Litchfield enquirer., 1880-10-07
Why2

We have listened to two Democratic
speeches, recently, with view of discovering
the special reasons that party can offer, this
year, for Republican conversions. OF Sem
ator Eaton's speech we have already said one
say. Mr.. F. G. Wheeler Esq the gentleman
who spoke at Atmory Hall on Wednesday eve
ming last, is, we believe, New York lawyer,
and made an argumentative address which
seemed convincing, of course, to Democrats
but which did not strike US as calculated to
win over Republicans. His first point against
Garfield was that he acted as an attorney for
the Republicans while in Louisiana as "visit-
ing statesman" in 1875, and then as judge In
practically the same cause, when he became a
member of the electoral commission. 1t
strikes US that there is more show than sub
stance in this charge. Everybody knew that
Garfield had formed an opinion regarding the
election of Mr.. Hayes when he was placed
on the electoral commission. 1t was very
well understood, also, that the Democratic
Senators and Representatives on that Com
mission were committed to at least an equal
extent to Tilden. His case, in short, was
very difesaat from that OF judgeor jury
man trying a cause between private parties.
In such trial. at least with jurymen, any
previous formation of opinion is an absolute
disqualification. With members of the cleo
toral commission the case was very different.
To have attempted to select board none of
whom had formed opinions regarding the
questions TO be brought before them, would
have been absurd. No attempt was made to
accomplish 80 impossible a task. 1t was sup
posed, however, that the Supreme court judges
would be less Influenced by partisan consid-
eratioHs than the Congressman who served on
that commission. If such did not prove to be
the case, it was not Mr., Garfeld's fault.
Mr.. Wheeler's criticism of Ex-Collector Ar
thur, as determined opponent of civil SER
vice reform, was in the main just We I'm.
derstand, however, that Gen. Arthur is man
of unimpeachable personal Integrity. Herep-
resents bad system. and one that Mr.. Vince
Ter paid Mr. Hayes well-deserved tribute of
praise for having attempted to break up.
But Gen. Arthur is not the Republican can
didate for President, and the Objectionable
system he unquestionably represents is one to
which Gen. Garfield is not committed. How,
moreover, can we expect anything like civil
service reform from the Democrats They do
not make even a pretence of favoring any
plan which will give us non partisan civil Of
fcers. If we make change, then, would it
not be a change from bad to worse?
OF the Southern claims which many of our
Republican papers made so much political
capital. we bave little fear. We agree with
Mr.. Wheeler that even if Southern members
should vote for them the Northern Democrats
in Congress could hardly be idiotic enough to
sanction any such suicidal political courses.
Mr.. Wheeler stepped rather gingerly over
the thin ice of the Southern suffrage. He &C
counted for the collapse of Republicanism in
that section bv claiming that the negro now
votes the Democratic ticket. No doubt some
do; but it seems equally certain that there has
been no wholesale conversion of colored Re-
publicans into colored Democrats and that
there is an unlawful suppression of that vote
in the South, either by force Or by fraud.
We were glad to hear from Mr. Wheeler that
the negro is so prosperous; and that he is
fast coming into possession of his mule and his
forty acres of land by dint of honest industry.
The sooner he arrives at personal independ-
ence, the sooner will the Solid South cease to
be the political unit which now threatens the
By far the ablest and most effective part of
Mr.. Wheeler's address was his argument
against Protection. He proved how the
whole country is put under contribution to
make one nickel mining company monopoly,
netting its 81, 900 a day; how copper mining
was made similar monopoly by similar
legislation how it often costs more to repair
a ship in Massachusetts, than to build one in
Nova Scotia; and how pair of blankets that
cost SO in London are made to cost the Amer
ican purchaser, $5. All this wholesome talk
is very we'll, theoretically; but, practically, it
might as we'll be addressed to pile of Egyp-
tian mummies as to meeting of Democrats
in the Fourth Congressional District where
VIM. ii. Barnum has made Protection lead
ing article of the Democratic faith. Mr..
Wheeler was evidently unaware of this and
the apparent endorsement which his free-trade
views received from the gentleman who have
been lately busy nominating Mr.. Geo. W.
Peet. Protectiopist, for Congress, was the
most amusing feature of the evenings, enter
tainment.