The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-09-10
THE COLUMBIAN, VOL. XIV, NO. g
COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT, VOL XIV, NO. 2s

all things TO see is a united country with
all political tricksters and machine poll
ticans put in the background.
ANOTHER HANCOCK REPUBLICAN.
Geo. Wilkes Letter to William NJ. Hall,
Paris, July Is, 1880
Garfield pleased me because his name
rose upon the collapse of horrid spectre
which had frightened the country to its
very marrow; but Hancock fills the bill
an honest soldier who knows nothing
hut his duty, and will be sure to leave
the people, unhampered by policies" to
their own free will. That is the true
theory of the presidential institution.
| have been hankcring to vote the
Democratic ticket for over ten years
past, because it is a fixed principle with
me that no party whatever is fit TO WELD
the government. its army and its purse
consecuIiyely for over ten years; certain
| ly not for twenty. Parties, like certain
dishes, need to be turned over once in a
while to suit the public palate, nay the
public health, and heaven knows our
gorged and loathing country needs II
change at present. But the manage
ment of the Democratic party has been
so incompetent for the last ten years, so
confounded with cussedness in its lead
erships, that felt forced, in spite of my
principle, to adhere to the more respect
able rogueries of the Puritan Rcpubli-
cans.
Hancock however, fills the bill lie
is "a bold soldier boy" with a clean
name; and though since Andrew Jack
son the military idea has not been a
Democratic fancy it is not for the Re
publicans to come out of their hotbcd of
sabres to reproach us with it now. They
surely cannot clamor with success about
the Mrs. Surratt performance of Han
cocks bounden duty That necessary
tragedy has been sufficiently discounted
by applauded stalwarts; has always
proved to be one of the most telling APP
peals to Republican patriotism during
the last four presidential campaigns; and
| am much mistaken in my estimate of
human nature if the same painful Incl
dent, with an honest but sorrowful sol
dier as its central figure does not again
powerfully influence the unpolitical por-
ton of the American people.
| know Hancock and like him. He
is man of sound ability and will wear
well; and though, as you know, | never
fancied West Point much must bear
it this important testimony: Through
out the war, on both sides, not one of
the regular brand was known TO steal.
1t was not always SO with the amateur
experts of the volunteer service. There
are two illustrative contrasts that now
pass across my mind: The first vol
/ need not mention; the other that grand
old Confederate hero, John b. Magru-
der, whom recollect as once painted by
a chance correspondent of the London
Times riding at the head of his legions
over the Towering sward of Texas, look
ing like one of the paladins of old, and
as | will add with millions of money
had he been so minded-springing tC
his hand from the clover at his horse
hoofs.
well remember how he stayed Nc
Clellan and 10000 of our Northern you'll
under that leader, for nearly month Al
Yorktown, with but nine thousand men
leaving behind him III the abandoned
walls not wagon, not side of bacon
nor a man.
Right well also do | bear in mind
when he found his retreat discovered ant
t disputed by those instructive soldiers
Hooker, lleintzlcman and Keamey, II,
t had stomach to give battle to the thrc,
on the road at Williamsburg, and t,
pass through the tolls that envroneC
him, by the fire of his sword, with tn,
} glory of a new Moreau. What has Gran
A done that was better than that? Indeed
/. Magruder was a grand old soldier, bu
D he died without means enough to bur,
r him-a funeral that became hero tha
5 knew how to make war but did not know
$ how to make money. Now Grant wa
e Il different kind of n hcro---a soldier
e doubtless, but not so much of one rs Iii
| blind worshippers would have us thinl
< IA silent, crafty, money-making man
e with always an empire windward an,
: keenly comprehending that the first ste
+ of the founder of IA dynasty is to max
: himself and family rich, aye to the uttei
: most generation, Our friend Ulysse
began his climb to power logically, b
taking presents, absorbing strength i
n stocks and houses, and every form {
a property, and by distributing fortunes I
e his relatives from the Corbins to til
II Dents, his last and most clever coup i
h that way being the recent side stroke {
V two or three millions in California fC
l. the family fund, in the way of mariag
d through the cockey and aspiring youn
i prince Fred. Indeed, from the day
'e accession of Ulysses to what is practica
ID ly the throne of the United States (wit
e. its more than regal patronage), he hi
ID never so far as my observation goes, I
G. fused a rich mans invitation to dinn
" nor sat at a poor mans table. If it We
h my desire to wound him, | would ref
t to sumptuous boards which he has car
IL lessly allowed himself to patronize tn
| were not entirely worthy even of his ow
Is start in life.
e Presently, when he RECEIVERS from Il
II stupetaction of the recent staggeriI
'tj blow at Chicago, he will slowly unc,
e and stretch out again for profit.
III But TO return to the Presidential qu,
er ton. was always of the opinion, aft
y what had happened in 1876, that 1ild
Al, was the logical and proper candidate {
CT Cincinnati, and still believe he would ha
TO been eleeted-trst because the peol
III thought the land was yearning tor
IN change. We have seen the mysterio
H. public sense lately work in England. h
&c beyond the impulse of this slow and stea
us revolution against the republican par
N and transcending the force of all otl
III causes put together came in the nj
er of time the audacious attempt of set
er' political highwaymen at Chicagoto pli
m their knees upon the public breast a
lie throttle it of its voice, in order that IL
Ia might establish permanent governm,
ect for their political master and themselv
siq They Were mad with spoil and drunk W
i arrogance and power, and did not KIN
lat to what great extent they Were unnaski