Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-08-05


to see any effort made to discredi;. As a
soldier he has shown signal bravery and
skill in the handling OF troops under diff
cult circumstances. and his name is identi-
fed with some splendid achievements Of the
war. For all this every good citizen will
honor him. But the question is not whether
we shall honor deserving General.
WOULD HANCOCK BIZ THE PRESIDENT THE
COUNTRY NEEDS?
The question is whether that deserving
General would be the kind of President
the country needs. President who can be
| depended upon successfully to solve the
problems of craftsmanship which are now
before US to preserve the good things already
done and improve upon them. To lead bat
tallions Of brave men agains; a fortified po-
stion or to win campaign by dashing
maneuvr, Is one thing; to regulate the a.
nances of the country IN such way that the
blessings of a sound currency NAV be perma-
nently secured to US to develop our com
mercial opportunities 10 organize the civil
service in such manner that it may con-
duct the public business upon sound bust
ness principles is another and in the lat
ter case the brave spirit and ability
which storms hostile batteries and lays low
invading hosts does not appear in the first
line Of importance. When such difficult
civic duties are to bc performed We shall, "a
reasonable men. inquire whether the brilli-
ant captain. who appears so glorious at the
head Of his columns. ]. also familiar with
the complex interests which in official sta
ton he would have TO serve whether his
knowledge, training. experience and mental
habit. fit hin clearly to distinguish on the
political field good from evil. not only in
the abstract. but in the confusing multipllci-
~ and variety Of forms in which things ap-
pear in reality whether he will be sufficiently
equipped to penetrate, restrain and battle the
wtles Of political intrigue and the conflicts
of faction among friends. which always sur
round the chief magistrate of great com
mouvoalth; whether he will show himself
fitted 20 move on that field Of civil action and
duty, where forces are handled and directed
not by mere rule Of command and obcdi-
cnce, but BY finding the just measure Of firm
hess and moderation in the pursuit Of great
objects and resistance 10 evil influences. |
cannot impress j, too strongly on your minds
that there can bc no greater difference than
that between thr handling Of troops in a
campaign and the handling OF the political
forces of great people and the handling Of
the political affairs of great Government
Moreover It must not bc forgotten that
this Government i no longer the simple
machinery It va, in the earl, DAYS OF the
kcpablic. The bucolic age Of America i.
over The interest. the Government has TO
deal with are NJ longer those Of a small
number OF agricultural communities. with
here and there a commercial town. They
arr =. interests Of nearly ifty millions Of
people spread over an immense surface, wlth
occupations. pursuits and industries Of end
lcs, VARIETY and grea, magnitude large cit
!cs with element, Of population scarcely
known here ~ the early daN>. and all these
producing aspiration, and interests push
my powerful AMI complicated in their nature
and 80 constantly appealing to the Govern
mcnt righiiully or wrongfully. that the rc-
quircncnts Of staic.man.hlp dcmande,. IN
This age are far different from those which
,uiiiccd century ago.
uiE pUTIE~ WHICH Kl~r UFoN PRESIDENT.
II is believed b, many ,h4, it is an cas,
task to perform the duiic. Of the President
uf the United Statc,-,hat the onl, thing
he hAs 10 20 is to form a programme OF pol
I
good and experienced men into hi. Cabinet
TO attend 70 the detail Of the business. with
out medilng himself with It's intricate com
plications The experience have gathered
from personal ob.er, alton. not only A. a
member Of the legislative body but also Of
the Cabinet, has convinced me that this j.
great mistake.
II all the President had 10 do wcre 10 Sc
leci seven men Who agree with him a, to the
principal objects 10 b. accomplished, and
then consul, and agree with them about the
means to b. used. undisiurhcd by the pres
sure o. outside forces. it would, indeed, be-
comparatively easy and a comfortable thing
But the fact j. that the Prcssdcn, OF the
United States. by the yery nature uf hi, po-
,ition. Is obliged TO spend far more time in
listening to the advice and wishes and the
urgency Of men outside of hi, Cabinet; than
Ia hi consultations With Cab.ne; ministers
themselves. The opposition he MAY encoun-
ter from the opposing party IN Congress and
N the press, i, IN most cases, the least Of
the difficulties he has 20 contend With. The
greatest puzzles that are apt to pcrpleA and
sometimes 70 oyerg helm his mind come
from his own party. Who have Il claim upon
hi. attention and insist to have that claim
respected. Not only upon the great meas
ures Of his administration, but upon every
detail the advice Of the members of his par
", especially those in Congress, is urged up
on him with all imaginable sorts OF argu-
ment and from all Imaginable sorts Of mo
tive. There Is scarcely an appointment he
has 10 make. there is certainly not a reform
he wants 10 execute, that he will not have
to carry through seige and storm of oppos-
ing wishes and interests. Every object he
pursues will run counter To the wishes not
only Of his opponents, but of some OF his
friends every reform, the execution of
which may appear to him desirable, will tread
upon the toes Of somebody whose interests
lie in the abuse 10 be reformed, or who has
a friend to protect who is connected with il :;
and all these pleas, representations. remon-
strances, urgencies and pressures go to the
President, not through the members of his
Cabinet, but behind their backs; and it is
matter Of long and varied experience that
unless the President himself has sufficient
knowledge of affairs, a clear eye to see
through arguments and motives, and that
temper and skill which are necessary to re-
sist without offending. and to conciliate with
out giving up his objects, he will inevitably
be run over and lamentably fail. No man
who has not witnessed il has an adequate
conception Of the furious pressure the Pres
ident is subjected to. especially during the
first period Of his administration and that
first period is apt to determine the character
of the whole. No Cabinet minister can car
~ out a reform in the branch of the public
service over which he presides unless he has
the President at his back, for if the Presi-
dent yields TO remonstraRccs and urgencies
brought to bear upon him against such re-
form. the Cabinet minister will find himself
baffied at every step.
| speak from experience when say that
most Of the good things that have been done
under this Administration, whatever merit
the respective Cabinet ministers NAV deserve
for them. are no less due TO the clear headed
and faithful support, frequently called the
''amiable obstinacy," with which President
HAYES stood Dehind them by warding of
the opposition. II is .or such reasons Of in
estimable benefit to an administration that
the President himself should have had the
experience Of active work in legr lative bod
les, and especially in the Congress of the
United States. 1t will require in i .esi-
dent high degree Of that intuitive genius
with which but very few men in century