Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-12
la,lraster f1lteIligenrer.
FRIDAY EVENING. MARCH -, 1880.
The Course Of senator Wallace.

We have read with interest and have
with pleasure all that has
been said in explanation or defense OF
Senator Wallace's course in asserting to
the confirmation of Marshal Kerns after
he had so positively demanded his rejec-
tion and had shown such good reasons
why his Democratic colleagues Should
grant his request. But we have not found
anything as yet satisfactory on the sub
ject.
A correspondent of the Patriot at
Washington essays to defend Mr.. Wal
lace from an alleged charge OF having de-
manded and procured share of the su-
pervisOrs of the census for the Democ-
racy. We do not understand that any
fault is found with Senator Wallace on
this score. 1t was expressly given out
by the census authorities that these ap-
pointments were to be non-partisan and
that the Democrats were to have due
share of them and an equitable number
of the supervisors in Pennsylvania was
nothing more than Senator Wallace had
a right to ask nor anything more than his
party had right to expect him to get.
But it is Senator Wallace's duty to
support only good and fit men for office'
and the Democratic party asks him to
favor none of any other kind from Its
ranks and will justly accuse him If he
votes for bad men among its political op-
ponents. Senator Wallace is eStOpped
from asserting now that Marshal kerns
was fit man for reappointment to an
Office whose powers he reported to the
Senate that he had UNANIMOUSLY abused
and whom he denounced as wholly un-
worthy of his trust. This Senator Wal.
lace did, after taking testimony which
fully sustained, in the public opinion, his
grave charges against Marshal Kerns.
And now, when the Pennsylvania De.
mOcracy see their senator suddenly
changing from opposition to support OF
this man for reappointment, on the eve
of a presidential election, to the office
which he prostituted and abused to their
injury in the last presidential election, as
demonstrated by Senator Wallace him
self, they are agape with wonder ,and will
be oppressed with disgust as soon as
they are satisfied that it is as it seems
and that Senator Wallace has bargained
with Senator Cameron to put in place
this Objectionable man receiving in return
a certain number of Democratic super.
visors: and these. it is further charged
against Senator Wallace. selected by him
for the good they may do his individual
interests and with little concern for the
good of the party. This accusation is
given its strength by the absolute diSre.
gard of the interests of the party and the
people shown in the confirmation OF
kernS for we will never admit that the
good Of the party. any more than that OF
the people. permits the appointment OF
unfit men for Office Nothing but public
plunder can be behind this appointment
on both political sides and it is plundel
for individuals and not for their parties
The Democratic party processes, if WI
understand it, to give its offices to II,
man to administer with an eye single t.
his own good. 1t expects him to be aliv
t. the cOuntry's good and the party
good, which ought to be the same.
the accusation that Senator Wallace i
dickering with Senator Cameron for tn,
partition of offices for his own advan
tage be true. he will stand con
demned before his party at home
and it is this charge that WI
want him to show to be untrue. 1t il
given substance by other cases than thi
of kerns. Mr.. Clark, a Democrat, wa
appointed to be census supervisor il
the Columbia, Lackawanna and Lu
zerne district; his appointment wa
not confirmed, with Senator Wallace
assent. Now a Republican has been ap
pointed in his stead. If this Republican
is confirmed, Democratic patience will
Senator Wallace'S methods will he very
severely tried. The Washington CORES
pondent of the Patriot has only this ex
PLANTATION to offer for Mr.. Clark's rejec
tion that his appointment was not ju
dicious in a political sense, since he re-
sided in Columbia county, whereas the
other two counties in the district
were more populOus and more important
to the Democratic, party. Mr.. Clark's
fitness for the place is not disputed. and
from other sources we understand that
he is All exceptionally good man. Ger
tainly his locality alone was no reason fol
his rejection, and was not raised against
him at home where he was strongly re-
commended from all over his district.
We desire to treat Senator Wal
lace fairly; but we are not willing
that he shall use the place, given him by
the party, for selfish purposes against the
general good. He is now accused of this,
and he needs to defend himself with the
truth, if he has it to disclose. Anony.
nous communications to newspapers will
mot do nor will it answer to reprint
such communications in circular form
and send them out from Washington to
the members of the state central com.
mittee and other Democrats, with the
comment-alsO anonymous /" the
reason for this attack and the abuse of
Senator Wallace with which the guerrilla
press now teens is that his friends seem
likely to be in majority in the state
convention"
1t will not do to stigmatize as the
.v,yerrilla nrpSS the LARGO nnp.har- -of rom,