. He
hears the suggestions of friends with
out the slightest indication of ap.
prevail or disapproval. There is no
doubt but that a strong pressure will
be brought to bear upon him in behalf
Of the retention OF John Sherman in
the treasury department. 1t may or
may not succeed. 1t strikes me with
very great force that he would prefer
new timber. The popular impression
is that the president can do anything
that is legitimate and belongs to his
Office. That is a great mistake. He
is obliged to consuic tSc leaders OF his
party or have q grand row. James
X. Polk set out from his home in
Tennessee, fully determined to make
General VIM. o. Butler his secretary
Of war; but when he got to Wash.
ington he found he could not do ii
without offending friends whose
support Of his administration was i'm
p%ortant. The result was that he Sc
lected VIM. l.. Marcy. Of New York,
as his war minister. | will venture to
say that General Garfield may come to
Washington in February next with
his cabinet members engraved on his
mind, and the chances arc that he
will be forced to drop one or more. !
believe that General Garfield is gen
tleman Of good convictions, but I'M
fortunately they are not strong enough
to hold him. When they come in
conflict with his party he snaps them
as easily, and, | suppose, much more
gracefully than Sampson snapped the
wythe that bound him. | do not
think that his party, now that it ha.
gained a new lease Of power, will dc
anything that's calculated to damage
the south. / see nothing in the future
that is alarming. No president can
destroy this government. When the
people want a new system they viii
organize it. Such is their perfect
right. AN OLD FoGY.